Iguanas, specially the wild ones, are A crucial part of the eco-system; a slight change in the population of Iguanas in the wild can harm the total balance of the ecosystem. So when setting up your own pet house, you need to know things about proper iguana ecology so that it can feel comfortable in captivity.

One thing that you will probably notice is that iguana ecology is not an easy task to replicate and the iguanas themselves are not that easy to take care of either. Iguanas, like most reptiles, are solely dependant on their environment for their most basic needs like heat and body chemistry. Iguanas use wavelengths of light on their environment to aid with their metabolism.

These animals are very well-adapted to their natural habitat of humid and warm environments which can be very different from the confined cells that they have in captivity. So if you can not provide an environment that is conducive to live in for the iguanas they might get sick or even die.

Basically an iguana needs the following to survive in captivity: A large cage or room is a crucial thing in your iguana's growth, you have to keep in mind that a fully-grown and properly-cared-for iguana can grow up to six feet long. A 55 gallon aquarium is barely enough in your iguana's first year growth.

The minimum height of an iguana’s cage should be six feet tall and twice the length of the Iguana. Iguanas are know to be arboreal and they feel much more comfortable up on high places like a tree, so be sure to include even just a small branch in you cage for them to hang on to. The total width of your iguana’s cage must be at least half the iguana’s length.

The rule of the thumb should be the larger the cage the healthier the iguana.

A small cage can harm your iguana’s growth and can even injure them or stress them out. A small cage can even cause muscle weakness due to the small amount of space that they can crawl in causing them to build fat by hindering much needed exercise.

Room temperature should also be taken into consideration, a basking area should be provided with a temperature of ninety to ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit and the air temperature should not be lower than what they are accustomed to which is eighty degrees Fahrenheit.

Proper room temperature aids the iguanas with their digestion process. On the other hand, inadequate temperature can cause illness in your iguana’s digestive system.

Your iguana should also have a day and night cycle so you have to find ways to provide heat without the lights on during the night.

As you can see, providing your iguana with the right kind of habitat is crucial to its health and growth. These things are a must for an iguana to be able to survive in captivity. Not being able to provide this may cause death to your pet. Just try to get the right information about your iguana's needs and everything will work out just fine. Having a pet iguana is not an easy thing but it surely is an enjoyable sight to watch your iguana grow.