Amazing Aaron

So I’m trying to sleep today, and my Dad keeps telling me to get up, and see what he's brought home. After about what most have been a hundred try's by him, to get me out of bed, I got up. I walk into the living room, and what do I see. A giant Iguana! He has it setting there in its tank, on our end table! I'm usually not that surprised by what dad drags in. He brings home a lot of strange stuff, but this has to top them all! So wondering where this thing has come from, I'm like "Dad where did you get that?", and he replies "from the Iguana store!". Okay he didn't really say that, I just thought it would have been funny if he did :). He really got it from one of our relatives, who got it from someone else last week, who did not want it anymore. So now were stuck with this iguana, that we don't know how to care for. I was able to find a few sites online, that tell you how to care for them. Turns out there kinda picky! Heres some advice from TheFunPlace.com.

First of all, iguanas require much more than an aquarium in the corner. They are natural climbers and need space to do just that. Aquariums are usually the first choice of any reptile owner (probably because they allow for more visibility of your friend). Should you choose an aquarium, be sure to purchase a screen top rather than the traditional closed top. A better choice would be a "basking cage". You can either purchase or build this house.

Okay so first of all his cage is way to small! Then there's the lighting.

Iguanas are cold-blooded individuals who need to absorb their heat. In their natural habitat they would do this by lying in the sun. Unfortunately, they can't do this in your home. In order to provide an iguana with his much needed heat you will need to purchase at least 1 heat lamp. Not just any heat lamp will make him happy either. You need a "vitalight" or grow light. Iguanas need vitamin D to process their calcium just like you. Vitalights provide an adequate amount of heat and also vitamin D. You may think he looks cute in the glow of the blue bulb from Walmart, but in reality you are causing him severe physical distress.

Okay, so the lamp Dads using to keep him warm just wont do! Now on to "what do they eat?".

Iguanas will eat most any fruit or vegetable you give them. However, that doesn't mean it is good for them. A good diet consists of variety and nutrition. Contrary to popular belief, iceberg lettuce is the worst thing you can feed him. Romaine lettuce is a better choice, but still not the best. Iguanas love squash of any kind. They also enjoy greens (collard, mustard, beet and dandelion are good choices). Spinach is high in iron, but should be kept at a minimal level as it can deplete other vitamin and mineral levels of your green buddy. Hibiscus flowers are a summertime favorite of iguanas. They love oranges and cantaloupe as well as honeydew and watermelon. Tiny dinosaurs also enjoy berries of all sorts, just be careful about the seeds. Grapes cut in quarters without seeds provide needed moisture.

Okay, Dad already gave him some fresh cabbage, I guess that's good. I also gave him some grapes, cut up like the site says. Now this is where it gets really good 'BASIC CARE & HYGIENE'.

Iguanas like to bathe. Simply fill your tub about half full of room temperature water and let him loose. He will swim and play for hours. This helps to moisten his skin and aids in his peeling process. Also, he walks in his food and "duties" a bath will help keep bacteria out from under his nails and scales. Iguanas carry salmonella in their gut. This is a naturally occurring germ in all reptiles. Because of this you have to be sure to use antibacterial soap after handling your iguana.

Okay I'm not bathing it, and I really don't like that salmonella part! It gets worse Though!

He needs to see his doctor at least twice a year for a check up. He should have his shots (yes iguanas get shots) as his doctor orders. Iguanas in their natural environment will eat the poop (pretty sick huh?) of an adult iguana and receive their immunizations this way. Unless you have a wild iguana who is willing to share his poop with your new pet, he will need to see his vet. Most pet stores do not carry iguanas caught in the wild; they are usually born in captivity. Captive iguanas do not carry the same micro organisms that prevent disease.

Okay, there is no way we can afford to take this thing to the vet twice a year, and give it shots! And there's no way were getting another one so it can eat its poop! All of this is plenty enough to make me not want this "pet", then I found this at TriciasWaterDragon.com under ‘Basic Behavior”.

Male iguana's might also display their hemipenes for you, and leave you little presents of semen deposits in their cage or other furnishings. Dried semen deposits might get stuck in the iguana's vent, or be passed when the male iguana inverts his hemipenes during defecation or while displaying his hemipenes. Dried deposits can be 1/2 to 1 inch or so in length, semi translucent to brownish in colour, may have some stool on them, and might be rubbery in texture. If you notice what you think might be a dried seminal plug sticking out of your iguana's vent you might want to try to remove it. Do this by first soaking your iguana in chest deep lukewarm water in the tub. Your iguana will probably defecate while in the tub and the plug might come loose at that time. If it doesn't fall out on it's own the best time to try to remove it is after a soaking. Gently tug on the plug and with any luck it will come out ... it will definitely be rubbery after a soaking. Don't try to remove it if a gentle tug doesn't work, you don't want to hurt the iguana. Seminal plugs are usually not a problem but if there is enough of a build up they can interfere with your iguanas ability to defecate.

Okay that's it, this things got to go! I have no idea what were going to go with it, but its going! My friend West wants it, but he can't afford to care for it either. Maybe I'll put it on Craigslist, or something. I'll keep you posted on further iguana developments, and please watch the video below I made of him!