Proper Iguana Cage Setup For Green Iguana Cages – Keep Your Pet Healthy

If you’re thinking of buying an iguana, you may have a lot of questions about its care. One of the first concerns is knowing what kind of cage you need for your iguana. Iguanas have some basic health needs that should be met by their cage. If you are trying to find the best iguana cage for your pet, here’s a guide for you:

1) Size is the first consideration when buying an iguana cage. Many people believe the myth that an iguana will not grow large if it’s kept in a small cage, but this simply isn’t true. A healthy iguana can grow up to 6 feet in length, so you’ll have to be able to make arrangements for it – either an outdoor cage, or a room in your home dedicated to a very large cage. Of course, if you’re buying a juvenile iguana, you won’t need a cage that large to start off with. But the cage that you do use will need to give your iguana room to move and climb, and shouldn’t be cramped in any way.

2) Temperature is another important consideration when planning your pet’s habitat. Reptiles are cold blooded, which means their body temperature is regulated by the temperature of their environment. When it comes to their cage, this means they’ll need to be able to move around to different spots in its cage to maintain a healthy temperature – heat from lights above, and places where they can move to cool down if needed.

3) Iguanas come from tropical climates where the humidity is very high, and because of this they have a tendency not to drink frequently. Because of this, it’s important that you maintain about a 70% humidity level in their cage to prevent dehydration. Kidney failure from dehydration is a common cause of death in pet iguanas, and can also cause skin conditions and problems while shedding. Keep your pet moist with frequent mistings, and daily baths can be another good way to prevent dehydration. A room humidifier is another solution, and if you have the money or know-how, it’s also possible to rig up a cage misting system that runs automatically.

4) Finally, let’s not forget the importance of light to an iguana. For their health, it’s vital that iguanas receive both UVA and UVB light, and the best way to do that is let them sit out in the sun. You should be aware though, that many plastic and glass habitats filter the UV rays – and can become hot as an oven inside if left out in the sun. A screened outdoor enclosure is the best option, but make sure that it’s secure and escape-proof, and don’t forget to have a shaded area. It’s also necessary to have lights in your iguana’s cage that provide an artificial source of the needed UV rays. This way your pet won’t suffer during shorter winter days or when you can’t take it out for direct sunlight.

With such a wide variety of iguana cages available, from fully enclosed plastic to screen mesh, it can be hard to know what’s best. If you’re on the search for iguana cages for sale, click here to check out the different iguana cage setups available on Lizzie Blount’s iguana habitat page.