Your Baby Iguana - How To Take Care Of It

Taking care if baby iguanas is like taking care of other baby pet animals like puppies, kittens or chicks. And like humans too, the baby stage is an important period where you nurture them with right and positive inputs from food intake to physical touch. This will help form their character, as they get older.

The iguanas may not be as sensitive and delicate as compared to taking care of mammal babies, but certain points should be learned and applied very carefully. Too much or tool less of anything may be unhealthy for them. It pays to understand these points and make sure they are followed by everyone who helps in babysitting the pet.

Physical Characteristics

Vision

Iguanas have great eyesight and can see far distances, shapes, colors and movements. It may be good environment for it to be covered with nature or colors and shapes emulating nature. Wall paintings with caricatures of birds and trees will be a treat. However, it is best if the cage could be placed within a covered garden with cool and controlled environment.

Auditory

Iguana's ears are called tympanum which are located behind the ears. Like their eyes, there auditory system is so sensitive. Loud noise and other irritating sounds must be avoided. Consider their natural habitat in the jungle. Their environment are just surrounded with the sound of whistling leaves swaying with the breeze, chirping birds and perhaps the sound of flowing waters. Provide them with quite and peaceful surroundings. Music may help but keep them to controlled volume and provide soft classic music as much as possible.

Important Pointers for Iguana Babysitters

1.0 Shelter

Make sure the cage has abundant ventilation from all sides but has cover for protection. Detachable outer coverings of light material may be handy at night to keep them warm.

Covered flooring is recommended to prevent insects from invading the cage. Another layer is recommended to bring warmth. Expensive option is to use carpet material, but some old newspapers may do and more convenient to replace during cleaning. Food and water may be set in a corner and make sure they are refilled as needed.

Since natural habitat of iguanas is on trees, provide branches inside the cage for your baby to cling on. This will provide for it the necessary movement and be able to exercise its muscles. The size of the cage must be big enough to contain many branches where the baby iguana could move around more freely.

2.0 Environment

Baby iguanas need the proper environment in terms of humidity and temperature. Required range must be within 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. Relative humidity is safe at 30% to 60%.
During cold weather, it may be advisable to put its cage near a heating facility.

3.0 Feeding

Baby Iguanas love fruits and vegetables. Their diet should contain vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous. Cut large portions into small pieces for them to easily bite. Unlike other pets who can just eat anything from meat to canned foods, baby iguanas are more like plant eaters. They may become unhealthy if fed with improper foods or suffer with malnutrition and eventually starve to death.

Consulting the animal pediatrician

It is best to bring your baby iguana to the local veterinarian clinic regularly as what the doctor may require. This is necessary for check ups and consultation on the proper caring as the baby reptile grows.