History of the lizard, types of iguanas, behavioral features, diseases, advice on care. Purchasing an iguana. These scaly ones are similar to prehistoric inhabitants. Where do these unseen creatures live? Possessing a rather menacing appearance, they are completely harmless and eat plant foods. Genetic data helps them adapt and survive in the dangerous world around them.
The history of the iguana
The ancestors of iguanas and other reptiles are dinosaurs. It is believed that Tyrannosaurus, their close relative. Many millennia passed, and the ancient dragon changed, turning into a safer creature. Also, they also have avian genes - pterodactyls, which were subject to the sky. Iguanas, like these ancient creatures, are protected by scaly skin and have sharp claws.
Modern birds have feathers, but take a closer look at the paws of birds of prey, they are covered with scales and they have pointed claws. Despite the fact that there are related genes between them, this does not prevent hawks from catching iguanas. But the insidious villain is almost always revealed very quickly.
Iguanas have excellent eyesight. Noticing the danger, at one point they are catapulted into the water from a great height. It is not dangerous for them at all, for them their scaly "clothes" serve as protection. And in the water element, they are like at home. Holding their breath for up to forty minutes, and slowing down their heartbeat, they perfectly dive and swim.
Mature individuals are quite large and nimble. They spend almost all their time in the branchy crowns of trees. Thin branches may not be safe for their life. Adult lizards sometimes reach thirteen kilograms and grow to about two meters in length - these are incredible titans. They are perfectly adapted for living at a height of thirty meters.
On the planet, there are approximately 4,800 different species of lizards - and all have different appearances with their own characteristics. A chameleon can change its color depending on the environment. His rolling eyes see everything around him. The Tokay gecko has wonderful sucker paws, with the help of which it moves on any surface, and in any direction. And the Indonesian monitor lizard has poisonous saliva. This is a dangerous predator that kills a buffalo with one bite.
Iguanas have relatives that live in the Galapagos Islands - only they are marine. On the shore, they sunbathe and swim in the sea waters. Their favorite dish is seaweed, which they feast on at the bottom of the deep sea.
Freshwater iguanas are found in the sultry and humid thickets of the South American continent, among the highlands, countless trees and a variety of plants. Here, in a warm deep hole, not far from the water, eggs lie waiting in the wings.
Of these, not chicks at all will appear, but small cubs of lizards - iguanas. They form inside the egg over a period of three months. All of them will see the light almost simultaneously. When the mother lizard makes a clutch, she goes home. Iguanas only give life, but do not care for their offspring.
As soon as they step on solid ground, they immediately begin to study the world. For safety, they keep in small groups. Sticking out their tongues, they get to know each other and examine everything around. They do not yet know what lies ahead, and it is still difficult for them to get used to an unfamiliar environment. The first thing you should do is find a safe hiding place.
Being on rocky terrain, their bright green color stands out strongly, attracting predators to itself - this is very dangerous. Little iguanas have many enemies. It is difficult for them to survive in the wild and dangerous jungle. In order not to die, they must learn to escape from the predators that lie in wait for them behind every pebble, bush or tree.
Genes lead them to water, where the elements will help protect themselves at least a little. Their scales on their paws capture air bubbles, which help the iguana better adhere to its surface. They need food and a safe home, and given the small size of the island, this is not easy.
Despite the fact that the cubs have recently hatched from an egg, they very quickly adapt to the world around them. Inheriting the genetic abilities of their parents, they very quickly climb the tops of trees. There, in the green foliage, no one will see them, because their color serves as an excellent disguise. The human eye will definitely not notice the iguana. But among the tropical, lush foliage, there are other enemies who perfectly see them, and want to dine on them, for example, snakes.
Only five percent of young boys manage to reach sexual maturity. They must be constantly on the alert. When the sun goes down, the lizards fall asleep, snuggling together. Although their eyes are closed, the film on the surface creates the illusion of being awake. Being cold-blooded, the body temperature of a reptile depends on the difference in environmental indicators, which is why they love sunbathing.
Living next to adults, the boys benefit from this. Sexually mature iguanas, absorbing plant food, leave their feces on the leaves of trees, which serves as a good snack for the young - it is useful for them. Such food contains a lot of nutrients that contribute to their excellent development.
