Green Iguana Care Sheet

Green Iguana Species Overview

Green iguanas are friendly, tropical lizards and one of the most popular pet reptile species. They are herbivorous reptiles found throughout tropical regions in North, Central, and South America.

Iguanas use their bright green skin as camouflage among leaves in dense rainforests. However, green iguanas can also appear to be blue or red—these variations are known as color morphs. 

Iguanas are known to be highly intelligent. Over time, they can learn to recognize and respond to their pet parents. To communicate with each other, tropical iguanas bob their heads. 

Healthy tropical iguanas sneeze to get rid of excess salt in their bodies.  

Green Iguana Characteristics 

Difficulty of Care	Advanced
Average Lifespan	Up to 15+ years with proper care
Average Adult Size	4–6 feet long (including tail), depending on species
Diet	Herbivorous
Minimum Habitat Size	20-gallon tank for babies; habitat size must be increased as the iguana grows

 

Green Iguana Handling

Iguanas can become tolerant of gentle handling when properly socialized. However, they may bite when feeling threatened, startled, or sick. 

Always approach an iguana calmly and quietly and try to minimize handling when they are shedding, as they may be more sensitive and stressed during that process.   

All reptiles are potential carriers of infectious diseases, including salmonella bacteria, which is zoonotic (transmissible to people). Pet parents should always wash their hands before and after handling their iguana or the habitat’s contents. 

Green Iguana Supplies

To keep an iguana happy and healthy, pet parents should have these basic supplies on hand: 

• Appropriately sized habitat 

• Commercial pelleted iguana food 

• Food and water dishes

• Multivitamin supplement 

• Calcium supplements, both with and without vitamin D 

• Substrate (material used to line the bottom of the enclosure)

• Climbing decor 

• Moss 

• Plants 

• Plant mister 

• Heat lights and fixtures 

• UVB lighting 

• Under-tank heater (must be paired with a thermostat) 

• Thermostat 

• Thermometers (at least two)

• Humidity gauge 

Green Iguana Habitat

Juvenile iguanas can be housed in a commercially available glass terrarium. When your iguana reaches adulthood, you can move them to a wire enclosure for easier cleanup and maintenance of their habitat. All enclosures should be well-ventilated and have a secure lid or door to prevent the lizard from escaping. 

Iguanas grow rapidly in their first year of life, and you will need to gradually increase the size of the iguana’s enclosure as the lizard grows. As a starting point, baby iguanas can be kept in a 20- to 30-gallon tank. Once your iguana reaches 2.5 to 3 feet in length, upgrade to a 55-gallon tank or larger.  

Generally, iguanas need a custom-built enclosure once they grow longer than 4 feet. As a rule of thumb, habitats should be at least: 

• Two times as long as the iguana’s body length 

• The same width as the iguana’s body length 

• 6 feet tall 

Iguanas are an arboreal (or tree-climbing) species, so make sure the habitat has lots of vertical space for climbing. Always provide the largest habitat possible. 

Habitat Mates 

Adult male iguanas must be housed alone, as they are territorial and will fight when placed together. Female iguanas can be housed in pairs if they are introduced to each other properly.

A male and a female iguana can be kept in the same habitat if you are prepared for them to breed. Different species of reptiles should never be housed in the same habitat. 

If more than one iguana is to be housed in the same enclosure, be sure to increase the habitat’s size accordingly. Remember that reptiles should always be introduced to each other slowly, in neutral territory, and under close supervision to ensure they are compatible before they are housed together. 

Temperature 

Like all other reptiles, iguanas are ectotherms, which means they rely on the heat in their surrounding environment to regulate their body temperature.  

Use external heat sources to create a temperature gradient in your iguana’s enclosure so they can warm up and cool down as needed. The warm end of an iguana’s habitat should be kept between 100 and 120 F, while the cooler end should be kept at 80 F. Temperatures should not drop below the low- to mid-70s F at night. 

Temperatures inside the habitat must be checked daily. Place at least two thermometers—one in the warm area and one in the cool area—in the enclosure so you can check both zones at once. You can also use a digital point-and-shoot thermometer to read habitat temperatures instantly. 

Light and Heat Sources 

Use an incandescent light or a ceramic heat emitter to create a basking area in your iguana’s habitat. The wattage needed for the heat bulb will vary depending on the size of the enclosure, the distance of the bulb from the iguana, and the ambient temperature of the room. Adjust the wattage of the bulb to maintain the recommended temperature gradient within the tank.

Note: Some light bulbs provide not only light to the tank but also heat and/or ultraviolet (UV) light. Double-check the light sources you’re considering so you’re clear on their function in the tank. 

• Incandescent lights should be used only during daylight hours. 

• All heat sources should be attached to a thermostat to keep temperatures within a safe and comfortable range. 

