The green iguana is a tree living day-light active lizard usually found at elevations below 3000ft in tropical and subtropical regions from northern Mexico to central South America. It is most often found in the vicinity of rivers and streams.

Iguanas mate in January or February. After a pregnancy of about 2 months, the female digs in moist soil and lays 25-45 eggs. The eggs hatch after about 2 months and the baby iguanas measure 24-30cm long. They grow 15-24cm a year and reach sexual maturity in about 3 years.

REQUIREMENTS IN CAPTIVITY

The best diet is a combination of 90% vegetables and 10% fruit. Not all vegetables are good for iguanas some vegetables have no nutritive value and if fed in the long term will cause serious health problems.

Vegetables to avoid: ice-berg lettuce (san choi), tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach and Swiss chard.

"Good" vegetables: beans, beet, bok choi, brussel sprouts, cabbage, collards, mustard greens, carrots, corn, dandelion, escarole, grass clipping, hibiscus, mulberry, nasturtium, soybean, squash, timothy hay, peas, frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

Fruits to avoid: banana

Good fruits: apple, figs, pear, strawberries, apricot, cherry, peach ,plum.

Guinea pig, rabbit pellets or alfalfa pellets can also be added to the diet.

All the ingredients should be chopped into a size that the iguana can easily eat. Mix them thoroughly and store the mixture in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. Once or twice a day offer a small amount of this mixture after it has been liberally sprinkled with an appropriate vitamin/mineral supplement.