Recommended Diet for Captive Green Iguanas

All vegetables must be washed, grated or finely chopped (by hand or with a food processor) and well mixed. This will assure a balanced diet since the iguana will eat all the items rather than choosing the tasty bits, and will also make digestion more efficient. Prepare enough salad for 4-7 days, keep in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature. Amount to be fed will depend upon the individual's appetite; iguanas don't have a tendency to be obese, so feed as much as s/he's willing to eat. Generally, hatchings will eat almost constantly, while adults over 3 years of age will eat once a day or every other day; appetites increase during the summer months, and decrease during the winter.

Ingredients :
EACH MEAL should contain ingredients from EACH of the SIX following categories :

1. Leafy green vegetables :
   30-40% of the total diet (two or more at each meal)
   Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelions (leaves and flowers)*, nasturtium (leaves and flowers)*, hibiscus (leaves and flowers)*, escarole, chicory, watercress, endives, green onions
   In small quantities : Carrot greens, beet greens, kale, chinese cabbage (bok choy), swiss chard, parsley, romanian lettuce, spinach.
   Optional (in small quantities) : basil, oregano, coriander (cilandro), sprouts, grass*.
   *It is best to cultivate these plants yourself to avoid pesticide/herbicide toxicity
   

2. Nutritious vegetables :
   30-40% of the total diet (offer a variety weekly)
   Green and yellow wax beans, orange-fleshed squash (pumpkin, spaghetti, butternut, acorn), snap peas, snow peas, okra, sweet potato, red and green peppers, parsnip, asparagus, leeks (+ leaves)
   In small quantities : onions, celeri, mushrooms

3. Vegetable protein :
   Up to 5% of the total diet
   Alfalfa pellets (make sure they don't contain any animal products; soak before mixing in the salad), cooked beans (rinsed and drained), tofu (in small amounts).

4. Grains :
   Optional, up to 5% of the total diet
   Cream of Wheat® (an ideal Ca:P ratio of 2:1), whole bread, bran cereal, rice, pasta

5. Nutritious fruit :
   Up to 15% of the diet
   Fresh or dried figs (calcium-rich), papaya, mellon, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apricots, prunes, apples, grapes.

6. Vitamins / minerals :
   is recommended because nutritionnal deficiencies are very common in iguanas. However, since there is no RDA (recommended daily allowance) documented for any lizard species, it is not known exactly how much is needed, so there is a risk of giving too much or not enough; this is especially dangerous with vitamins A, D, E et K, since these can lead to toxicity. So, the best choice is a varied diet to assure a natural source of vitamins and minerals. Supplements should only be used to round off the diet.

   Calcium : Choose a pure calcium source (no vitamins or minerals added), such as calcium carbonate or gluconate; crush the tablets to form a powder. CALCIUM WITH VIT. D3 (made by Rep-Cal) is also highly recommended, especially if your iguana doesn't get much exposure to sunlight, which is what assures vitamin D3 assimilation (which is critical to calcium absorption). Please note, however, that in this case your iguana will need exposure to an artificial ultraviolet source (ex.: Vitalite fluorescent tubes) since oral administration of vitamin D3 is insufficient. Add a pinch to 3 cups of finely chopped salad, 2 to 4 times a week.
   Vitamins : Choose a good multivitamin for humans or reptiles. PRIME (made by Hagen), a supplement for birds, is highly recommended. Add one small pinch per meal, 2-3 times a week for hatchings and juveniles, and one large pinch per meal, 1-2 times a week for adults.

   A note on animal protein sources :
   In the wild, iguanas are folivores, a type of vegetarian that eats primarily leaves. Some iguana books falsely claim that iguanas eat insects until they mature, then switch to a vegetarian diet as adults. This is not the case. They are vegetarians from birth even though they might occasionally accept unnatural foods in captivity. Protein should be supplied as a plant based source. Dog and cat food, crickets, trout chow, mealworms, etc. should be excluded from the diet.

   A note on commercial iguana diets :
   the advantage of these products is that they are easier to use than preparing a balanced salad several times a week. The disadvantage is that in spite of claims that the commercial diets are complete and balanced, they may not be so. Commercial diets are unproved. They may be used in emergencies or occasionally added in small amounts to the fresh salad but should not form a major part of the diet.

   Oxalates and phytates : are chemicals found in most vegetables and grains which bind with calcium and make it unusable to the body. These are found in large amounts in spinach, beets, parsley, chards, potatoes and carrots; phytates are found in whole wheat and other grains. When fed in large amounts, these foods can cause calcium deficiencies.

   Goitrogens : are found in cruciferous plants (Brassica) : cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, etc. A large consumption of these vegetables can eventually cause thyroid problems.

   Final note : Offer variety, variety, and variety ! It's the only way to make sure your iguana stays healthy.

   Reference : "Reptile Medicine and Surgery". D.R. Mader, M.S., DVM. June 1996.

   

   Questions ?... Comments ?... Do not hesitate to send me mail. :-)

   
   Julie Chamberlain

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