By: Green Iguana Society

Once you've got a basic enclosure or free roaming area designed and put together, you will need several additional items to make your iguana's habitat complete.

Substrates: People often wonder about what type of substrate they should use in their iguana's enclosure. There are many options, but it is important that you not use any particulate substrates such as wood chips, dirt or sand. Iguanas constantly tongue-flick their environment. This behavior allows them to gather and analyze information about their surroundings. Anything that sticks to the tongue will most likely be ingested, including indigestible substances that can cause impaction of the digestive tract. Acceptable substrate materials include newspaper with non-toxic ink, plain butcher paper, paper towels and pieces of indoor/outdoor carpet. If you use carpet, be sure to fold and tape the edges under to prevent them from unraveling. Loose threads can get caught around your iguana's toes and can cut off circulation. Also, be sure to have a few extra pieces handy so you can replace soiled pieces during routine cage cleaning. Be wary of particulate substrate products that claim to be "reptile-safe" and digestible if ingested. If your iguana ingests enough of something, or a large enough piece, impaction can result. It's safer to simply avoid particulate substrates altogether.

One additional thing to consider is protecting the wood floors in large enclosures from spills and other accidents that may soak through carpet or other substrates. One easy way to protect wood floors from moisture and provide a surface that is easy to clean and disinfect is to cover the enclosure floor with vinyl. Vinyl sheets the size of small rooms can be purchased fairly cheaply at many home improvement stores. These can be cut to fit, and either tacked down or glued in place. Non-toxic silicon sealant, such as would be used to seal aquaria, can be used to seal around the edge of the floor, to prevent moisture from getting underneath the vinyl. An even easier way to seal the edges is with rolls of caulkstrip, which is made to go along tubs. Using vinyl on the floor of the enclosure is an easy way to protect wood and provide an easy- to-clean surface.

Covering the shelves and climbing materials in your iguana's enclosure with indoor/outdoor carpet provides a material for the iguana to get a grip on. Carpets tend to unravel and produce dangerous hanging threads, so it is recommended that you fold the edges under and duct tape them to prevent shredding. Another option is to wrap thick, strong rope around the branches or shelves and glue it in place. This will provide your iguana with a gripping surface to aid in climbing. Keep in mind that you must be able to easily clean the shelves, so materials that can be removed and washed work best.

Gauges: You will need to carefully monitor the conditions in your iguana's habitat. It is important that you have several well-placed and accurate thermometers to measure temperatures in basking areas and in other areas, as well as gauges to measure humidity.

Food and Water Dishes: You will also need sturdy, easily cleaned food and water dishes that are shallow and easy for your iguana to use. Even though iguanas do not drink often, it is important to always provide them with fresh drinking water.

In addition, you may want to provide your iguana with a shallow tub of water in which it can soak. Many iguanas enjoy soaking, and it not only encourages them to drink, but also aids in shedding. There are a few things to keep in mind if you plan to provide a water tub. First of all, you want something that is large enough for your iguana to climb into and out of without tipping over, but at the same time you do not want something that is so big that your iguana cannot get in and out easily. The tub should be large enough for your iguana to sit comfortably in. Secondly, be sure not to fill the tub too full. Iguanas can drown, even in shallow water. It is recommended that small iguanas not be left unsupervised in a large tub of water. Thirdly, iguanas are predisposed to defecating in water, and, after soaking, will often use their water tub as a toilet. Be prepared for this, and have the means to properly clean and disinfect the tub. this, and have the means to properly clean and disinfect the tub. You must also be prepared to clean the tub as soon as possible after you see that it is soiled.

Hiding Places: Iguanas, especially young ones, need to be able to get away to a place where they feel safe, secure and undisturbed. For small iguanas, a hide log or some other type of hiding place should be provided. There are many different styles of hiding structures available, so you need to choose something that will work well for your iguana in its habitat. Adult iguanas not only have less of a need to hide, but they obviously won't fit in your average hide box. However, they too occasionally need to "get away" – particularly if their habitat is in a busy spot of the house where activity and noise are frequent. It is sometimes helpful to design a habitat that includes a hiding spot or two, and allows the iguana to relax unobserved.

Should you build or buy a habitat? If you are planning on getting a new habitat for your iguana, then this is going to be a big decision to make...to buy or build. We would like to suggest that building your own is the best way to go. If you have experience with carpentry, electrical work and building things, then this should be a very easy decision. If you have little or no experience, we suggest that you find a friend that does have some experience and tools to help you. Whatever you decide, we can not stress it enough.... learn all you can about what your iguana needs, make sure you provide a LARGE habitat, and if at all possible, try to do it right the first time so you don't end up building or buying several habitats throughout the life of your iguana.

Size is critical - Most importantly, size will be the most important factor when choosing a habitat. Unfortunately, there are many types of cages and enclosures that are sold as "iguana cages" and chances are, they are far too small to be a permanent home for your iguana. Not only are these cages too small for an adult iguana, they are usually quite affordable. This is yet another form of misinformation about iguana care that leads to many iguanas being kept in inadequate habitats, which will most definitely lead to unhealthy and unhappy iguanas. You may be able to "get by" with a smaller cage, but ultimately, the health and happiness of the iguana will suffer. An iguana in a habitat that is too small will be stressed, which can lead to restlessness, nose rubbing and other injuries that are caused by the iguana trying to get out of a small enclosure. You can also get by with a smaller habitat while the iguana is a juvenile and still growing. Going through several habitats throughout the life of the iguana is normal for most iguana owners. If you do it right the first time and buy or build a habitat that is large enough for an adult iguana, you may spend more money now, but the habitat should last your iguana's lifetime.

Cost of a good habitat - It will cost a good amount of money for a suitable habitat. Going through several habitats, either built or bought, will become even more expensive than building or buying a LARGE habitat as early as possible. If you're buying a habitat, be prepared to spend a great deal of money on one that is large enough for an adult iguana. You'll probably have a very hard time even finding one large enough, and if you do find one that's big enough, it will be very expensive. Also, most habitats that you buy do not come with light fixtures, switches, dimmers, and other accessories you may need. If you can't afford to buy a habitat that is large enough for your iguana, then we definitely recommend that you build your own. Building your own can be much more affordable, but it will still be expensive. Depending on the materials you use, you'll probably end up spending at least $150 (U.S.) building your own. Chances are, you'll spend more than that, but it will usually cost much less than a pre-built one of the same size and quality.

Building your own habitat - The best part of building your own habitat is that not only will your iguana have what it needs, you can build it exactly how you want it. Once again, you can usually build your own for much less than a pre-built one. Of course, you can also build one that costs much more, but chances are, it will be very nice and well worth the money in the long run. With building your own, you can also make use of exactly the amount of space in your home you'd like to give to your iguana. Many pre-built habitats come in a variety of sizes and colors, but if you build your own, you can make it exactly the size you want, as well as build it to become a decorative and attractive addition to your home.