baby iguana

Question
I just gat a baby green iguana 2 days ago. She is in a very large custom enclosure....so big I have a hard time finding her then catching her to hold. Once I'm holding her she calms down nice. I have yet to see her eat. I have tried to hand feed her as well. Doesn't seem interested. Is this normal due to such extreme change? At what point do I start to worry about her not eating? And should I keep her in a smaller enclosure until she gets bigger? Thank you for your time. Brittin

Answer
Brittin,

Yes! This is normal! I like to describe baby iguanas as extremely stressed-out and paranoid creatures. They are terrified of change and of other living things. Baby iguanas (hatchlings) are known to go without eating for up to a week in a new environment.

I always recommend to people that they should not try and handle the iguana for about a week until it can get settled in and feel less stressed.

I do not think the large enclosure is a bad thing at all, assuming you have enough lighting and heating to keep the entire enclosure warm enough and the iguana under the UV rays.

To help ease her into eating, you should get her on a very set schedule. You should turn the lamps on and off the same time every morning and night. This will allow for predictability and will reduce stress. Also, you need to present the food at the same time every day for the same reason.

Now, it is helpful to make sure you are cutting the food pieces into small bits no bigger than the size of the iguana's head. If you don't the iguana can't eat comfortably. Baby iguanas do not eat a whole lot so she may not be hungry every day. Some people choose to feed baby iguanas only 3 times per week as opposed to every day. I always feed my iguanas every day because I know I would want food available every day if I were living in a cage.

Good foods are collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, escarole, green beans, orange squash, avacado and small portions of fruits such as banana, mango, etc.

Just a couple more tips: make sure her cage is in an area that is not heavily frequented, where there is not a lot of commotion, no kids/dogs running around and no loud or persistent noises. These things will put the iguana on edge and make her want to hide. Also, believe it or not, some iguanas prefer to eat in privacy and will not eat in front of people. I have one iguana in particular who will not eat when I am in the room.

Finally, make sure you have a good UVB light bulb. UVB is different from UVA so make sure you actually have a UVB. This is essential for proper calcium absorption and not having it will leave the iguana under-developed, malnourished, and can cause deformities and early death.

Just give your hatchling some time and see if some of my suggestions help, but yes, this is normal behavior. VERY NORMAL. I would start worrying if she wont eat after about another week.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance to you.

Sincerely,

Sara J. Gwerder
President
Raptor Rescue Iguana Sanctuary
Shreveport, LA
www.RaptorRescue.org

"UVB Bulb + Proper Diet + Consistent Daily Routine = Happy + Healthy Iguana"