Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, October 16, 1994                   TAG: 9410180072
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KAREN DAVIS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IT TAKES THE RIGHT KIND OF CARE TO KEEP A PET IGUANA HEALTHY

In the wild, they probably live about 15 to 20 years. But in captivity, a typical lifespan is more like six months, because ``people don't know how to care for them properly,'' said Dr. Vanessa Rolfe of Avian and Exotic Veterinary Services in Salem.

Proper nutrition for a pet iguana includes soaked rabbit pellets mixed with dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale, turnip and mustard greens. Occasional corn, peas and carrots are OK, along with fresh fruits, dandelion leaves and flowers, collards, clover, bean sprouts and alfalfa leaves. Youngsters need protein from cottage cheese, tofu or hard-boiled eggs, but adults become more sensitive to protein and calcium excesses and should receive less as they age, Rolfe said.

A little bit of moist dog food mixed with greens is OK, but ``cat food is too rich,'' Rolfe said. Feed once or twice a day, and provide fresh water in a bowl rather than in a bottle.

Iguanas are ``ectothermic,'' which means their body temperature is regulated by environmental factors. Because of this, they need to be housed in a 35- to 55-gallon long aquarium with an ordinary light bulb for warmth and one full-spectrum light source for proper vitamin D absorption. Iguanas benefit from basking in direct sunlight.

Keep the temperature in the tank at 80 degrees. The heat source should rise into the mid-90s when on, and being on one side of the tank, should allow the reptile to move away if it gets too warm.

Some enthusiasts use hot rocks for a heat source, but Rolfe warns that these may get hot enough to burn the iguana if not monitored. Put a thermometer on the rock and make sure it doesn't get over 100 degrees.

Rolfe recommends using timers to turn the lights on for 12-hour periods. Iguanas are equatorial, hailing from Central and South America (where they are hunted for food), which means they are naturally suited to evenly divided days.

Iguanas can grow up to 6 feet long by the time they reach age 4. So eventually, the aquarium will have to be replaced by a custom-built plywood and Plexiglas enclosure. Sturdy tree branch perches will help satisfy the iguana's natural climbing instincts.

Rolfe recommends covering the tank floor with newspaper, artificial turf or pressed grass pellets. Sawdust or corncob chips can dry the skin, and aquarium gravel can block the digestive tract if eaten.

To keep the skin moist, mist the iguana daily with a spray water bottle.

The common pet iguanas are bright green as hatchlings and turn an olive or brownish color when they become adults at about age 2. Their skin also darkens or changes color if they get sick or cold.

When choosing a hatchling, pick one that is lively, is not too thin, is a bright color and has clear eyes, Rolfe said.

Iguanas normally sneeze a lot, Rolfe said, to discharge excess salt through their nostrils. The salt is filtered from the blood by a gland located behind the eyes and, when discharged, forms noticeable deposits on the aquarium glass.

To learn more these about these remarkable lizards, contact the International Iguana Society at Southern College, Biology Department, Collegedale, Tenn. 37315-0370.

Karen L. Davis is a Roanoke free-lance writer and pet owner. Her column runs twice a month. Send general-interest questions to The Pet Podium, in care of the features department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.

Because an iguana's body temperature is regulated by environmental factors, it benefits from basking in direct sunlight.