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[NicoleRussell]

Just so everyone knows the down side if they are considering an iguana.
(Taken from the PE website )

Why don’t you sell Iguanas?

For the same reason that we don’t sell Niles, Burms, Retics, and other largely inappropriate reptiles. They are a poor choice for a pet reptile.

There are HUGE Iguana farms in Central America that ship out hundreds of thousands of baby iguanas to the u.s. each year. They are easily the most "well known" lizard on the market. And probably the worst choice for a beginning keeper.

I will keep this short and sweet. I am not interested in arguing this point with Iguana keepers or enthusiasts.

Iguanas get big. Iguanas need a large (and not inexpensive) cage. Iguanas typically get quite aggressive.

Great, a big, mean lizard that needs large and elaborate caging, what better choice for someone that has never kept a reptile before (Iguanas are a frequent "first reptile purchase").

Baby Iguanas are cute enough, sure (can you say "impulse purchase"?). But Iguanas also go through perhaps the worst puberty and maturation stage of any reptile. They become extremely territorial and anti social, and male Iguanas in particular may attack any "intruder" in their territory (most often a female, of any species). Iguana bites are nasty and serious, and very common occurance.

I will never forget the one time in our retail store, explaining this very FAQ to a new customer, when "Enthusiast Jill" the Iguana keeper chimed in to say "That’s not true! My Iguana is GREAT, I love him, and he CERTAINLY isn’t mean!"

I told "Jill" that I was happy to hear of her success, but that we get A LOT more feedback from keepers with negative Iguana experiences than positive ones, and they most often involve aggression, so yes, it does happen.

And then "Jill" says...

"Well, he did bite me on the nose once and I had to get stitches, but I am careful now when I handle him!"

As if that makes ALL the difference!

We get perhaps a dozen calls a week from folks looking to "get rid" of their Iguanas, for many, many, negative reasons. In the meantime, just about every other pet shop in the country sells these heavily marketed, cheap animals. You can buy an Iguana from those stores, not Pro Exotics. We would rather educate you about lizards that would make a better "pet" choice. Great Reptiles for a Great Experience, and no neglected Iguanas.