Exotic pets are really nice to have. They are unique in that not so many keep them, hence they are called exotic. Well, they are actually called exotic because they are not local or native to the place where they are being kept.
Not being local in such place means that they need to have some kind of a special pet care regimen. Which is the same as when we humans go to another country for the first time. Let us say we have lived all our lives in a tropical country and all of the sudden we are taken to the cold north. Of course we have to have to adjust.
The same can be said about exotic animals. In this article, I will discuss about caring for an exotic animal, the green iguana, which is fast becoming a popular pet in the household.
Your iguana should be be given a good diet. The life span of the iguana is heavily dependent on what you feed it. You may be giving the pet the best cage condition or the perfect heating but if the combination of food in its diet is poor, the iguana will not have a long life with you.
The most important nutrients to an iguana are calcium and phosphorus. Many veterinarians agree on one thing that iguanas do not need a lot of animal protein. Do not take heed from pet books that advice you to give dog or cat food to your iguana. This is a serious warning: throw away such book!
What is essential to the iguanas is that they get a high amount of calcium, some phosphorus and Vitamin D3. Ask your veterinarian for the proper ratio as this may vary depending on the age and weight of you pet iguana.
An iguana needs to digest its food well so make sure that the good you is cut into very small pieces. You can use food processors for preparing the iguana's food.
There are many foods that people think are good for iguanas but on the contrary, they can be harmful because of their high content of toxins like oxalic acid/phytic acid/goitrogens/saponins. Be careful not to feed these to your iguana: brussel sprouts, bok choy, tofu, spinach, rhubarb, kale, beets, broccoli, cabbage, swiss chard and turnips.
There are also food that even though they are not lethal to iguanas, they can cause diarrhea or contain very little nutritional value. These food include lettuce, chicory and corn.
A house for your pet iguana:
You should know that iguanas grow fast so there is not point buying a fixed tank. They need a big room as they like to climb so you might just share your room with your pet or just have a "soft bed" for him in your room.
Just make sure you provide adequate heating and lighting to your pet.
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