Cyclura Rock Iguana Care Sheet

         

 

Cyclura Rock Iguana Care Sheet

*Includes Lewisi Hybrid, Cuban Rock, and Rhinoceros Iguanas

 

Life Span :

Rock Iguanas are LONG LIVED species living 40 plus years in captivity with some specimens living into their 60’s.

 

                        

Adult Size :

Keep in mind that there are many different species of Rock Iguanas, therefore sizes will range. Please do your research on the specific species of Rock Iguana you are looking to obtain. Adult Rock Iguanas can be anywhere up to 5 feet in length and weigh up to 20 pounds (some species have smaller females than the males so this length and weight will vary). Rhinoceros Iguanas are the largest species of rock iguana.

 

Cage Size :

Rock Iguanas require different caging options depending on age/size. Of course, the larger you can go the better. Remember that Cyclura are terrestrial, meaning they spend the majority of their time on the ground. They need ample floor space.

Babies/Juveniles – Minimum 40 gallon breeder tank

 

Adults – Housing adults outdoors is optimal if possible. Adult males (include adult female Rhino Iguanas in this section) need a minimum of a 10’x10’ cage space while females (Lewisi Hybrid and Cuban Rock Iguana females can be much smaller than males) will require a minimum of a 4’x8’ space.

 

                       

 

Cage Substrate :

Perfect caging substrate is Cypress Mulch and a mix of Sand and Top Soil (don’t use soils, sands or mulch that contain any pesticides of fertilizers)

Add branches and basking platforms. Make sure any basking platforms are strong enough to hold corresponding iguana. These are very heavy bodied lizards and you don’t want unnecessary injuries. I do not recommend fake plants in the enclosures. Being they are herbivores, you do not want them accidentally eating plastic plants. You can use live plants in their enclosures, just ensure that the plants are safe in case of ingestion.

 

         

 

Lighting and Heating :

Rock Iguanas require both UVB and heat. There are a couple of different types of lighting you can use:

• You can use a UVB bulb such as Reptisun 10.0 (linear, no coil bulbs), or Arcadia Desert 12% UVB however with these options you need to include a basking light as well.
• You can use a Mercury Vapor Bulb which provides heat and UVB in one such as Powersun, Mega-Ray or Solar Glo.

Basking Bulbs are bulbs that provide a basking area with a rise in temperature. These iguanas need to bask around 100-115 degrees (babies tend to like hotter basking spots than adults). You’ll need to adjust the wattage to reach optimal temperatures based on the temperature of your house/size of the cage. We recommend using a heat gun to spot check temperatures, they are more accurate than probe thermometers.

Optimal housing would be outdoors. If you are housing in an outdoor cage, be sure they are able to have a shady area along with a sunny area. We provide all our outdoor iguanas with an enclosed house. We heat these houses in the winter using tortoise or pig heat mats. Do not leave them exposed to the elements. Our heat mats go on when temps are in the 60’s and when temperatures go below 50 degrees at night here (in Sunny Florida), we do lock them into their houses at night and let them out again in the mornings.

 

                        

Feeding :

Rock Iguanas are Herbivores. This means they require a mix of leafy greens, veggetables and occasional fruits. We also supplement with Mazuri Tortoise Chow along with Cactus pads. Below is a list of foods we frequently offer, but remember as always variety is key.

Appropriate Greens: Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens, Dandelion greens, Spring Mix Lettuce, Arugula, Alfalfa, Clover Sprouts, Spineless Cactus

Salad Toppings: Butternut Squash (honestly most squashes are superb, have high fiber, and great calcium and low phosphorous ratios), Summer Squash, Acorn Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Carrots, Zucchini, Bell Peppers, etc.

Occasional Treats : Flower petals (Calendula, Hibiscus, Corn Flower, Clover, Nasturtiums, etc), Mango, Strawberries, Black Berries, Blue Berries, Papaya and Bananas.

Other : We offer Mazuri Tortoise Chow a couple of times per week.

 

**REMEMBER variety is Key!

 

FEEDING SCHEDULE :

Babies/Juveniles: Babies will eat salads daily.

Adults : We feed our adults 5 times per week.

 

                          

 Water :

We leave water bowls in all of our cages. Make sure the bowls are clean and there is fresh water daily.

 

Multivitamins and Calcium:

If you are housing your iguanas indoors, they will require calcium with D3.

Babies We give calcium to our babies atleast 4 times per week, dusted on their salads. Multivitamins can be given atleast 3 times per week served the same way.

Adults We give our adults calcium and multivitamin twice per week (No D3 if being housed outdoors)

 

                       

Supplements we recommend :

            Calcium: Repashy Calcium Plus (includes multivitamin), Calcium Complex (our blend made in house comes with or without D3), Liquid Calcium Glubionate

            Multivitamin: Organic Multivitamin Powder (our blend made in house comes with or without D3), Liquid Multivitamin (with or without D3), Bee Pollen Powder, Repashy Super Veggie

 

Always remember to offer a varied diet. That is the best way to ensure your Rock Iguana is getting the nutrition they need!

 

*Do you want a printable version of this care sheet? Click Here for a printable PDF!