hey all. i just bought a baby iguana and i'm wondering what to feed it. i have it in a 75 gallon tank right now and i've been feeding it turnip greens and lettuce. i read somehwere that its bad to feed them insects? please reply.

griff

Hi Griff. I've moved your topic to the feeding section. If a topic pertains to a certain forum, post it there. No harm done. :D

First of all, great job on the tank. That 75 gallon will last a hatchling a little while anyway. Most people buy them and stick them in 20 gallons.

As a general rule, an Iguana needs a diet that is high in calcium, low in phosphorus. You need to feed lots of greens such as collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, etc. You can even feed dandelion green from your yard, as long as you haven't sprayed them. About 60% of the diet should be these leafy greens. You can also add other veggies for variety, such as: squash, carrots (in a limited amount), green beans, parsnip, and snow peas.

Avoid feeding foods that are high in calcium oxalates (enzymes that bind calcium, making it useless to your ig), and goitrogens (enzymes that bind iodine). These include: too many carrots (carrots are great in moderation and should be fed, but not in huge amounts), cabbage, spinach, and broccoli. Lettuces generally have very little nutritional value and should be avoided, especially the head lettuces. Also aviod cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, olives, etc.

A great site for an even more extensive list is Melissa Kaplan's site, www.anapsid.org

Have fun,
Heather

hey heather. thanks for the reply. what about friut? and is celery ok?

griff

Most fruit is fine but it should be only about 10% of the diet. It's really only for variety and is not that nutritious. Celery should be fed only occasionally.

Heather

all righty...thanks for all the info. i started feeding him his new salad and he loves it! thanks again

griff