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While keeping iguanas as pets can be quite challenging, many reptile enthusiasts enjoy housing and caring for these huge lizards. If you’re considering adopting an iguana as a pet yourself, you probably have a lot of questions about everything you need to know about their care requirements, the cost of keeping such a large reptile, how much time is spent on their care, and more.
From food to enclosures to the cost of supplies, here’s everything you need to know about keeping an iguana as a pet. I will also cover which species iguanas are often kept as pets and why certain species are more popular than others.
Which iguanas can be kept as pets?
There are a total of about 40 iguanas within the Iguanidae suborder, but only a handful are good pets. Some of the more popular varieties are:
- Green iguanas (and by extension their red and blue variants)
- Rhino iguanas
- desert iguanas
- spiny-tailed iguanas
- Chuckwallas
Most iguana species have not been widely domesticated and are usually not available from reptile breeders. However, the above species are good candidates as pets. This is because they have a fairly docile nature and thrive in captivity if all their needs are met.
However, keep in mind that all iguanas are large lizards that can easily reach several meters in length as adults! For example, green iguanas often weigh as much as 15 to 20 pounds when they reach adulthood.
Due to their size, iguanas in captivity need a lot of space. Even the smallest of the aforementioned species, the desert iguana, grows to more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length on average—and that’s not even counting tail length!
What do you need for a pet iguana?
Let’s see what you need if you want to adopt and house one of these huge, majestic lizards. It’s worth noting that not all iguana species are ideal for first-time reptile enthusiasts, young children, or anyone buying their very first pet reptile in general.
Many pet iguanas are usually rehomed or abandoned by their owners within their first year of life, as they start out very small and manageable as babies, but quickly explode in size. This makes these lizards difficult to handle, house and feed for long periods of time for anyone who has not done their research beforehand.
If you’re serious about adopting an iguana of your own but aren’t quite sure what you need yet, here are the basics your new scaly friend will need to thrive in captivity:
- A VERY large housing. You cannot put an iguana in a typical 20 to 60 gallon glass enclosure from a pet store. This is fine for most baby iguanas, but within their first year of life you should build or custom order an enclosure to fit them as they mature. For example, the minimum enclosure size for an adult green iguana should be: 12 feet long, 6 feet wide and 6 feet long. It is best to have a special room in your house for the lizard’s habitat.
- Lighting/heating elements. Iguanas are cold-blooded and rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. That is why their captive enclosures must always be well heated. This means going through a lot of big sunlamps (as well as UVB lighting for most varieties). Keep in mind that these get quite expensive over time.
- Cage decorations. Iguanas love to climb in captivity and all species need some kind of enrichment in their enclosures. You will need to place lots of branches, shelters for shelter, sturdy platforms or ledges at different heights, and lots of plants (ideally real ones, but for some types of artificial plants are fine too) throughout the enclosure to make it feel more natural and comfortable for your new pet.
- Substrate/bedding. Most iguana species spend most of their time climbing. However, their captive enclosures still need secure bedding to walk on. Avoid loose substrates with small, indigestible/non-biodegradable particles such as wood chips/chips or gravel. These often cause digestive problems in iguanas if accidentally ingested. Some of the best inexpensive substrates include paper towels, tile, linoleum, and coconut fiber.
- Eat a lot. Most iguana species are herbivorous and require a diet of mostly fresh vegetables, other fruits and vegetables. A few popular species, such as the rhinoceros iguana, are omnivores and also eat various feeder insects. You can purchase feeder insects from most reptile breeders or pet stores. This can also get expensive, like most adults iguanas need to eat at least one or two large meals a day!
- At least two double thermometer/hygrometers. You will need to closely monitor your iguana’s enclosure to ensure proper temperature and humidity settings. All species have slightly different requirements. In general, however, most iguanas require very warm and somewhat humid enclosures to mimic the environment of their natural habitat. You should have at least two or three thermometers/hygrometers designed for reptile enclosures distributed throughout your iguana’s home so that you can make adjustments as needed.
Keep in mind that these are just the basic supplies you’ll need for your iguana’s daily care and housing. We’ll get into the estimated cost of these items and other necessities like veterinary care shortly.
