What exotic lovers just don't come up with! Some arrange tropics in apartments, growing orchids on the windowsill. Many breed bright tropical fish in aquariums, among which there are quite dangerous specimens. Extreme people settle near predators, for example, bears or tigers. And many lovers of exotic animals dream of having a lizard at home, preferably a large and dangerous one.
Recently, medical institutions have received more and more requests from people injured or bitten by an iguana, a large tree lizard that normally lives in Mexico, Central America, Brazil, and even Hawaii. And today it is gradually moving to our apartments. The bites and scratches made by this animal are quite dangerous, because iguanas are poisonous. It is estimated that about 15 thousand young individuals fall into the hands of domestic lovers annually. How to coexist with such a dangerous "neighbor" if she still conquered her living space next to you?
Descendants of the ancient dinosaurs
Paleontological findings suggest that lizards appeared long ago. Today on the earth there are more than 4000 species that are united in 20 families, among them iguanas. They spread throughout the globe, except with the exception of cold zones. In most cases, lizards live on the surface of the earth, sometimes burrowing in the sand or climbing trees. Some reptiles live in the soil, others on the surf line. There are individuals that lead a daily lifestyle, and some move, hunt and eat only at night. Insects and their larvae, arachnids, mollusks and worms, sometimes small vertebrates are the main food of lizards.
Who is this poisonous neighbor?
The green poisonous iguana, which is most often found in animal lovers' terrariums, usually lives in nature in virgin deciduous forests. She especially likes to settle on trees that grow near the water, because in case of danger, she can jump into the river at any time.
An adult iguana is very large, can weigh up to 5 kg and grow up to two meters, and its powerful tail is half the length. Short powerful legs with sharp claws help them climb trees perfectly, and the tail is used for swimming and protection.
Males are much larger than females and have more massive forms and bright colors. Young individuals have a bright green color, which helps them to disguise themselves perfectly in the foliage of trees. Usually they do not change color, but some areas of the skin, depending on temperature, light, food, stress, degree of aggression or various diseases, change color over a wide range: from light to dark shades.
Conditions of detention
Since iguanas are poisonous, in captivity they are kept in terrariums. This, of course, is to some extent reflected in the appearance of the reptile. The length of the body may also be different, because it is also associated with the conditions of detention.
What should be a terrarium for an iguana? Since this is a climbing animal, then height is more important for it than area. But the terrarium should still be spacious, with lots of branches and shelters. After all, the iguana should move freely, climb, hide. Having got a small animal, it is not necessary to immediately acquire a large terrarium for him, one for life. Small iguanas differ from adults in size, temperament, and behavior, therefore, with the growth of the animal, the living conditions must change.
Of course, adults should take care of a pet, since iguanas are poisonous. The terrarium is selected so that it can be easily maintained, maintain a constant temperature in it, and establish a pool with warm water. In the upper tier, you can fix artificial or living, but not poisonous plants. Pay great attention to humidity, lighting, ventilation, additional ultraviolet radiation and feeding.
If the baby iguana settled in the house, then during the adaptation period it is necessary to place her in a quiet corner: during this period she needs peace. Although iguanas are poisonous, a domesticated animal can be safely released from the terrarium. During the walk, it is necessary to ensure his safety: remove children, cats and dogs away, try to ensure that the reptile walks only under supervision. Otherwise, it can be scared or it can fall from a great height, for example, from a landing or a balcony.
Iguana is one of the most interesting animals. If she begins to trust people and be friends with them, then you can learn a lot of interesting things about her. Which ones? We will tell you another time.