When it comes to exotic pets, iguanas are a popular choice among animal lovers. These lizards grow to be incredibly large and require some specific tips to help you prolong their health and life. In order to be the best iguana owner possible, follow these points below, and don't hesitate to reach out to your veterinarian for further help. 

Give Your Pet Time To Adjust

While bringing your pet lizard home can be an exciting time, you will need to temper that enthusiasm for a bit, so that your iguana has time to adjust. They will go through a bit of a depression period, filled with stress, so you should limit contact with it as much as possible. For close to a month, the only time you should come in contact with your iguana is to feed it. This adjustment period will allow your pet lizard to become better acclimated to its new environment. 

Make Sure That Your Tank Expands With Your Pet

Many iguanas grow to be 6 feet long, which is larger than most humans. Because of this, you need to be prepared to expand your tank accordingly as they age. It is perfectly fine to start out with 20 gallon tank, but don't be surprised if you end up upgrading to one that is 12 feet long when it is all said and done. This will give your iguana the space that it needs to grow comfortably without feeling constrained. 

A Proper Diet Goes A Long Way

Iguanas thrive on plant based diets, which should consist about 35 to 50 percent of fresh, leafy green vegetables. This makes shopping easy, since you can essentially purchase their food during your grocery runs. Fresh produce like collard greens, mustard greens, oregano and basil are ideal. You can feed your iguana sparing amounts of fruit, and give them alfalfa for protein. 

Find A Vet That Specializes In Exotic Pets

To get the best attention to detail with your iguana's health care, find a veterinarian that focuses on exotic pets. This will give them the help needed to for thorough checkups and proper diagnosis. Your vet can also help you out by recommended some high quality vitamins and nutrients for your iguana, in addition to responding to any specific emergencies or illnesses as they happen. 

Follow these four tips, so that your pet iguana is well looked after for as long as you own it.