Iguana diet
There are many websites and books with their own interpretation of the ideal diet for iguanas in captivity, it is easy for owners to get confused. Before and after I bought my boy I researched and researched and I can only agree with a diet based on what iguanas eat in the wild, based on scientific research papers and studied veterinary reports. There are still a lot of research done on iguana diets and what seems right today might turn out to be wrong tomorrow. For this reason it is crucial to give your iguana a variety of food.
IGUANAS ARE HERBIVORES
Iguanas are folivores meaning that their diet mainly consist of leaves rather than fruits or seeds. The iguana is the only lizard that lives in trees and feeds on trees eating leaves, flowers and fruit. The iguana and all true herbivorous lizards has a hindgut inhabited by bacteria able to digest the cellulose in plants.
Iguanas eat over 250 types of plants in the wild, they are obligated herbivores. We will never be able to duplicate this but it is essential for your iguanas well-being to give a huge variety of food every single day.
The iguana's digestive system
The iguana has a hindgut between the small and large intestines. It has valves inside and is filled with microflora, small organisms including bacteria and possibly protozoa. This helps slow food down so the microflora can easily break down the cellulose which enables the iguana to extract more nutrients from the passing food. Iguana researchers estimate that Iguanas may obtain 40% of their energy from the hindgut fermentation.
Iguanas need a minimum of 29C (85F) to properly digest their food because the mocroflora in the iguana's hindgut are only activated at this temperature.
If the food are not cut into small bite size pieces little digestion will occur in the stomach. Food chopped and shredded in small pieces will mean less work for the iguana's digestive system and allow the iguana to eat more food per meal, receiving more nutrition.
Food and preparation:
The perfect ratio to achieve is 2:1 Calcium to Phosphorus to promote normal bone growth. Too much Phosphorus in the diet renders the calcium unusable. Food high in Oxalates bind with the calcium and can therefore not be absorbed by the iguana. Phytates impair calcium absorption. Goitrogens inhibit iodine absorption and can lead to goiter.
You need to make a salad combining at least 4 different types of greens, 1 or 2 types of veggies, fruit once a week or as a treat. My iguana's daily diet has a mixture of 7 to 10 different greens. The greens must make out 70% of the dish.
Cut the greens into tiny bits throw it all together inside a plastic container and rinse under the tab. Leave the container to stand for a couple of minutes and then throw out the excess water. Seal the container with an airtight lid. Every morning when you take out greens, mix it all up so that the soaked greens are at the top. You can also mist the food just before giving it to your iguana.
Some iguanas are really particular about their food and the presentation actually means a lot to them. If you put the food in front of him and he does not seem interested then take it and mix it up differently, you will be amazed how much difference it makes.
List of recommended salads: This can be used for all reptiles including parrots, mix up with water before serving.
Staple greens that can be fed daily.
Alfalfa - called Lucerne in South Africa
Turnip Greens
Mustard Greens
Collard Greens
Watercress
Dandelion - pesticide free
Escarole
Endive
Nasturtium greens and flowers
Hibiscus leaves and flowers
Occasionally mix in with the staple greens: Do NOT feed daily.
Bok Choy (high in goitrogens)
Chicory
Clover
Kale (high in goitrogens)
Beet Greens (high in Oxalates and Phytates)
Swiss Chard (high in Oxalates and Phytates)
Rocket
Cabbage (high in goitrogens)
Carrot Tops (high in Oxalates and Phytates)
Spinach (high in Oxalates and Phytates)
Parsley
leeks
For the complete lists of Veggies, Fruits, Herbs, Plants and treats with photos : http://reptile-parrots.com/forums/showthread.php?124-Iguana-Diet
PLEASE this is CRUCIAL! VARIETY-VARIETY-VARIETY!
Iguanas die from a diet of only lettuce. Most types of lettuce are composed mostly of water and hold little or no nutritional value. With the wide variety of other greens out there it is better and easier to just avoid any type of lettuce. Spinach should also be avoided as calcium binds to it and will not be digested.
What NOT to feed your iguana:
Any animal protein - Examples: cheese, anything made of cheese, dog and cat food, insects, monkey biscuits. Iguanas that are fed animal protein suffer from the following:
> Mineralization of tissues
> Urinary bladder stones
> Gout that lead to swelling and severe pain in the joints.
> Inflammation of organs such as the liver, kidneys and heart.
Dairy Products, iguanas do not have a special enzyme to digest dairy.
Any lettuce, no matter what type it is, if it has the word lettuce in it then dont feed it. It has no nutritional value and your iguana will love it. If he was on this type of diet you might have a hard time converting him. It is not even worth feeding it for the hydration it offers - soak your greens in water and you will have exactly the same water contents in your food BUT with nutrition.
Iguana Pellets. No matter what the label says there is no law controlling what they put in and what they have to declare. They will give nice descriptions saying it helps with hydrations and bla-bla-bla BUT this is to get you to buy the product. Most of them contain animal protein and is of no nutritional value.
Food with a high oxalate count. Oxalates bind calcium which forces your iguana to draw calcium from its own bones. Spinach and parsley are exceptionally high.
Food with a high goitrogen count. A diet high in goitogens will cause thyroid problems. Kale and Broccoli are examples of these and should only be fed on occasion.
Plants in your garden or around your house that you are not sure about or that might have been treated with pesticide.
Iguana