• Hot rocks should not be used because they can get too warm and cause injury.  

• In some climates, you can use under-tank heaters to maintain appropriate tank temperatures. If you’re using an under-tank heating pad, make sure it’s connected to a thermostat to prevent your iguana from getting burned. 

At night, turn off the lights in your iguana’s enclosure or switch to a nocturnal heat bulb or a ceramic heat emitter that does not produce light. White lights can disrupt the lizard’s natural sleep cycle and negatively affect your pet’s overall health, so they should not be left on continuously.

UV Light 

Reptiles need daily exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays so they can produce vitamin D in their skin, which in turn allows them to absorb dietary calcium. Without adequate UVB exposure, iguanas are at a greater risk of developing a range of life-threatening illnesses, including metabolic bone disease. 

In warm climates, pet parents can place their iguana’s habitat in sunlight (unfiltered by a window) for natural UV exposure each day. To supplement UV exposure in indoor enclosures, you can shine a full-spectrum UV light on the iguana’s habitat for 10 to 12 hours each day. 

Since UV lights differ in intensity, you can follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on bulb placement relative to your pet. Also, keep the following points in mind:

• Lights should be replaced every six months (even if the bulb still emits light), as their potency wanes over time. 

• The UV light source should not be blocked by glass or plastic, as this will block and filter out UV rays. 

Humidity 

Iguanas need humidity in their environment to support their respiratory system, encourage healthy shed cycles, and stay hydrated. Humidity should be maintained at 70–90% and monitored with a hygrometer (humidity gauge). To help maintain humidity in the habitat, pet parents should provide a water mister. Also, to ensure the iguana stays hydrated, give them a fresh, large, shallow bowl of warm water each day to soak in.  

Substrate 

The bottom of a tropical iguana’s habitat should be lined with substrate to help keep the enclosure clean. Pelleted paper bedding and alfalfa pellets are both suitable choices, as these materials are non-toxic and digestible. You can also use reptile carpet if you regularly spot-clean and replace it to prevent bacteria from building up on it. 

Avoid wood chips, sand, mulch, and other particle-type bedding, because these are indigestible and can lead to a life-threatening gastrointestinal obstruction if your iguana eats them. You’ll also want to avoid pine and cedar bedding, because both have oils that can irritate an iguana’s skin and cause illness. 

Decor and Accessories 

Branches

As arboreal lizards, iguanas spend their days lounging in trees and basking on branches. Arrange branches of assorted sizes in a diagonal pattern within the enclosure to allow the iguana space to explore and climb between branches.  

• Make sure to place branches away from heat lamps. Otherwise, your iguana can get burned. 

• Ensure any branches installed in the habitat are strong enough to support the iguana’s body weight. 

Hiding Spaces

Add plants or a commercially available hideout to your iguana’s habitat to create a hiding spot. In addition to offering privacy and security for your pet, hideouts allow iguanas to have a cool space away from their enclosure’s direct basking area. 

• Monitor your iguana’s behavior to be sure they are not hiding all the time, because they won’t have a chance to benefit from UV exposure if they aren’t out in the open. 

• Hiding logs should always be large enough for the iguana to fit inside comfortably, so you’ll need to increase the size of hideout spaces as your iguana grows. 

Iguana Habitat Cleaning and Maintenance

Spot-clean your iguana’s habitat daily, removing any soiled material and discarded food.  

Once a week, thoroughly clean and disinfect your iguana’s habitat. Remember to always wash your hands before and after handling your iguana or the habitat’s contents.  

To clean a tropical iguana’s habitat, follow these steps:  

1. Move the iguana to a secure environment. Remove any old paper, decor, and accessories from the habitat.  

2. Scrub the empty tank and any furnishings with a reptile habitat cleaner or 3% bleach solution. Leave the bleach solution on the habitat for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the surfaces are properly disinfected. If you’re using a commercial habitat cleaner, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.  

3. Rinse the habitat and accessories thoroughly with water, making sure to remove any trace amounts or residual smells left by the cleaning agent or bleach solution.   

4. Allow the habitat and its contents to dry completely before placing new paper and clean accessories into the habitat.  

5. Return the iguana to the clean habitat.  

What Do Iguanas Eat?

Despite their sometimes fierce appearance, tropical iguanas are herbivorous reptiles. Leafy green vegetables should be the mainstay of an iguana’s diet, while other vegetables and fruits can also be offered sparingly.

Iguanas need to be fed daily and should always have access to fresh clean water. Because iguanas are most active during the daytime, they need to be fed the bulk of their food in the morning. 

Note: Iguanas do not chew their food and instead swallow it whole. Because of this, you should finely chop all food into bite-sized pieces. 

A nutritious and well-balanced diet for a tropical iguana consists of: 

Dark-Green Leafy Vegetables

Leafy vegetables should make up 70% of an iguana’s diet and can include:

• Collard greens

• Turnip greens

• Dandelion greens

• Spinach 

Other Vegetables and Fruits

You can offer your iguana fruit and other veggies in limited quantities. Hard, non-leafy vegetables should make up 20% of an iguana’s diet. Fruit should make up no more than 10% of an iguana’s diet. Other veggies your iguana may enjoy include:

• Squash

• Green beans

• Cabbage

• Carrots

• Broccoli

Fruits should be fed sparingly, as a treat, and can include:

• Mangoes

• Bananas

• Strawberries

Fruits are naturally high in carbohydrates, so excess fruit in your iguana’s diet can cause unhealthy weight gain and gastrointestinal upset.  

To prevent malnutrition, offer your iguana a wide variety of different vegetables and fruits instead of feeding the same foods every day. 

Be sure to discard any uneaten fruits and vegetables after 10 hours, as they may spoil and cause infection if eaten. 

Iguana Vitamin Supplements

Iguanas need three vitamin supplements in their diet:

• A calcium supplement with vitamin D

• A calcium supplement without vitamin D

• A multivitamin powder designed for reptiles

Sprinkle your iguana’s food with a calcium supplement every day. Alternate between the two types of calcium supplements. If you gave a calcium supplement with vitamin D for your iguana’s last feeding session, then for the next feeding you’ll give a calcium supplement without vitamin D.  

Use a multivitamin powder once or twice a week.  

Fresh, Clean Water

Water for drinking and soaking should always be available and replaced daily. 

Reptiles stay hydrated by absorbing water through their skin, so you can soak your iguana in a large, shallow container of warm water to help them shed their skin more easily. The water container should be wide enough to allow the lizard to submerge its entire body while keeping its head above water.  

If your iguana isn’t soaking on their own, you can gently place them in the shallow, lukewarm water and soak them for 10–15 minutes daily. 

Pelleted Food Designed for Iguanas

Commercial pelleted food will supply an iguana with extra protein and carbohydrates. If the iguana is hesitant to eat pelleted food, you can moisten the pellets with water or mix them with vegetable- or fruit-based baby food to entice your pet to eat. 

Feeding Summary
Dark Leafy Greens	70% of diet
“Hard”/Non-leafy Vegetables	20% of diet
Fruits	10% of diet
Supplements Needed	Calcium supplements with and without vitamin D, alternated daily; multivitamin offered weekly
Pelleted Food (Optional)	Can be offered alongside regular diet as a supplement
Water	Offered daily in an open, shallow bowl

 

Do not offer tropical iguanas high-protein foods, like meat. An iguana’s digestive tract is not adapted to break down animal protein, so they can develop kidney failure and other serious injuries when fed a diet that’s high in protein.  

Iguana Care Tips

Shedding

Tropical iguanas shed their skin regularly, so it’s important to keep their habitat’s humidity level at 70–90% to encourage healthy shed cycles. 

Unlike snakes, lizards shed their skin in patches rather than in a single complete piece. 

Handling time should be minimized during shedding periods.  

Nail Care

Tropical iguanas need to have their nails trimmed regularly. Iguanas may need more frequent nail trims depending on the type of substrate in their habitat and how quickly they wear down their nails. 

Consult your veterinarian if your iguana’s nails seem too long or if you find a broken or otherwise damaged nail. 

Green Iguana Veterinary Care

Annual Care

Green iguanas should be seen by a veterinarian annually for a physical exam, fecal testing, and blood work if needed. Take photos of your iguana’s enclosure so your veterinarian can assess the conditions you maintain in their habitat and make any recommendations for improvement.

You can transport your iguana to the vet in a secured pet carrier. You may need to include an additional heat source depending on the outside temperature. You can use microwavable wheat bags or hot water bottles, but make sure these heat supplements are wrapped in a towel so they do not burn your pet. Line the bottom of the carrier with soft towels or reptile carpet for added comfort.

Signs of a Healthy Iguana

Healthy iguanas are generally active, move around appropriately, and have:

• Clean and clear eyes

• Skin that is free of abrasions or color changes

• Clean nostrils

• Formed droppings

• A clean vent (excretion opening)

• A good appetite

When To Call a Vet

Call your vet if you notice any of the following with your iguana:

• Lethargy

• Retained shed (stuck or incomplete shedding)

• Loose stool or diarrhea

• Open-mouth breathing

• Mouth discoloration or ulcers

• Decrease appetite

• Decreased stool production

• Changes in skin or discoloration

• Swelling or lumps

• Inability to get around or use limbs

Common Illnesses in Iguanas

Common illnesses in iguanas include:

• Bladder stones

• Dystocia or egg binding

• Metabolic bone disease

• Bacterial infection

• Mouth rot

• Kidney disease

• Abscesses

• Foreign body ingestion