What should you feed a pet iguana?
The vast majority of iguana species are herbivorous, although a few, such as the aforementioned rhinoceros iguana and the spiny-tailed iguana, are omnivores. This means providing your iguana with fresh fruits, vegetables and fruits on a daily basis. If you choose an omnivorous iguana, keep it alive too insects!
If the idea of feeding live insects to your iguana makes you a little nauseous, don’t worry – most species are herbivorous! Opt for something like a green iguana or desert iguana as they are strict vegetarians as their digestive tract is not designed to break down animal proteins.
Some of the foods most iguana species like to eat include:
- Dark, nutritious leafy greens. In most cases, this makes up the bulk of your captive iguana’s diet. For example, kale, tur
ni
p, and dandelion are all highly nutritious. These form an ideal basis for the daily salads of most iguanas. - Other safe, fresh vegetables. Another big part of an iguana’s diet should consist of nutritious, delicious vegetables. You have a lot to choose from here, and variety is key. Peppers, various pumpkins, carrots, asparagus, and green beans are all great choices, as they are both healthy and tasty for most iguana species.
- A small amount of fresh fruit. Only about 15% of an iguana’s diet should consist of fruit at most. This is because fruit is very sweet and high in oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can hinder iguana’s absorption of calcium and other minerals, so you need to be careful about how much fruit you offer them. Most iguana species like to eat fruit as it is sweet and flavorful, a kind of candy to them, but moderation is essential for a healthy lizard.
- (Optional) Fresh feeder insects. This only applies if you’ve adopted one of the few omnivorous species, such as spiny-tailed or rhinoceros iguanas. Insects such as super worms, dubia roaches, hornworms, and crickets are all good options. Make sure to buy them from a reputable seller who carefully breeds feeder insects in captivity rather than just catching wild insects, as wild insects often carry harmful diseases, parasites and pesticides that are poisonous to iguanas.
How much does a pet iguana cost?
Finally, let’s take a look at the approximate cost of a typical pet iguana. This varies greatly as there are many different species with their own care needs. Still, we can at least make some estimates to give you an idea of whether owning one of these handsome lizards is realistic for your budget.
The first major expense that probably comes to mind is the iguana itself. Keep in mind that you should not purchase the iguana until you have fully set up their enclosure and purchased all of their other necessary supplies. The best and cheapest way to buy an iguana as a pet is to purchase one from a reputable breeder.
Baby iguanas can cost anywhere from as little as $25 to $40 for a typical green iguana or desert iguana to $300+ for species such as chuckwallas and rhinoceros iguanas. However, this is just the beginning of expected expenses for your new pet! Keep reading to see how much their enclosure configuration and other care requirements cost on average each month.
How much do iguana supplies cost?
The next big investment to make in caring for your iguana is their home. As I mentioned earlier, you can buy a comprehensive custom case online for anywhere from $300 to $1,000 or more, or you can build your own for a lot less.
Again, you won’t be able to buy just any small glass tank for an iguana from your local pet store as they are way too big for these types of enclosures. Building a housing yourself can cost anywhere $100 to $500 + for materials. The few hours or even days it takes to build is also an important factor to keep in mind.
Expect to spend anywhere from . for heating elements $40 to $80+ initially on heat lamps, fixtures to house the lamps and UVB lamps if your iguana needs extra UV in captivity. From there you also have to buy new bulbs when they burn out, so there is also a monthly recurring cost of minimum $30 to $50 or so.
As for other enclosure decorations such as branches, platforms, ladders, hammocks, food and water bowls, and plants, expect to spend anywhere from $50 to $150 or so initially. If you choose live plants, you may need to replace them over time. The cost of these items varies considerably depending on the type of iguana you have selected. You may also need to replace certain items if your iguana breaks or damages them.
Next, you need to consider the cost of food. Each month you can expect to receive at least $50 to $100 per month on fresh food for your iguana, be it fruits and vegetables or insects, depending on their species.
Finally, make sure you have at least Always $500 on hand for vet visits. Your iguana should visit a reptile vet at least once a year for a checkup. However, they may require additional veterinary care if they become ill or develop health problems later in life.
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