Until the "young" grows up, they have to be around for several months, because adults do not pay any attention to them. When the iguanas grow up, their color will change and thorns will grow on the body. During the mating season, the males take on an orange hue to attract the attention of the females. They defend their territory, not allowing anyone to cross it. The most dominant male, climbs to the top of the tree, and demonstrates himself in all his glory to potential brides.
Making enchanting movements, with the help of his bright orange gills, he seems to say: “I love you! I'm here! . The female, impressed by this mesmerizing spectacle, reciprocates the groom. The fertilized mother-to-be travels back to the island to lay her eggs. When they reach the ground, they bury them to ensure successful development and safe shelter. Thus, the sacrament of the cycle of birth will take place again.
Mature individuals are quite large and nimble. They spend almost all their time in the branchy crowns of trees. With the help of strong claws resembling hooks, they are held by bark and branches, and a long massive tail acts as an auxiliary tool for maintaining balance. Looking at the appearance of iguanas, one might think that they are carnivores. So what is their diet? In truth, they are herbivores. They eat a variety of plant foods: flowers, leaves, fruits, vegetables.
Iguana species
- Anolis bahorucoensis. The native habitat is in the mountainous rainforests of the eastern island of Haiti. The length of males reaches 16 cm, and of females from 14 to 14.5 cm. The suspension in males is poorly developed. Painted in discreet contrasting colors. Trees and abundant, dense plants are great for their development. Reptiles breed all year round. This is because this small species has many enemies and is constantly in danger. Females lay their eggs in earthen pits under bushes. For them to ripen, the air temperature should be 25-28 degrees during the day, and 20 degrees at night. The terrarium for and keeping in the house should be in a humid tropical climate.
- Anolis equestris. This species lives on the North American continent of South Florida in the crowns of tropical trees. The largest variety is 43 to 45 cm long, depending on gender. They have a bright green color. When breeding, the male holds the female by the back of the head. A clutch of several eggs is made every two weeks. Sexually mature individuals are cannibals. The containment terrarium should be spacious at least one meter in height. Eggs are immediately removed after laying and grown separately in an incubator.
- Anolis trinitatis - most common in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. The males reach a length of 7, 4 cm, and the females 5, 7 cm. They have a very wide range of colors: from bright green to blue-green, grayish, blue and yellow. The pendant is yellow or orangeish. They do not dwell in the depths of the tropics, but along their edge. Only one egg is laid every two weeks. At home, they are kept in a terrarium with densely planted plants. The male can live with several females. They eat flies, grasshoppers, etc. But they also love plant foods, for example: bananas.
- Anolis marmoratus. The main habitat is on the east coast of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. Handsome men among their own kind. With bright green pendants and variations of the basic color from various tones of green, blue, yellow. They love banana plantations and tall trees. They are kept in a large terrarium by groups of heterosexual individuals.
- Basilicus plumifron. The native habitat extends from Panama to Guatemala near streams of water. The male has a beautiful high ridge in the head area that goes to the back. They reach a length of up to 90 cm. Therefore, they are kept in very voluminous terrariums. In addition, it is necessary to maintain constant humidity in the container, and equip it with thick branches. Their eggs are grown in an incubator at a temperature of at least 30 degrees.
- Ctenosaura clarki. In their natural environment, they are found in western Mexico in temperate mountain forests. They belong to a variety of black iguanas, medium-sized, can grow up to 32 cm in length. It lives well both on rocky terrain and in green tree crowns, where temperature drops range from 30 to 40 degrees Celsius during the day, and at night the indicators drop to 14 degrees. At home, conditions are artificially created for diapause once a year from one to two months at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. They absorb various insects and newborn small rodents.
- Crotaphytus collari. The native habitat is in the deserts and semi-deserts of America. Enjoy a beautiful necklace. Females are smaller than males, which grow up to 35 cm in length. They require high temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius, and in winter they need no more than 8 to hibernate. After the winter rest, the lizards begin to reproduce, laying up to five eggs.
