How to Pick Out an Iguana

Iguana is highly admired by adventure loving people and is a very interesting reptile to have. Iguanas are also known as ‘Bamboo Chicken’ in some places. Picking a healthy iguana is an easy task. For selecting a proper and healthy iguana, one should have a proper knowledge about the reptiles.

So, how to pick out a healthy iguana? When you go to reptile shop and ask for iguana, the shopkeeper will tell you about the different types of iguana and their features. However, how to choose a healthy iguana is the basic question that arises. Here are some tips that will surely help you in choosing a healthy iguana.

Tips to pick out an iguana

1. Basic Appearance consideration while selecting an iguana
   1. The skin of iguana should not contain any scratches and nail bites. Moreover, it should look clean and healthy.
   2. It should not have any mark of burn on its stomach. In addition, its stomach should not be filthy
   3. Moving of iguana’s limb can be a sign of calcium deficiency.
   4. Tail, limb or the whole body should not contain any type of lumps, or swelling.
   5. The rear legs and thighs should be shaped naturally.
   6. The body part should look strong, smooth and lively.
   7. There should be no red, black, orange spot on the body of iguana because it indicates the poor care and lack of concern in store.
   8. If the limbs are thin, then lizard could be suffering from dehydration.
   9. Wrinkles on body can be a sign of bacterial or parasite infection.
2. Consideration of head, eyes, mouth, ears and throat
   1. Eyes of the iguana should be clear. Bleary, weepy and crusted eyes indicate infection or inflammation of eyes.
   2. Nose should not have any dried or wet mucus as they are the symptoms of respiratory problem in iguana.
   3. If the jaw of iguana is swollen then you should not purchase it as it signifies metabolic disease in that iguana.
   4. There should be no swelling on its face, neck or dewlap as it signifies abscesses disease in iguana.
3. Consideration of behavior while selecting iguana
   1. Healthy iguanas always try to escape from the enclosure/cage.
   2. A highly tamed iguana will be comfortable and relaxed around the stranger too.
   3. A sick iguana will be unresponsive.
4. Points to consider before picking up iguana
   1. Age of iguana while buying it.
   2. Companion of iguana in last enclosure
   3. Type of previous enclosures
   4. Previous heating and lighting setup in iguana cage
   5. The previous diet given to iguana in enclosure
   6. Type of current diet to be given to iguana
   7. Breeding season of iguana
   8. If iguana suffered from any disease
   9. Previous health record of iguana
   10. If iguana has bitten some one before

This information will surely help in picking out a healthy iguana for you terrarium. By knowing all this details of iguana you can easily select healthy iguana for your terrarium. Now this healthy iguana will be your dream dinosaur which you will admire to have!