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Feeding iguanas is kind of like keeping iguanas. There's a lot to do and learn initally and it may take awhile to develop a pattern, but when done consistently it will become automatic and will leave you more time to enjoy your iguana rather than merely maintaining it. (Melissa Kaplan) Much of the information in this page was taken from Melissa Kaplans - Iguana Care, Feeding and Socialization Melissa Kaplan's Herp Care
For years, it was thought that iguanas were omnivores, Meaning that they consume both animal and plant matter. This was further compounded by research directed at raising iguanas for food (yes, people eat Iguanas and their eggs). This research found that iguanas fed diets with high quantities of animal protein, grew much more quickly to a size perfect for slaughter than Iguanas fed a strictly vegitarian diet. The fact that this diet killed iguanas at around seven years of age was found to be unimportant since these Iguanas were killed and consumed long before then.
The recommended diets for Iguanas during the time of this research can even now with improved husbandry and knowledge is still found to be recommended by both pet stores and in many recently published books! These books still include in their recomended diets, large amounts of animal-based proteins such as meal worms, pinkie mice, crickets, chicken and beef, as well as several of the meat-based omnivore or carnivore zoo chows, Monkey biskets, as well as cat and dog food.
Even much of the mainstream veterinary literature is still often found to state that, captive young iguanas usually do very poorly when they are fed a diet of grocery store vegetables. It is generally then believed that because of their rapid growth rate when fed a high protien diet, that they need to be supplemented with protein and a balanced source of calcium, to grow large and healthy. This is a highly controversial line of thought which is unfortunatly often thought of as though it were correct. This is most likley due to the fact that most people's idea of 'vegetables' seems to include a rather long list of low calorie foods that contain very little in the way of nutrition: Lettuce (even Romaine!), Zucchini Squash, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Mushrooms, all types of sprouts and Watermelon seem to be some of the more commonly fed low nutrition foods.
Iguanas can and should be raised on a strictly plant based diet, according to recent research, with protein coming from plant sources rather than meat. While it does appear to be true, that some juvenile green iguanas do have a definate taste for insects and animal flesh even these Iguanas tend to eat only vegetation once they get larger. These young carnevorous Iguanas do seem to grow rapidly to a respectable size. However as they grow larger it no longer becomes energy efficient to chase down insects and they resume a more natural diet. In your home however the food comes to them and as a result many will still attempt to consume animal protien, which will eventually damage their internal organs, in particular the kidneys.
The digestive system of an iguana is such that it is able to process a high-fiber plant diet much more efficiently than other herbivores. As a result more of the food is available to be used by the body, and since animal flesh is easier to break down than tough fiberous plants, protien baised toxins tend to build up in the Iguanas tissues and they are what cause the damage.
PROTIEN
So, how do iguanas get their protein? From protien rich plant foods! Alfalfa is an excellent source of plant protein. Alfalfa pellets (also called rabbit food, or rabbit chow) can be mixed in with the vegetable salad. This can provide a good source of both protein and calcium, reportedly 15% protein by volume and with a 6:1 calcium-phosphorous ratio!
Some people feed tofu as a protein source. This can become a problem because Tofu is very high in fat and protein. It is currently believed that too much fat can prevent dietary calcium from being metabolized by the iguanas digestive system. As a result Iguanas that have been fed tofu on a regular basis can still have a higher chance of developing calcium deficiencies. Usually this seems to be because of the D3 Calcium Phosphorus ratios being out of balance. If you eat tofu it is of course OK if you choose to share a bit of it with your iguana. However it is no longer recomended to give your iguana Tofu on a regular basis.
Some of the other vegetables that are recommended in the diet contain protein. Even before any alfalfa pellets are even added.
Why is it that animal based protein can cause such a problem? Feeding Green Iguanas any type of animal based proteins even now still continues to be highly controversial. It is believed that an iguanas kidneys simply were not designed to handle animal based proteins. One of the primary causes of death in relatively young green iguanas is kidney failure. One possible explanation into the possible causes of this are, that plants have both a cell membrane and a tough cell wall. Animal tissue cell only have a cell membrane making it easier to digest and allowing for potential dietary toxins to build up in the body. It has been estimated that Iguanas, under the best of care conditions, can potentially extract about 40% of the available nutrients from the plants they eat. This makes them one of the most efficient herbivores on the planet.
