Red Iguana Market Price and Care Guide

The American red iguana is an ornamental pet and a variant of the green iguana. The red iguana is a herbivore that eats the flowers, leaves and fruits of more than 100 species of plants. One of the favorite foods of red iguanas in Panama is wild plum. So how much does a red iguana cost? How do you care for one?

1. How much does a red iguana cost?

The red iguana is a variant of the green iguana. Usually, one under 50 cm costs around 200 yuan, and one over 50 cm costs around 300 yuan. Red iguanas are more expensive than green iguanas, roughly 1.3 times the price of a green iguana. Red iguanas come in 2 types, the South American red iguana and the Honduran red iguana. South American red iguana hatchlings have green bellies, while Honduran red iguana hatchlings have white bellies. After growing up, the Honduran red iguana turns completely red, while the belly of most South American red iguanas turns red, but not completely red.

They can be considered pure vegetarians, living mainly on plant leaves, flowers and fruits. Young IG (iguanas) are generally green in body color, which they use to avoid the sight of natural enemies; as they age, the green slowly fades, replaced by colors such as pale yellow, pale blue or brown. The main physical features of IG include the comb-like scales along the back, the black ringed stripes on the tail, and the large, drooping dewlap of adult males. In the wild, the lifespan of IG is generally between 10-15 years, with some living longer; captive IG individuals can live more than 20 years.

2. How do you care for a red iguana?

1. 8 to 10 hours a day is a must. If UVB absorption is insufficient, it will lead to calcium deficiency, poor appetite, poor spirits, poor shedding, and so on

2. As long as it is not too hot, red iguanas generally will not become dehydrated. If possible, it is best to put a hygrometer inside the enclosure, and spray water when it gets dry.

3. Soaking it 3 or 4 times a week is enough. The water temperature must not be too hot; if it feels warm when you put your hand in, that is fine.

4. If it absorbs UVB for 8 hours every day, it will not be calcium deficient. If it is deficient, then you just have to supplement it. UVB plus calcium powder, to make up for it.

5. During the day the temperature is higher, and once its body temperature rises, it will definitely resist when you grab it. I have kept my red iguana for 8 months. Only now does it not resist much when stroked, and if you pick it up it still keeps moving nonstop. As for nighttime, it needs to sleep, and when the temperature is low it has no energy and will not move. It is a cold-blooded animal, not like you; when the temperature is a bit low, its appetite noticeably drops, its spirits are poor, and it does not move at all.

6. If you go to PaTian (reptile forum) to look, some people there keep them cheaply and still raise them quite well, but if you do not pay attention to UVB, temperature and humidity, it can easily die. And even if you are cold, you have to put on more clothes, right? If you are hot, you also have to turn on the air conditioner. What is more, the red iguana is a cold-blooded animal, very dependent on and sensitive to temperature.