Although iguana pets are popular now, most iguana owners still do not give enough importance to their dietary needs. Although iguanas come in different varieties, the common green iguana is still the most popular pets around. In recent years, these common green iguana are also becoming popular among people. More often than not, people still spend a lot of time in putting up the proper enclosures for their iguana but totally forget the basic concept of iguana food. Like any other animal, iguana pets need proper nourishment in order to grow strong and healthy. The following are some food items for iguana pets:
Vegetables. These are considered to be some of the best iguana food because they provide a good source of carbohydrates, proteins as well as vitamins and minerals. Among all the vegetables, lettuce, red peppers, carrots, cabbage, turnips and cabbage greens are considered to be the best vegetables to feed your iguana. However, if you do not have these vegetables in your garden, you can buy them in dried form at your local supermarket.
Fruits. These foods are good sources of essential nutrients as they are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. However, some iguana owners do not like to feed their pets with fruits because they feel that giving them fruits every once in a while may cause some damage to their teeth and gums. Although some iguana breeders do not agree with feeding fruits to their lizards, most iguana enthusiasts claim that giving fruits to the pets is beneficial especially to the juvenile stages of the animals.
Commercial pellets, soft vegetables and fruits. It is important to provide your pet with healthy and fresh green leaves. Aside from these, there are other commercially prepared foods available in the market that is suitable for blue iguana diet. You can purchase these at any pet store or farm supplies.
Herbs. Although it is recommended to provide the iguana with fresh vegetables and fruits every day but some iguana keepers believe that adding herbs can help the pet to retain nutrition. These herbs include basil, chives, oregano, parsley, Rosemary, sage and thyme. Herbivores (herbivores) will feed upon these plant materials when they are readily available; whereas carnivores (carnivores) will use these materials only if they are not available. You can also add some commercial supplements to the pet’s food at home such as vitamins C, D, E, and K2.
Fruit. Some iguana breeders prefer to feed their pets exclusively with fruits. The fruit should be fed every three days, although some prefer to feed them daily. If you prefer to feed your iguana fruits then it is essential that the fruits are only prepared properly. Do not make your fruits pure so that it will retain all of its nutrients. Instead, you can add a little bit of honey, citrus rind, avocados, peach or watermelon rind to its mix.
Vegetables. Giving your iguana vegetables is an ideal diet for the iguana. However, you must ensure that the vegetables are fresh and of high quality. Some of the best vegetables for the iguana include corn, peas, bean sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, Brussels sprouts, carrots, spinach, cabbage, beans, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, squash, yams, corn, okra and sweet potatoes. Other foods that are okay to include in the diet of the iguana are cooked corn, raw cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, cucumber, peas, carrots and applesauce.
Other Foods. In order to ensure that your iguana gets enough nutritious foods every day, it is important that you know what other foods they should have access to on a daily basis. You can feed your iguana fish, meat, milk, eggs and calcium blocks. You can also buy supplements that contain vitamins A, D, E and C. Make sure that you give them fish or chicken bones and hide raw bones every day.