Vegetables. When people have called about their "problem iguanas", I always ask what they are feeding them. The usual answer is Lettuce or just vegetables. Vegetables such as Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Bok Choy have been known to cause a thyroid deficiency called hypothyroidism. A diet that is primarily based around these vegetables tends to slow down the metabolism, This causes lethargy as well as muscle and joint stiffness and pain. The Iguana will then gain weight and appear obese, due to this slowed metabolism, but overall growth in size is slowed down considerably. Also many of these Iguanas have georgous color, this further confuses owners into thinking everything is fine with their Iguana! Many of these iguanas remain small for the remainder of their lives. Because of this, these vegetables should only be fed in small amounts in addition to the regular vegetables. They can be mixed into their salad, but should NEVER be the primary part of the salad. Spinach, Rhubarb, Beets and the Chards are high in Oxalic acid and may cause the iguana to develop gout or gouty arthritis if they are given daily over a period of time. These foods also are known to bind dietary calcium. This prevents the Iguana's body from utilizing the calcium that is provided in the diet. Over an extended period of time, this will cause metabolic bone disease or M.B.D. Just like in humans with severe osteoporosis the iguanašs body begins to pull calcium from the bones, for use in the bodies metabolism. In babies this causes Ricketts and deformeties, In adults these Iguanas develope a "Beefy" appearance in their legs. Soon the bones begin to look like sponge as the calcium which provides the bones density and strength is pulled out of it. As a direct result Fibrous tissues build up along the long bones of the iguanas body in an effort to strengthen and support the weakened bone structure. This causes the legs and tail begin to appear fatter. Because of this severe loss of bone density the bones can easily become fractured. Even the slightest fall could cause fractures in these debilitated Iguanas. In advanced cases, the jaws become so soft and swollen that it may appear the Iguana has developed the "Mumps". The poor Iguana may then become unable to eat on its own. Partial paralysis of the legs and muscle tremors may begin. Caught early when the muscles are first beginning to thicken and this can be first felt, the condition may be reversed by changing the diet. If ignored and left to continue however the disease will progresses, if this happens it will require prompt and aggressive veterinary intervention: which should include x-rays to determine the level of bone loss. If bones are broken, they may require splints or casting, as well as antibiotic therapy may be necessary. It is much less expensive and easier to feed the proper foods to begin with.
Since in captivity, green iguanas usually do not get to select their own food from a wide variety of foods, during the course of the day. We have to be sure that they get a good basic foundation of nutritious food. Other vegetables and fruits can be added to that foundation as you like in accordance with the seasons or what the contents of your refrigerator permit. Providing a solid dietary basis for your iguana can be time consuming if you choose to prepare the foods on a daily basis. It is best to prepare food for a week at a time in advance.
In an emergency you can use Frozen Vegetables and Greens. Thawed frozen vegetables and greens the easiest to use, it is believed that some of the green vegetables lose their thiamine as a result of being frozen (Frye, 1991; but there is no hard confirmed information to date on which green vegetables lose their thiamine when frozen.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is important for a healthy nervous system. It is also reported to be important to help reduce stress, promote growth and aid in the digestive processes. Thiamine is a water soluble vitamin. Excessive amounts that may be present in an Iguanas system and are then flushed out every day. When there is not enough thiamine in the diet, the other necessary B vitamins are unable to work properly causing a variety of health problems to be the result. The most common problems associated with this are tremors and partial paralysis. Unfortunately these symptoms are frequently confused with calcium deficiencies by veterinarians who may not be aware of frozen greens/thiaminase induced symptoms or that frozen vegtables are even being fed, as a direct result, they will then begin to treat the iguana as if he is experiencing a calcium deficiency, this therapy may become more aggressive as the iguana fails to improve.
