Taking Your Iguana Outdoors
If you take or keep your iguana outdoors make sure it is warm enough. The daytime temperature should be at least eighty degrees Fahrenheit and night time temperature at least sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit.
There are advantages and disadvantages to having your iguana outside. One advantage is that there is more room to have a bigger cage than inside. Iguanas don’t like to be cramped so they will appreciate a bigger cage.
Another advantage is that iguanas that get natural sunlight almost never develop metabolic bone disease.
Also your iguana can nibble on grasses or weeds and this adds variety to his diet.
A disadvantage to having your iguana outside is that he is likely to pick up parasites. If he spends a lot of time outdoors he doesn’t have as much contact with people and can turn aggressive. Also you have to keep an eye on the weather and be ready to bring him inside if the weather turns nasty.
Setting up an outdoor cage is easier than setting up an indoor cage because you don’t have to worry about heating or lighting.
When you build an outdoor cage you can build a floor or not. No floor allows your iguana to nibble on grasses and it’s easier to clean. The down side is that your iguana could dig himself out and he also becomes exposed to parasites.
Most outside cages are built of wood and mesh wire. Make sure the mesh is small enough so your pet can’t escape. The roof should be part mesh and part wood so there is both sun and shade in the cage.
It is essential that water is available at all times in an outdoor cage. Also have a basin of water in the cage so your iguana can soak in it if he gets too hot.
Put some tree limbs or large branches in the outdoor cage for your pet to climb on. Otherwise he will climb the mesh wire. This could cause wear and tear on the wire, also your pet could get his toe caught in the mesh and injure himself.
If you live in an area of the country that doesn’t have lots of warm weather, build a smaller version of the outdoor cage, put a floor on it, and mount it on wheels. That way you can easily roll it out on the porch or patio for a couple of hours.
Don’t let your iguana loose in the yard. Chances are good that he will get away from you if you take your eyes off of him for even a minute.
Some iguana will take to a harness and walk on a leash; some want nothing to do with a leash. Try your iguana in the house with a harness and leash before taking him outside. Be sure the harness fits. If it’s too big he will slip out of it.
Having your iguana outside is good for him under proper conditions; make sure you provide those conditions.
