Iguanas were once the most common pet lizard kept by pet owners. Over the last decade, the Bearded Dragon has replaced the Iguana as a household pet. There are a number of reasons why the iguana should be left in the wild and maintained in households as pets.
- A 12-inch iguana looks adorable and seems to be just an ideal pet. But these cute little creatures grow to be 5-6 feet in size weighing 20 pounds. An adult iguana does need a room all of its own.
- An adult iguana is pure muscle. If they are not happy they may inflict a painful bite. If that is not enough they are able to lash their tail as a bullwhip and just as painful. Often mature males may become very aggressive.
- Iguanas are herbivores needing fresh fruit and vegetables daily. The problem is a 20-pound iguana needs a lot of them.
- Metabolic bone disease is the top cause of death in pet iguanas. While the good news is a metabolic disease may be prevented by using correct UV lights it is difficult to provide adequate UV for san adult that has an entire room.
For the most part we probably should leave the iguana in the wild and enjoy this individual in their natural habitat.