This is not to say that you shouldn't keep a bag of mixed vegetables on hand to use in case of extreme emergencies for a couple of meals. You might consider making extra fresh food, and freeze a couple of weeks worth a couple of times a month just in case of emergencies. Be careful to use the frozen food during the month in which it was made. This should not enough time to destroy all of the thiamine. You could add a small amount of Brewer's Yeast (a good source of vitamin B) this will ensure that there will be enough thiamine left in the food to be of use for the Iguana
. Remember: no amount of vitamin powders, pills or liquids will make up for a poor diet.
We have always been taught that fruits are healthy for us, and they are. But if it becomes the major part of any diet, even for your Iguana, the diet is not balanced. In Green Iguanas this can become a serious problem because most fruits are very low in calcium and high in phosphorus. Bananas are almost always loved by iguanas to the exclusion of every thing else. Fruits should compose the smallest part of the diet in iguanas, only about 10-20%.
Besides being very nutritious, the dark leafy greens are also "fun" food for Green Iguanas. This is the closest that we can come to giving the Green Iguana the types of food that resembles what they might eat in the wild. Some books and care sheets will tell you to cut the greens in small pieces, this is the best way to get the most food into your iguana. It is particularly best for small Iguanas and Iguanas that have poor body weight and need some fattening up. My favorites to feed are the Mustard greens and the best part is that they are the ones that the grocery stores usually sell for 3-4 for $1.00, this also makes them cost effective. You may like to provide a bit of natural feeding activity by hanging up a whole leaf from the top of the cage so that it dangles inside. The iguana will soon grab and tear at it just as he would in the wild.
For the basic diet I recomend that you use two or more of the following greens daily: Collard, Mustard, Dandelion, Escarole or Water Cress. You can also use wild collected dandelion greens and flowers, if you are sure that they have not been sprayed with any forms of pesticides, herbicides and other toxins. Any greens growing by the roadside should never be considered as food for your iguana. If you would like to choose other plants growing around the yard please check with your local nursery to see which ones are considered toxic to pets.
Never use Romaine, Green Leaf and Red Leaf lettuces, except in emergencies only! This is because something is better than nothing. Although they are more nutritious than the head or iceberg lettuces, it's not by much. Bean and vegetable sprouts also do not have much in the way of nutrition, because they are also bulky they may form too big a part of that salad. This means that your iguana is getting less nutrition than he would eating the same salad without the added sprouts. If you have some sprouts around for yourself and your iguana likes them, then go ahead and give him some as a treat.
There are also several edible flowers that you can grow yourself or buy in the produce, not the flower section of the grocery store or plant nursery. The ones you grow yourself or buy in the produce section are the safest ones to use. Plants grown for decorative purposes may have been sprayed with systemic or topical pesticides, and be dangerous to your Iguana. Ask the nursery or plant manager if they know if any pesticides have been used. If they don't know what has been used on them don't buy the plants! Available edible plants include Hibiscus both the flowers and leaves, Nasturtium both the flowers and leaves, Rose petals, Violets both the flowers and leaves, and Geraniums. Indoor plants include Wandering Jew, Pothos, Spider plants and Ficus can also be eaten. It is never a good idea to decorate an iguana's cage with potted plants, they will be demolished and eaten very quickly!
Iguanas are equipped with a set of small but very sharp teeth. They do not chew their food but they instead gulp it down alot like a dog does. Many times I have seen iguana owners and pet stores place a beautiful selection of foods; Broccoli, Whole Grapes, Whole Carrots, chunks of raw Squash, dry monkey biscuit and even whole apples! While this may look beautiful, often times the owners are surprised to find out that their iguanas art practically staring to death! With food presented in this manner the poor iguana can barely eat enough food to survive. The foods you offer your Iguana should be finely chopped, shredded or grated. Whole foods that are offered are often left uneaten because the poor Iguana simply can not get large chunks of food down it's throat!
The Basic salad can be made for a week or so then stored in an airtight container or ZipLoc bag in the refrigerator, this makes feeding your Iguana easy, when it is feeding time you can empty some of the bag into your Iguana's food dish. The rest of the mix can then be resealed and placed back into the refrigerator for the next meal. If the leafy greens have been prepared and mixed in the same manner it makes feeding your iguana that much easier, then feeding your Iguana a simple, quick and nutritious meal in the morning becomes a snap.
