i have an...odd question, anyone who knows any amount about iguanas will know

02SXViper · #1 (**permalink**) 06-22-2005, 10:55 PM

i bought a cute little green guy yesterday...the pet store DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS EXACTLY, except..."they think its a 'green iguana'

this is not very reassuring, but i bought it because i believe it is an iguana and i've always wanted one, i have a pic that i can email to anyone, so if possible please look at the picture and tell me if what i have is in fact a real "Green Iguana"

p.s. i cant post pics because i cant size them down the right way with my kodak editor...

1redtail · #2 (**permalink**) 06-22-2005, 11:50 PM

I have a green iguana send me the pic id like to check it out.

Alika · #3 (**permalink**) 06-22-2005, 11:58 PM

That is just sad.

Green iguanas have dewlaps (a flap of skin under their chin) and a subtympanic scale (an enlarged scale under their ear). If it is green, long, and skinny, and has a dewlap and a subtympanic scale, it is most likely a green iguana. They also have spikes (spines) on their backs. If the animal is a baby, the spikes will be very small and more like bumps than anything else.

If it doesn't have those things, then it is NOT a green iguana. Green iguanas are most often confused with chinese water dragons when they are babies. They look ALMOST the exact same, but water dragons do not have dewlaps or subtympanic scales.

Interestingly enough, though, water dragons are iguanids and are technically a type of iguana. If what you have is not a green iguana, it may still be a different type of iguana.

Pictures would help immensely with identification. Try going to www.photobucket.com and starting an account. If your pictures are too large, photobucket will automatically resize them, and, if they are still too large, you can resize them on photobucket after uploading them. It's easy to use.

After you upload them onto photobucket, just copy and paste the image tags from the picture (you'll see what I mean after you upload it) right into your post and, voila, pictures!

I'm very curious to see what you have there.

If it is a green iguana, I hope you're aware that they grow to be very large and have extremely complicated housing and dietary needs... but we can talk about that later if we have to.

brownsfan222 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-23-2005, 12:07 AM

send me a email with the picture my email is brownsfan2634@aol.com

xxxjustinxxx · #5 (**permalink**) 06-23-2005, 12:10 AM

send it ill tell you exactly what it is justinb10@cox.net

02SXViper · #6 (**permalink**) 06-23-2005, 12:37 AM

sending pics now, thanks, if u can rsize them and post em that would be great, thanks

02SXViper · #7 (**permalink**) 06-23-2005, 12:47 AM

ok, pics are sent...2 are blurry sort of and 1 is as plain as day. i do understand the enviornment and housing a large 5 or 6foot iguana needs, i also have a rtb, bp, cwd....anyways, please let me know what you think, and alika, it has all them things you said, as well as some blue on his face

Alika · #8 (**permalink**) 06-23-2005, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 02SXViper

ok, pics are sent...2 are blurry sort of and 1 is as plain as day. i do understand the enviornment and housing a large 5 or 6foot iguana needs, i also have a rtb, bp, cwd....anyways, please let me know what you think, and alika, it has all them things you said, as well as some blue on his face

I'm glad you have some reptile experience, but please don't assume that an iguana's care will be the same as with your other herps. Most vets and herpers I've talked to agree that green iguanas are among the hardest, if not THE hardest commonly kept reptile. My iguana is tons harder than my snake, and much more expensive. Their needs are much, much more specific.

That's not to say you can't do it or that you don't know what you're doing. Heck, my green iguana was my first non-collected reptile and we're doing fine. But I remember when I started... I read all the wrong books, fed all the wrong things, and nearly killed my poor iggy. So don't be afraid to ask questions and, above all, read read read!

If you haven't already, check out www.greenigsociety.org, www.anapsid.org, www.iguanaden.com, "Iguanas for Dummies" by Melissa Kaplan and "Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Guide" by James Hatfield III. The latter is the best source of iguana information I've found so far, and has been a wonderful resource.

I hope you won't take offense, I just want you to succeed! I'm sure you'll find a great companion in your green iguana.

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