Iguanas are amazing reptiles that grow large in size and are smart. But are iguanas good pets? Is an iguana a good pet for a child? In this post, we will answer these questions and will discuss pros and cons of keeping iguanas as pets and give you a real view of keeping an iguana at home.
Now, let’s review pros and cons of iguanas as pets and discuss each point in more detail. Hopefully, after this post, you will understand if an iguana is truly right for you and your family.
Pros of iguanas as pets
- Iguanas are large lizards, have a strong build and resemble mini dragons. Some reptile owners prefer owning large lizards that will not be hurt when handling. They have an amazing strong body, with beautiful spikes, jowls and a long tail. An adult iguana (5 years and over) can reach 5-7 feet long and weight around 6-8 kg. There are also different morphs of green iguanas available – blue, red, blizzard and albino.
- You won’t need to feed your green iguana any insects. Buying and keeping insects can be a headache, and some people don’t want to bring insects in their homes at all. Your green iguana is a strict vegetarian and will only need salads, fruits and flowers to grow and thrive.
- Your iguana is smart and recognizes you. Most reptiles don’t recognize their owners, but iguanas are smarter. Iguanas actually do recognize their owners and even their voice. They need time to bond with their owners, but after that they trust and even love them.
- You can potty train your iguana. Yes, iguanas are smart and usually poop only in water. You can train your iguana to poop at the same time of the day, in the toilet or in the bucket with water! Some even get trained to poop with the sound of the running water!
- Green iguanas are pets with long lifespan. If you care for your iguana properly, it can live for 10-15, and even up to 20 years. This is a very long time with your iguana. If you get a baby iguana, it will spend all of its life with you.
- Iguanas have unique and interesting personalities. Everyone who owns or owned an iguana knows that each of them has a unique personality. Iguanas are interesting and challenging pets and you will have to work hard to understand your pet in the beginning. If you enjoy the challenge, then iguana will be definitely for you.
- Your iguana doesn’t need too much of your time. Iguanas don’t need to be petted or played with. As iguanas age, they will spend most of their days walking around and basking. Tame iguana will be laid back and calm. But you will have to handle it regularly in the beginning for taming and bonding.
- Iguanas are relatively clean, don’t smell and don’t make noise. Your iguana should not have any smell. If it poops in the water, there will be minimal smell as well. Iguanas are also very quiet and don’t make any noise apart from some hissing when unhappy.
- Your iguana loves routines. It will often eat and poop at the same time of the day, making it easier for your to perform daily tasks. Iguanas are also diurnal, which means that they are active during the day and sleep at night.
Cons of iguanas as pets
- Iguanas are large and need a big custom cage or to even free roam the room or the house. While you can keep your iguana in a 55-70 gallon tank for maximum of 1-2 years, you will need to build a big custom cage for it after it grows bigger. You might even decide to prepare a room for it. This means that small apartment with little space is not really suitable for your iguana.
- You will need to tame and bond with your iguana first. Before you tame your iguana, it can show some aggression and not be happy for you to handle it. You will need to spend 15-30 minutes every day handling it so it can get used to you. Bonding can take few months and even up to few years, but is very rewarding.
- Make sure there is a reptile vet nearby that can care for your iguana. This is in case you need to perform scans, fecal and blood tests and in case your iguana gets sick.
- You will need to get UVB lamps for your iguana and replace them every 6 months. Iguanas have a high requirement for heat and light (both artificial bulbs like this and unfiltered sunlight if possible). Also, you will need to get heat lamps, light bulbs, thermometers and other accessories. But all reptiles need them.
- Your iguana has specialized heating and humidity requirements. Iguanas need high humidity in the cage or the room (70-80%), misting twice a day and bathing to stay hydrated. Your iguana also needs high basking spot temperatures of around 96-100 degrees F (35.5-37.7 degrees Celsius). Those will have to be regulated ans kept consistent all the time.
- Iguanas can be unpredictable. Even a tame iguana might suddenly get mad at something and you will need to be ready for this. Male iguanas, especially, can get aggressive with other people and even owners and confuse them with competitors (especially if your iguana is free roaming) during the breeding season.
- Not every iguana becomes affectionate. Iguanas are amazing and unique reptiles, and each of them has its own personality. Most iguanas become tame after bonding with their owners, while some don’t. Some iguanas might stay mean despite the fact that you have spent a lot of time with it and will want lots of alone time. It’s always better to get a baby iguana and build the relationship from the start.
- You will have to care for your iguana for up to 20 years. While it’s a good thing, iguanas are often not good for teenagers, young people or people with constantly changing circumstances. If you are getting an iguana for your teenager, be prepared to look after it after your child leaves for college and can’t take it along. If you often move houses, it can be stressful for your iguana (also make sure there will be enough space!).
- Iguanas have sharp teeth and claws. This means that iguanas are only suitable for adults. With time, you will learn the signs that your iguana gives before attacking. You will have to respect your iguanas needs and not be persistent when your iguana wants to be left alone – or it will bite, whip or scratch you. Bites and scratches will need stitching. Never ignore warning sings.
- You will need to prepare salads for your iguana daily. Iguanas need to eat staple greens, veggies, flowers and fruits. It might not be hard once you have found where to get all the ingredients for salads. But you will still have to chop the greens daily for your iguana. You also have to offer your iguana lots of different options, or it will become picky.
- Your iguana often has to be the only pet, especially lizard. While you might have a cat or a dog, your iguana will have to get used to it from the beginning. But you must never keep two iguanas together after they turn 6 months old. Iguanas are very territorial. You can only introduce females to males during the breeding season.
Are iguanas affectionate?
Iguanas are not necessarily affectionate, but you might tame and bond with your iguana over time. For this, you will have to handle and spend time with your iguana regularly since it is young. Tame iguanas recognize their owners and become tolerant of handling and petting. This can include strangers as well. Some tame iguanas even like spending time with their owners.
Is an iguana a good pet for a child?
No, an iguana is not a good pet for a child. Iguanas are suitable only for experienced keepers or adults that can take proper care of an iguana. You will have to prepare its salads daily, regulate temperatures and humidity, and be vigilant about its behaviors and possible aggression. Children can get scared and not understand the full responsibility and mentality of an iguana.
If your child is older, always listens to your advice and interacts with an iguana under supervision, then it is fine. You can teach your child about the fascinating life of iguanas, its behaviors and responsibility of caring for one. But make sure that you are the main carer of an iguana, and not your child. Your child can help you to take care of an iguana.
Are iguanas good for beginners?
Iguanas might not be the greatest first pet lizard for beginners. This is due to the fact the the new owner will often not be ready for all the responsibilities of iguanas . You will need to constantly monitor the temperatures and humidity, chops its salads, mist it and clean its poop bowl (or take it to the bathroom for pooping).
Also the main issue might become the aggression, which you should be ready for. You will need to be learning about your iguana, and be patient and understanding when taming and bonding.
If you are responsible, caring, patient and willing to learn, then iguana might be a good pet for you even if you are the beginner. But don’t get an iguana if you want a pet for lots of petting and playing – your iguana will not necessarily enjoy that all the time. Also make sure that you have enough space in your house for the 5-7 ft giant mini dragon that it will become.