Essential Supplies for Your Iguana

Being completely ready before you bring home your iguana is essential, and a lot goes into creating the proper iguana home. To make things as stress-free as possible for you and the iguana make sure the new enclosure and furnishings are set up early. Here's a list of necessary equipment and supplies (which is the same no matter how old the iguana is):

• The enclosure

  • 1 55–100-gallon enclosure

  • 1 reptile under-tank heat pad or human heating pad

  • 1–2 daytime overhead heat sources (white basking lights, a basking light and ceramic heating element [CHE], or an incandescent household light bulb)

  • 1–2 nighttime overhead heat sources (nocturnal heat light and/or CHE)

  • 1 light fixture for each overhead heat source (porcelain sockets are required for CHEs)

  • 1 UVB-producing fluorescent tube long enough to stretch across the width of the enclosure

  • 1 fluorescent light fixture

  • 2–5 appliance timers to automate the heat and fluorescent lights

  • 1–2 table lamp dimmer switches (or rheostats) or a hard-wired thermostat to regulate the heat source output

  • 1–2 power strips (6–8 outlets each)

  • 3 thermometers to be placed in the enclosure to monitor temperatures

  • 2–3 units of suitable substrate, including extras to rotate in and out as they become soiled

  • 1 hide box (a box your iguana can hide in)

  • 1 branch or shelf for basking

• Food, vitamins, and supplements

  • Fresh supply of iguana-friendly food

  • Multivitamin

  • Calcium supplement

• First-aid supplies

  • 1 container of blood-stop powder or a box of cornstarch

  • 1 bottle of Betadine (povidone-iodine)

  • 1 tube of triple antibiotic ointment

  • 1 reptile veterinarian

• Other stuff

  • 1 water bowl

  • 1 food plate

  • 1–2 food storage containers for salads and greens

  • 1 set of cleaning and disinfecting supplies (sponges, paper towels, gloves, cleaner, disinfectant, etc.)

  • 1 pair of claw trimmers

  • 1 room humidifier

  • 1 cloth sack, cardboard box, or animal carrier to transport your iguana home and to the vet

It's quite a list, huh? And this is just the minimum start-up equipment and supplies you need. Now you understand why getting all the supplies and equipment home and assembled before you bring the iguana home is so important.