Iguana 10.3 color covers (Page C1)


98 IGUANA Volume 10, Number 3

L E T T E R  F R O M  T H E  P R E S I D E N T

Iguanas make great pets — for those who make a
commitment before they purchase one. In fact, a
commitment should precede the acquisition of any
exotic or domestic pet. Pets are completely dependent
on their owners for all of their needs, including food,
shelter, and veterinary care. Domestic dogs have a life
expectancy of 12–15 years, yet animal shelters take in
thousands of dogs daily. Iguanas, on the other hand, 
if properly maintained, will live into their mid-twenties.

During the mid-1980s, hundreds of thousands 
of Green Iguanas were imported for the pet industry.
Most came from Central and South American iguana
“farms,” where gravid female iguanas were released
into huge enclosures and their eggs were collected.
Initially, iguanas sold for $50 or more. Once the
market was saturated, however, the price of a baby
iguana dropped to the point where some pet shops
were offering free iguanas with the purchase of a ten-
gallon aquarium. Importers were selling large num-
bers of iguanas for as little as 75 cents apiece. This
only served to cheapen the quality of care these
animals received.

Iguanas belong to a group of animals classified as
“impulse” pets. People may visit a pet shop, see an
iguana at an inexpensive price, and the next thing they
know — they’re pet owners. A quick-talking salesper-
son can outfit a customer with everything needed to
raise an iguana. Sadly, the novelty quickly wears off for
most people, and the animals suffer from neglect. Few
will actually receive proper care and live long, healthy
lives. Contrary to popular belief, zoos and animal
attractions cannot take those that survive, and they
end up in the hands of the few wildlife rehabilitators
who are willing to deal with them. Consequently,
many are dumped back on the pet shops or released.
Depending on the local climate, the latter may or may
not thrive.

In South Florida, the climate is well-suited to
exotic wildlife, and the Green Iguana population has
exploded (see Newsbriefs, p. 94). Healthy populations
of Green Iguanas range from Southern Palm Beach
into the Florida Keys. They have taken up residence in
several tourist attractions, local parks, and botanical
gardens. Even southern Florida is a bit too far north
for Green Iguanas to occur naturally, because several
days throughout the year are too cold. The past five
to seven years in Florida have been unusually warm,
causing iguana numbers to grow at an alarming rate.

Despite the warm trend, the temperature dipped
to under 40° for several nights this past January, and
many Floridians thought that many iguanas would
perish. On one cold Saturday morning, I visited a
local tourist attraction with a healthy population of

iguanas. The curator said he had found several dozen
iguanas sprawled on the ground and that they had
been collected and put into boxes. By the time I
arrived, it was near noon, and there I stood, camera in
hand, ready to document dozens of iguana carcasses.
To my surprise, the staff walked out with several huge
boxes and began putting them in my truck. Much
scratching came from the boxes, and, upon inspec-
tion, I discovered that the iguanas were alive! Cold
and slow, but alive. So, when you look at the accom-
panying photo, note that the only way to pose with
10–15 iguanas is for them to be half-frozen.

Remember, the next time you go to a pet shop,
beware of impulse purchases.

Joe Wasilewski

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