The basic salad should be made of fresh, raw vegetables including at least one green and one orange vegetable, protein (if you are using rabbit pellets as your protien source you can add them when you make your mixture) and calcium supplements should be added daily. At least twice a week, a good multivitamin should be added to the greens along with the calcium.
For the green vegetable, you could use green beans, snap peas or snow peas. Wash well, then cut up in the food processor or grate them. Feel free to throw in carefully washed carrot tops (be sure you wash them thouroughly as if any pesticides were used they will be found in the tops!). These tops can be cut up with the parsley in your food processor or placed in a bowl and cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors.
Occasionally, it is OK to add a small amount of Broccoli, Bok Choy greens or Brussels sprouts to the regular green vegetable mix.
For the orange vegetable could use any of the orange colored squashes (Kaboutcha has been reported to bring out any bluish skin colors). If you need to you can microwave the harder squashes until they are just soft enough for you to cut into lengths that can be easily managed to fit through your food shredder or processor, parsnip. Sweet potato and yams may be shredded and used also.
Carrots, which are an excellent orange vegetable, do contain a certain amount of Oxalic Acid. Oxalic Acid is known to bind with calcium making it useless to the Iguana. Oxalic Acid is also the same stuff that makes spinach so bad. The Oxalic Acid levels are not as high in Carrots as it is in Spinich, that is why it is still OK to use it alternatively with the Squash.
Your Iguana may also enjoy an occasional treat of Mushrooms, Bell Peppers, Onions, Oregano, Basil, Cilantro, other root vegetables, Cactus Pad, Star Fruit, Asparagus, Okra, and any of the summer yellow and green squashes can also be a nice change of pace from the everyday routine.
It has been suggested that 10-20% of the diet should be fruit. Figs are the highest in calcium, with dried figs being even higher in Calcium! Unfortunately, fresh figs are usually rather expensive, unless you are lucky enough to have a fig tree. Dried figs are usually available in the grocery stores during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. They can often be found throughout the year in your local health food store. Raspberries, Strawberries, Papayas, Pears, Plums, Mangos, Apricots, Cantaloupe, Dates, Grapes, Raisins, Skinned Prickly Pear Cactus and skinned Kiwi are all good fruits. These should also be cut up or finely chopped, then mixed in with the vegetables.
Protein, in the form of alfalfa chow or Rabbit Pellets, can be ground in your food processor (it sounds awful!), or if you choose they may also be left whole and mixed with the vegetables (my choice). The pellets will be broken down by the moisture in the salad. You can then mix a small amount in with the vegetables just before serving them.
Mix thoroughly the Vegetables, Fruit and Alfalfa Pellets. Add the calcium and vitamin supplements, and mix thoroughly again. You can then place them into your airtight container and keep refrigerated. While the basic diet remains the same, the actual amount of the foods will vary, increasing of course as the iguana gets bigger as well as with the time of the year. Iguanas usually eat more during the summer months and less during the winter, we recommend the following diet:
During the Parsnip crop's off season, you can use drained, rinsed and chopped canned cooked Lima Beans, plus additional calcium to make up for the poor calcium:phosphorus ratio in beans.
Remember to always prepare the foods in very small pieces, finely chopped, minced or shredded. The smaller the pieces, the more food your Iguana will be able fit into his stomach, and the better it will be digested.
The amount of calcium and vitamin supplement will vary depending upon the amounts of food you are serving. The rule of thumb, however, is to sprinkle a pinch or two of the vitamin powder on the food and mix it in, do not put out very much more food than your iguana can eat.
You can choose to serve the food on a plate, jar lid or for larger iguanas, in wide mouthed bowls or crocks, with the leafy greens piled nearby or mixed together. Make sure the bowl is one the iguana can in and out of easily, some owners and pet stores are guilty of attempting to feed their iguanas in crocks that are so tall that not only can the iguana not see in, but it would have to actually get into the bowl to be able to get anything to eat! Experience will tell you how much food to offer daily. If you find your iguana is eating the greens and ignoring the salad try to put down the salad in the morning and offer the greens in the afternoon after the salad has been eaten.
