| Oh, happy day. Little Jimmy just turned eleven years | | | | dedicate an entire room to it. Diet should consist of |
| old and wants to spend his birthday money. His | | | | mostly dark leafy greens like collards, some veggies, |
| parents, agreeing that he may buy a small animal so | | | | and a little fruit. They are strict vegetarians. And the |
| long as it is his responsibility, take him to the pet | | | | most important component of all, ultraviolet lighting. |
| shop. It is a popular chain store, the kind of place | | | | Iguanas must have U.V.B. lighting to properly absorb |
| where a customer would assume to find | | | | calcium. If they do not have access to U.V.B. rays, |
| knowledgeable advice. Jimmy heads over to the small | | | | they will develop M.B.D., or metabolic bone disease. |
| animal section and something catches his eye. A | | | | This causes their bones to become weak and soft |
| Green Iguana, it is almost neon, cute as can be, and | | | | and they break. Usually, kinks are seen in the spine or |
| only fifteen bucks. An employee encourages the | | | | tail and the jaw and hind legs will swell. Iguanas with |
| family to purchase a twenty gallon aquarium that will | | | | M.B.D. will eventually die. |
| keep the lizard from getting too big, some reptile | | | | Of course you can not forget the insanity of |
| bark for bedding, a hot rock, and of course romaine | | | | breeding season for an adult iguana. Males can |
| lettuce and crickets so the little guy can eat. Sounds | | | | become extremely territorial and aggressive with |
| like the perfect home, right? Wrong. | | | | their owners. Females on the other hand, can |
| All of the advice given was inaccurate. Tank size | | | | become gravid without even mating and can lay up |
| does not stunt growth, improper care does. A baby | | | | to 70 eggs. Special care must be taken of the |
| iguana needs at least a fifty gallon tank which it will | | | | "mother," like giving her extra supplements of calcium. |
| soon outgrow anyway. Loose bedding can cause | | | | There sometimes are complications that come with |
| impaction because iguanas flick lick their environments | | | | gravidity such as egg binding which can require |
| and their tongues will pick up the pieces. Hot rocks | | | | surgery and is potentially fatal. Needless to say with |
| can cause serious burns, and lettuce actually has zero | | | | all of the things that can go wrong with an iguana, an |
| nutritional value for iguanas while the animal protein | | | | exotic vet bill can get pricey. Of course, that is only if |
| from the crickets can cause kidney failure. | | | | the owner is actually aware that iguanas need a |
| Unfortunately, many people do not do their own | | | | skilled vet just as much as a dog or cat does. |
| research when buying iguanas and just take the | | | | Because the needs of an iguana are expensive and |
| advice of the pet store. However, many pet stores | | | | difficult to meet, the average person who buys one |
| like the one in the scenario above, are not that | | | | without researching will not be willing to provide for |
| knowledgeable. For many adults an iguana is too | | | | them in the best way possible. Iguanas have become |
| difficult to care for, let alone an eleven year old that | | | | disposable pets. They are cheap, easy to kill, and |
| can not take care of himself. If iguanas cost just | | | | easy to replace. A few irresponsible owners have |
| fifty to sixty dollars more, people would be more | | | | released their iguanas into the wild and in some places |
| likely to do their research and iguanas would not be | | | | like the Everglades in Florida, they have thrived. Some |
| neglected, re-homed, or die prematurely nearly as | | | | Florida residents have even taken up hunting and |
| often as they currently do. The majority of iguana | | | | eating iguanas to make an attempt to cut back the |
| babies do not make it past their first birthday and as | | | | situation, but that really will not do anything. Iguanas |
| many as 25,000 iguanas are re-homed each year in | | | | are very prolific breeders. Now that these lizards and |
| the United States. | | | | a few other species have established themselves, |
| Although that tiny baby lizard seems cute now, you | | | | people are pointing fingers at the reptile community. |
| may not think so by the time it reaches five to six | | | | However, the dedicated reptile keepers and more |
| feet long and weighs as much as eight to twenty | | | | specifically iguana owners are passionate about our |
| pounds. That is, if you give the iguana decent enough | | | | animals. Iguanas may be difficult for most, but to us, |
| care to make it to that point. Not only can they | | | | they are our pride and joy. There is a serious void |
| become too large for some people, they can really | | | | when any of us lose our iguana that many other |
| pack a punch. With teeth like a serrated knife, razor | | | | people would find surprising. This is why we should |
| sharp claws, and a whip for a tail, these are not | | | | not ban the ownership of these lizards, just make |
| animals that you want to mess with if they are | | | | them a little more difficult to come by. We could |
| untamed, aggressive or having a typical iguana mood | | | | accomplish this in part with the countries exporting |
| swing. | | | | iguanas by putting a head tax on each iguana that |
| Because green iguanas are from the tropical areas of | | | | comes in to the United States and the money could |
| Central and South America, they have strict | | | | go to the zoological resources or national parks |
| husbandry requirements. Since reptiles are | | | | systems of the exporting country. Another option |
| cold-blooded, they can not control their body | | | | would be to ban the importation of iguanas so that |
| temperature. In order to properly regulate their body | | | | more breeding programs here could be established. |
| heat, iguanas need a wide temperature range. Many | | | | This would also make iguanas cost higher but could |
| iguana owners have said that after setting up the | | | | also be harmful to the economy of the other |
| lighting to keep the temperatures consistent, their | | | | country. There is also the option of putting a quota |
| electric bills have doubled. Humidity must be | | | | on the number of iguanas allowed to be imported by |
| maintained at around 65 percent. Then, to | | | | America to increase the price. Until we do something, |
| accommodate the large size of an adult iguana, you | | | | these highly intelligent lizards will continue to be |
| will need to build a very large enclosure, or just | | | | marketed for death. |