- Cophosaurus texana. The habitat is arid semi-desert in southern America and northern Mexico. At night, reptiles partially cover themselves with sand. In the daytime, they sit on high places, observing everything around. Very fertile, they lay eggs all year round. When they are borne, orange spots appear on the sides of the female. The terrarium area must be large and properly heated, as they are very mobile.
- Opulus cyclurus reaching a length of 25 cm, they are considered the smallest in Madagascar. They live in the south and southeast of the island in dry and sparse forests. Very fast, in case of danger they hide on the back of the trunks or in the hollows of trees. The lizard runs away long before it is discovered. For reproduction of this species, conditions are artificially created for winter diapause. This is followed by the mating season. From the clutch, which is kept in an incubator at a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, after 2.5 months, cubs 5 cm long appear.
- Phrynosoma platyrhinos. The area of vital activity is the north of Mexico. The color and shape of their body are similar to toads. In most cases they feed on ants. All winter they are in hibernation at temperatures no higher than 8 degrees. They are removed from it by a slow increase in heat. During laying, they bury themselves in the sand.
- Iguana iguana or green - the most popularized type of exotic domestic animals. Their length is up to 180 cm, weight is 7 kg. Despite the name, the color range is varied, depending on the habitat. They love to swim and eat fruits and vegetables. They breed year-round, laying up to 80 eggs.
Features of the behavior of the iguana
Iguanas love to eat, they are ready to sell with giblets for cottage cheese and dandelion leaves. All trips around the apartment end at the curtain rail. On warm summer days, they like to bask outside on the grass.
If you have a sexually mature male, then during the mating season, he can show aggression: scratching, biting and hitting with his tail. Better to start a small iguana, so you socialize it and it will be completely tame. Dislikes other animals in the house. Always defends its territory.
When she is angry, she tries to appear larger and her body becomes tense, and her skin darkens. When the iguana is relaxed, its color becomes lighter and brighter. Then you can safely stroke her - the lizard will only be glad. You should always observe your pet and feel his mood.
It happens that you are careless and you are bitten by a reptile. In this case, do not pull it to pick it up, otherwise you will pull it together with the skin, due to the specifics of its teeth. Ask a family member to open her jaw either with her hands or with an object.
Iguana diseases
Iguanas live up to 10 years. Many diseases do not manifest themselves symptomatically. They can be seen when the stage is already final - neglected. Their most common disease is fungus. It manifests itself in the form of scaly spots and dots that are unusual for them. They have helminthic invasions.
Also, reptiles can catch colds, suffering from rhinitis and pneumonia. If they are not properly fed, stomach inflammation can occur. Maybe: stagnation of the contents of the large intestine (coprostasis), violation of mineral metabolism (rickets). Among metabolic disorders in iguanas, the phenomena of steatite-selenite and B-complex deficiency have been described.
Conditions for keeping a lizard at home
- Home equipment - the very first thing, you need a spacious vertical type terrarium, which will have to be increased as the animal grows. It must have an ultraviolet heating lamp. The temperature that is maintained in the terrarium depends on the species of the lizard. Humidity also depends on this. Some like a more humid climate, others a little less. Some people generally need a small pool for swimming with warm water. Plants can be planted inside and various tree driftwood placed.
- Bathing - it's just great if you have a swim in your bathroom several times a week for the iguana. They love to swim and dive.
- Feeding done half an hour after the iguana warms up. They eat like plant foods: fruits and vegetables. These can be: pumpkin, apples, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, raspberries, lettuce, etc. It will not be superfluous if you enrich her diet with calcium, vitamins and minerals.
Purchasing iguanas
Before you get an iguana, study this animal well and think if you would like to spend 10 years of your life with it. Check out the correct content for your future pet. If you have already decided on this, then carefully check the conditions for keeping the exotic.
The reptile needs to be examined carefully. Visible flaws: emaciation, visible pelvic bones, damaged skin, lack of fingers and claws. The lizard should: be active, vigorous, without damage to the skin, with a dense and elastic tail and uniform color.
To better socialize the iguana, it is best to buy a small individual. And an adult is a "pig in a poke". She can bite, and also have diseases that appear at a late stage. The approximate cost of such an exotic can be from $ 100 to $ 500 and more.
For the specifics of keeping an iguana at home, see here:
