We Talked to ‘Rocket the Iguana”s Lee Mitchell About Iguana Ownership: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Historically, dogs and cats are among the most loved pets in the world. But reptile ownership has gained traction in recent decades, most likely due to the more “exotic” feel and look of reptiles, as well as a misconception that all reptiles require less space than more traditional pets.

Iguanas (Iguana iguana) have become especially popular in pet ownership circles. However, many people don’t realize how specialized iguana care is. Buying an iguana is not for the faint of heart. This comprehensive guide covers everything you should consider before buying an iguana, from the do’s and don’ts of its enclosure and costs to food, veterinary, and socialization needs.

Think you’re ready for an iguana? Let’s find out.

What to Consider Before Buying an Iguana

Owning an iguana is not a decision to be taken lightly. Unfortunately, the lack of understanding around how to properly care for an iguana, paired with misconceptions about handleability, have led to green iguanas becoming one of the most frequently abandoned pets.

Before purchasing an iguana, consider:

Legality

It is not legal to own an iguana in certain parts of the United States. Even in states that do allow iguana or exotic animal ownership, regulations and rules may vary by city or jurisdiction. Before buying an iguana, check out your local guidelines.

Time

Iguanas can live anywhere between 15-20 years in captivity with proper care. These reptiles represent a long-term commitment and require specialized care that can be both expensive and time-consuming. You’ll need to:

• Feed your iguana and make sure it has access to fresh water (daily)
• Monitor humidity and temperature (daily)
• Check your iguana’s health (daily)
• Clean the enclosure (every few days)
• Maintain equipment (weekly)

Socialization

Iguanas benefit from regular handling and socialization. But Lee Mitchell, owner of Rocket the Iguana, who boasts an impressive 1.4 million followers across social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, explains that not every iguana will be comfortable being handled from the point of purchase.

“When you first get an iguana, you can’t expect it to like you from the beginning,” he shares. “While some will be nice and calm from day one, most can take up to several months to bond with. I suggest not chasing your iguana around its enclosure, or at least keeping it to a minimum, since it only makes your iguana scared of you. Try hand feeding and gentle pets when it allows you to.”

Bryce Blatnick, the manager of Scales ‘N Tails Phoenix West, agrees, noting, “They can be good pets, but they aren’t like a bearded dragon that’ll be more docile from the start. You have to put in the work to get them to calm down, trust you, and build a relationship with you.”

When working to socialize an iguana, you should always approach it calmly and slowly. Sudden movements or responses may trigger more aggressive iguana behavior. Iguanas, especially males, may also become more aggressive during mating season.

Bryce explains, “Most people see baby iguanas in the store and don’t realize the damage these reptiles can do. Being bitten, scratched, or hit with the tail can all lead to you needing stitches.” Not only are iguana tails strong enough to break human bones, but these reptiles have sharp claws and teeth that can cause soft tissue damage and infection.

Knowing how to read an iguana’s body language is a must if you’re considering buying this pet. The following are signs that your iguana may feel uncomfortable and lash out aggressively:

• Excessive or rapid head-bobbing
• Skin discoloration such as darkened or rust-like skin
• Biting or tail-whipping
• Hissing

Associated Costs

The price of an iguana can range from $20 for babies to hundreds of dollars. More than that, you’ll need to spend on:

• Monthly food costs
• Lighting, humidity, and heating supplies
• UVB light replacements
• A proper enclosure
• Substrate

These costs can run hundreds to thousands of dollars. Let’s dive in deeper on why these needs are so crucial for iguanas.

Setting Up Your Iguana’s Enclosure

Many new iguana owners may not realize how much space their iguana needs to thrive. A 10- to 20-gallon aquarium may be suitable when iguanas are babies. However, adult iguanas can grow impressively large in size, with some reaching over five feet in length and weighing up to 15 pounds.

Lee shares that finding the right enclosure plays a huge part in your iguana’s health and longevity.

“The proper size enclosure is very important to help your iguana live a comfortable life,” he says. “Iguanas grow extremely fast. Without room to be comfortable, they can become very stressed, unhappy, and hard to handle.”

He notes that the enclosure should be, at the absolute minimum, “six feet tall, four feet wide, and four feet in depth.” As your iguana grows, you should create an enclosure that is 2 times their length in width (i.e. a 4-foot-long iguana would need an 8-foot-wide cage), 1.5-2 times their length in height, and 0.5-1x their length in depth.

Many owners dedicate entire rooms to their iguanas or build custom outdoor enclosures. But, as Bryce reminds potential owners, “Even if you keep your iguana outside, you still have to think about things like humidity. In somewhere like Arizona, the air can be dry and hot. Maintaining the humidity needed can be challenging.” An iguana requires an enclosure with 70-80% humidity.

What to Add to Your Iguana’s Enclosure

Setting up an iguana’s enclosure isn’t as easy as building something or just giving the iguana its own room. To keep an iguana safe, healthy, and happy, its enclosure must mimic its natural habitat.

Choosing the Right Substrate

Substrate, in simpler terms, is the material on the bottom of the enclosure. If you have an iguana, you’ll need to clean and disinfect the enclosure at least once a week (if not more). Choosing the right substrate can be helpful in streamlining this mission. Most experts recommend using easily cleanable substrates like butcher paper, newspaper, or washable reptile carpet. 

However, certain substrates can be damaging to your iguana’s health. Cedar and pine shavings may be suitable for livestock or rodent bedding, but these materials are toxic to reptiles. Other substrates like sand, crushed walnut shells, or crushed corn cobs are also dangerous. If your iguana eats these materials, as some juvenile iguanas are prone to do, it can cause sometimes-fatal intestinal impaction.

Even Iguanas Need Enrichment

In their natural habitats, iguanas are often tree-dwellers and enjoy being up high. Their arboreal (climbing) nature means that any enclosures need height and climbing options. 

Typically, buying branches from the pet store is your best bet because these are already disinfected and clean. Going into your yard and grabbing a random branch may seem like a good idea. But those branches can be contaminated with bacteria or pests that might be harmful to your iguana.

Lighting an Iguana’s Enclosure

Ultraviolet B (UVB) light is one of the most imperative things you’ll need for an iguana. UVB light helps iguanas synthesize vitamin D3. Since vitamin D3 supplementation is often recommended for adult iguanas (don’t worry, we go over that in the feeding section!), you’ll need UVB lighting to keep your iguana from developing serious or potentially life-threatening health issues. 

The challenge here is that UVB rays cannot get through glass, so you can’t set up UVB lighting outside of the enclosure. You should place the lights about a foot and a half above basking areas inside the cage.

Iguanas Like It Hot

Iguanas are ectothermic, or cold-blooded. To them, having heat is a necessity! When setting up an iguana enclosure, you would need external heat sources such as ceramic heat lamps and ultraviolet (UV) lights. Your heat source should be positioned at the top of the cage because of the iguana’s temperature-regulating third eye. 

Your enclosure should have three temperature zones: 

• For basking: 95-105°F 
• Ambient temperature: 85-90°F 
• Cool zone: 80-85°F 

You can contribute to creating a cool zone by strategically positioning rocks, branches of different shapes and sizes, or iguana-safe plants around the enclosure for the iguana to hide.

Also, your tank may fall in temperature during the night. Your iguana should be okay as long as the temperature does not go below 70°F. Make sure to have adequate thermometers to track your temperatures so you can adjust as needed.

Humidity Isn’t an Option

Humans may not love it when it’s overly humid out, but iguanas sure do. If you’re buying an iguana, you need to ensure its enclosure sits at 70-80% humidity. 

Your iguana should also be given a dish of fresh water every day, and possibly one deep enough to swim in. As Bryce shares, “Iguanas do like to swim. A lot of people don’t know that in the wild, they spend a lot of time near water so if there’s a predator, they can just dive in.” 

Misters or foggers can help you maintain the right humidity level. You should also have a digital hygrometer to measure the humidity and adjust as needed. 

An important reminder: Humidity can lead to mold or fungal growth without proper ventilation in the enclosure.

Understanding an Iguana’s Food Requirements

Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about an iguana’s diet. One huge misconception is that iguanas should be fed crickets or other insects for protein. While subsets of iguanas like the rhinoceros iguana may have crickets as a small portion of their diet (5% or less), green and blue iguanas are solely herbivores (i.e., plants only!).

Feeding an iguana a healthy diet can prevent certain health problems. As Lee shares, “It’s very important to give an iguana a variety of leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables along with calcium. This will help prevent metabolic bone disease, which can cause growth issues and possibly death.”

Because iguanas don’t “chew” in the same way as humans, their food should be broken or shredded into smaller pieces. Young iguanas should be fed once or twice each day. Mature iguanas can be fed once a day or once every other day.

Key components of an iguana’s diet should include:

• Leafy greens like mustard greens, Swiss chard, collard greens, bok choy, and escarole
• Vegetables like bell peppers, sprouts, sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots
• Flowers like hibiscus, roses, and carnations – but in moderation and untreated with any pesticides

Avoid animal proteins (which can cause kidney damage) and high-oxalate foods. Spinach, which is high in oxalates, and kale, which is high in goitrogens, can be fed in moderation.

Don’t Forget the Vitamin Supplements

Like Lee mentions, vitamin supplements can help iguanas remain healthy, especially if they don’t get access to natural sunlight. Veterinarians often recommend calcium powder sprinkled on meals 4-5 times a week for juvenile iguanas or 1-2 times a week for adult iguanas.

Some vets also recommend giving juvenile iguanas a multivitamin containing vitamin D twice a week, and adult iguanas a multivitamin containing vitamin D twice a month.

You’ll Need an Exotic Vet

Some iguanas, especially those purchased from pet stores, may also have parasites or infections that need near-immediate treatment. Most experts recommend taking your iguana to the vet within 48 hours of purchasing.

Veterinary care often requires an exotic veterinarian with reptile experience, and appointments can run from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Iguanas are prone to certain health conditions, including:

• Shedding issues
• Reproductive difficulties, such as egg binding
• Kidney disease
• Metabolic bone disease

If your iguana is showing any of the following signs, you should see a vet as soon as possible:

• Lethargy
• Loose stool and/or less stool than usual
• Mouth rot: cloudy or chunky mucus, tongue or oral redness
• Decreased appetite
• The shed seems stuck or incomplete
• Excessive mouth-breathing
• Burns
• Broken bones or decreased limb use, especially after falling from a branch
• Any gastrointestinal issues suggesting impaction

If you end up getting an iguana as a pet, the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians is a phenomenal resource. You can search directly on its website for veterinarians within a certain radius who have expertise in your new animal.

Are You Ready for a Pet Iguana?

With proper care, effort, and equipment, owning an iguana can be a fulfilling endeavor for prepared pet owners. These highly intelligent creatures can absolutely form bonds with their owners and provide companionship for years. As you can see, buying an iguana cannot and should not be a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Before committing to buying an iguana, you absolutely must honestly assess your ability to provide them with proper space, food and environmental needs, veterinary care, and interaction. These reptiles are not a good fit for beginner or casual pet owners, but for those who are dedicated to the effort, you’ll be rewarded with a pet like no other.