For those who are deprived of good selections of fruits and vegetables for their Iguana, here are some suggestions that might prove helpful. Asian markets are a good place to find greens like mustard and pea vines. Carrots and some form of orange squash can always be found at your local grocery store, or you might try using one of the first year baby foods such as Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Squash, peas or green beans. Baby food fruits such as Apple, Blueberry, Mango, etc. can also be used on occasion. While baby foods are very helpful for use in a pinch, they should not be used as a regular part of the diet.
Try including some leftovers in your Iguana's diet: Rice, Plain Chopped Cooked Noodles, Whole Wheat or Grain Breads ( use caution with breads as I have heard that some Iguanas may be allergic to the gluten and suffer a potentially fatal allergic reaction!) mixed in with the salad can also be used and will help to put a little extra weight on a skinny iguana. You should boost the calcium supplement a bit to correct for the high phosphorus content of these foods. Try to avoid cheese or fatty sauces and, spicy or sugary foods. Often Iguanas are notorious for developing bad eating habits just as easily as people. Iguanas can prove to be every bit the challenge to correct improper dietary habits as can some people!
Be careful when hand-feeding iguanas. This is often a good way to get a reluctant iguana to eat or to try a new food. The problem with this is that your Iguana can easily become used to hand feeding and may refuse to feed from a dish. While this may be cute and endearing to the iguana owner, it is not so cute or endearing if the owner must be absent for any length of time! Where will you find someone who will or can take to time to sit there and hand feed your spoiled iguana? What if you become so busy for a period of time during the day that your hand feeding ritual becomes difficult or impossible to continue? This will cause the iguana undue stress, and it may stop eating for awhile until you can start hand feed him again. This has the disadvantage in that it will weaken your Iguana's immune system. This will of course cause your Iguana to become be more susceptible to illness and injury.
Iguanas often do not accept new foods when they are first offered. It may take several days before your Iguana will realize that what you are offering is real food. This is one of the reasons why vegetables and fruits should be finely chopped, grated or shredded and mixed thoroughly together. This will make it that much more difficult for your Iguana to pick out the "good stuff". Iguanas food tastes will change over time, just as it does with people. A food that used to make the iguana leap across the room may be refused, only to be replaced by a previously hated food. The rule is, don't give up! Essential foods can be mixed in with the salad. Fun foods, such as flowers and leaves, can be offered now and again to see if there is any change in taste.
I have have frequently been told by iguana owners that they like to wait until they get home from work at night to feed their iguanas. This practice is not a healthy one for your Iguana! Iguanas are diurnal animals which means that they forage, eat and begin digesting their food during the mid day, not during the cooler night time temperatures. Because of this a hungry Iguana may appear to eat ravenously at night, but due to the cooler night time temperatures, and slowed metabolism the digestion of this available food becomes delayed, this greatly reduces your Iguana's ability to use all of the available nutrients from the food he eats.
Many of the books available on pet Iguanas will tell you that iguanas don't drink water, don't believe what you read, They do! It is always best to provide a bowl of fresh drinking water daily. Just as with the food bowl, make sure that the iguana can see into and reach the water in the bowl. Make sure that it is not to deep or if he falls into the water he will drown. A boiled rock can be placed into a large water bowl to give him something to stand on, and another rock should be placed outside the bowl so that your Iguana can use it like a ramp or ladder to reach the top of the bowl.
Note; remember that many iguanas will defecate (poop) in their water bowl, this is a normal behavior and should be expected. This does tend to make it fairly easy to keep your Iguanas enclosure clean, but it does present a problem since the bowl needs to be removed as quickly as possible cleaned, and replaced with a fresh bowl of water. The dirty bowl should be washed thoroughly and disinfected in any good antibacterial dish soap and thouroghly rinsed, before being reused.
Iguanas are great swimmers, and a daily swim is a great time for the iguana to both drink and poop. So consider making a morning bath part of both you and your iguana's daily routine, this is best for free roaming Iguanas, Be sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect the tub afterwards! Some Iguanas may take a little bit of time to get used to the idea of bathing in the tub, you may need to start with just a little of water then gradually increase the amount until it just reaches the center of your Iguanas body.
Much of the information in this page was taken from Melissa Kaplans - Iguana Care, Feeding and Socialization Melissa Kaplan's Herp Care
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