Heat, light, and humidity are three of the biggest factors in keeping Iguanas. A change in any of these can have a dramatic impact on the health of your Iguana, either for better or for worse.

Heat is the first important factor. As reptiles, Iguanas are cold blooded and cannot regulate their internal body temperatures. They must bask underneath a heat source in order to warm their bodies up enough to function. An Iguana should be provided with both a warm area to bask in and bring their body temperature up enough to digest food and function, and a cooler area to allow for thermoregulation when they get too warm.

There are several ways to provide a basking area for your Iguana. The simplest way is to use a regular household bulb in a dome reflector lamp to provide overhead heat for your friend. However, with this approach you will also need a separate UVB light source which I'll cover later on when I discuss lighting. Pet stores sell many different kinds of baskin bulbs, usually for exorbitant prices. Basically, all you need a basking light to do is produce heat, and regular household bulbs do that just fine (and are a heck of a lot cheaper).

Another good heat source is one of the new Mercury Vapor bulbs such as T-Rex's Active UVHeat bulb. This bulb provides both heat and the needed UVB rays in one handy package. The one drawback of this type of bulb is that most cannot be used with a dimmer, so regulating your temperatures is a bit more difficult. The plus side is that unlike most UVB tubes that need to be replaced every 6 months, the Mercury Vapor bulbs will last at least a year without losing strength.

There are other heat sources available, some of which do not produce light and are good for nighttime heating, or for keeping the ambient temperature constant. Radiant heat panels and CHE (ceramic heat emitters) bulbs both provide fairly even heat without light. A hotrock is a BIG no-no for any reptile! Most reptiles have very poor pain sensors in the belly region, and a hotrock that shorts out and overheats can burn or kill your Iguana. Instead of a hotrock, a human heating pad can be used on a low setting, especially at night when the temps drop.

In general, your Iguana should have a habitat with the ambient temperature around 77-80°F, and a basking area around 95°F. Nighttime temps should be no lower than the mid 70's F. Iguanas need a day-night cycle, so putting your lights on timers to provide a regualr cycle is a lifesaver, especially if your daily schedule varies or you need to be away for a day. A thermometer (preferably two, one for the basking area and one for the cool area) is necessary to accurately monitor your temperatures. Don't guess about this very important factor in your Ig's health! Remember that temperatures can fluctuate from day to day and season to season. Invest in several thermometers and keep a watch on them!

The second major factor in your Iguana's care is the kinds of lighting you provide. Your Iguana needs a basking heat source, usually provided by some sort of light bulb, but they also need a special UVB producing light. UVB helps Iguanas synthesize vitamin D3, which is needed to help metabolize calcium in the Iguana's diet. Without a UVB source, Iguanas will be unable to process calcium properly, and will be susceptible to Metabolic Bone Disease, an often fatal result of calcium deficiency.

There are several types of UVB producing bulbs on the market. Some of the best include ZooMed's Iguana Light, and T-Rex's Active UVHeat bulb. The Iguana light is a flourescent-stye tube bulb that requires a special fixture. The Active UVHeat bulb fits in a regular dome light socket, but produces a lot of heat and requires a ceramic socket. Most tube-style UVB bulbs lose their effectiveness in about 6 months, even though they still produce light. The Active UVHeat bulbs last at least a year, and provide heat as well as the needed UVB. Be careful when shopping for a UVB bulb. Many manufacturers advertise their bulbs as 'full spectrum' even though they do not produce UVB. Make sure you purchase a bulb that specifies UVB production.

The third major factor is humidity. Iguanas come from a fairly tropical region, and require a rather high humidity level for proper health. Humidity can be provided in several ways. Using a spray bottle full of water you can mist your Iguana and their enclosure several times a day to keep humidity up. There are also commercial devices such as ultrasonic foggers and humidifiers that can keep your humidty acceptable. We use a cool mist humidifier from WalMart to add humidity to the Ig room. Iguanas can also gain needed moisture from a swim in the bathtub. Just make sure you disinfect the tub afterwards, and make sure there is no disinfectant residue the next time you let your Iguana swim.

Proper humidity levels help keep your Iguana hydrated (many will drink by lapping water droplets off of cage furniture) and help with shedding by moistening and softening their skin.

© 2002 - M. Martin