Diet

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In its natural environment, the green iguana is almost

completely herbivorous (plant-eating) from the time it hatches.

Despite this, captive juvenile iguanas should be fed a

relatively large proportion of animal protein.  Older iguanas

should receive a greater proportion of vegetable matter in their

diets.



Juvenile iguanas should be fed daily.  A good diet consists of 1

part animal protein (water-packed tuna, cooked chicken,

hard-boiled or scrambled egg, Purina Trout Chow, dog food)

added to 2 parts vegetable material (broccoli and its leaves,

Swiss chard, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, beet, collard,

mustard and turnip greens, carrot tops and thawed, frozen mixed

vegetables).  Chop all of the ingredients into a size that can be

easily handled by the young iguana.  Then mix them thoroughly and

store the mixture in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Once or twice a day, offer a small amount of this mixture after

it has been liberally sprinkled with an appropriate

vitamin-mineral supplement (Reptical and Vita-Life, Terra-Fauna

Products, Mountain View, CA  94042; Reptovite, Verner's Pet

Products, Long Beach, CA  90807).  Nekton-Rep (from West

Germany) and other Nekton products are available for sale in some

veterinary hospitals.



Particular attention to calcium supplementation is essential

because young, growing iguanas are very prone to calcium

deficiencies.  Nekton-MSA, Reptical or Vita-Life should be used

to supplement all juvenile iguanas.  Growing iguanas may also be

fed expanded guinea pig or rabbit pellets (pellets allowed to

expand by absorbing water), either plain or as a top dressing

over vegetables.  This is a convenient way to add necessary

vitamins and minerals (contained in the pelleted food) to the

iguana's diet.



Older iguanas should be fed 2-3 times per week and can be offered

the same items as listed above.  In addition, live crickets,

mealworms and pinky (neonatal) mice can be offered in small

numbers, though many experts believe that feeding live food

invites exposure to undesirable bacteria and possible

transmission of parasites.  Plant material, such as dandelions

(flowers and leaves), clover, rose petals, and flowers of

hibiscus, carnation and nasturtium, should be offered as well.

Many health food stores carry dried dandelion and other edible

herbs that can be offered to captive iguanas all year round.

Fresh fruit (bananas, berries, apples, peaches, pears,

plums) can occasionally be included in the diet.



If a captive iguana is to benefit from live insects (crickets,

mealworms), careful attention must be paid to how these insects

are reared and fed before they are offered as prey.  Mealworms,

for example, are often reared in wheat midlings and/or wheat

bran, which are calcium deficient.  Mealworms nourished on such

calcium-poor material consequently become calcium-deficient and

so, too, will iguanas feeding on them, often resulting in

metabolic bone disease.



Ideally, you should rear all insects destined to be fed to your

iguana on a poultry laying ration (usually containing 8-12%

calcium) for at least 1 week before they are sacrificed.  Add

slices of sweet potato to the mealworm or insect container to

provide necessary moisture.  Crickets and mealworms may also be

lightly sprayed with an aerosolized vegetable oil and then dusted

with a vitamin-mineral supplement just before they are offered to

the iguana.