My kingdom for an iguana!
Written: Dec 23 '07 (Updated Dec 23 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to clean, simple to assemble, lots of climbing space.
Cons: Hard to regulate temperature and humidity, not-so-easy access doors, iguanas outgrow this quickly.
The Bottom Line: A quick, easy to clean (but not perfect) enclosure for younger iguanas.
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| xiphoid's Full Review: Super Pet Iguana Kingdom |
I'm sure most of you don't know this, but I have been, well, "collecting" iguanas lately. I find posts on craigslist from people who just don't want them anymore (and typically aren't caring for them properly to begin with) and I just can't say no. I love the little (or not so little) guys and I want them all to have the best life possible. I currently have three, and I specifically avoid craigslist now, because I live in a small one bedroom apartment and the iguanas now run the place.
So, two of the little guys came with a rather large enclosure that will suit them for a couple more months until they get too big. Ok. However, my most recent adoption, Felix, is a young adult iguana who was forced to live in a tiny 30 gallon fish tank. He was bigger than the tank. I felt so sorry for him, and once I brought him home I let him become a free roaming iguana until I could come up with another solution. Just so you know, iguanas are very territorial, and do not like to see other iguanas and will "display" any time they do. I didn't want my babies all stressed out, so I decided to throw something together for Felix. I didn't have a ton of time (or tools) to build something for him (but I plan to in the near future) so I needed something quick and easy.
Most pre-made commercial enclosures are not ideal. They are too long and not tall enough or vice-versa, or just not big enough at all. If you have ever heard that iguanas only grow to the size of their surroundings, then you have heard a myth! They will grow no matter what, BUT, if you do not give them proper care, it can stunt their growth and make them ill. I suppose that's where the myth came from.
Anyway, I came across the Iguana Kingdom on a few different sites, and I gave it some serious consideration because of how simple it looked to assemble and clean. At 32"L x 32"W x 56"H (not including the stand) it also looked to be big enough for a smaller iguana. So, I ordered it. I did shop around, and ended up paying $189.
Setting Up
The basic structure of this cage is as follows: the top cage part, which is all coated wire, and then the base and tray at the bottom. The cage part has no bottom side, so it's easy to put it on top of the base or remove it for cleaning - you just have to lift it off. The tray is hard plastic, and makes for easy cleaning, and the base is on casters, which makes for easy moving.
When I first dumped out the box, I saw the folded cage and a whole bunch of little plastic connectors. It seemed simple enough - and it was. You unfold the cage, and snap the little connectors on to stabilize the whole thing. Well, the connectors are not easy to snap on, and they really start to hurt your fingers after a while. I got through it, but with a lot of pain and screaming. I tried using a towel to distribute the pressure, but that only helped a little. I didn't have anything handy to help squeeze them on, so I suffered a little.
The Iguana Kingdom also comes with two plastic shelves, fake plastic vine, and a "lounge log." The shelves are a must, because iguanas are basking animals, and must be within a certain distance of heat and UV light. The log is rather useless (as is the vine) and I was missing half of mine anyway. The shelves are quite easy to snap on and off, so you can do plenty of adjusting if needed.
There are 4 access doors to the cage - two near the top, and two near the bottom. They are rather small, and that does make things a little difficult for me. I line the shelves with paper (just in case) and I find it hard to reach everything inside the cage through the doors. Also, getting Felix out is next to impossible, because I can't get both arms inside the cage well enough to hold him comfortably.
Finishing Touches
After the cage was ready for Felix, I added his Mega-Ray UVA/B light (I used a clamp lamp, as it clamps quite well to the cage wires) and his Mega-Ray heat projector (resting on top of that cage in its fixture). I lined the bottom tray with newspaper, and added his poopybox (my guys are all trained) and a water dish.
Felix's Experience
Felix took to his new home right away. He loves that the sides are all climbing walls, because he can get his exercise in every day, and it's easy to get from his basking shelf to his poopybox in a hurry. Iguanas are arboreal lizards, and spend their days climbing to tree tops to bask. This cage gives Felix plenty of climbing opportunities and he loves it.
Oh, and don't limit this cage to iguanas! Other lizards or mammals could find it to be a suitable home as well!
Downsides
In addition to the small access doors, the downsides to an enclosure like this is that iguanas need very high humidity and heat. A wire enclosure makes these things hard to regulate because you can't keep the temperature and humidity inside the cage. I combat this by running a humidifier right next to his cage (and misting him daily). I also check his basking spot temperatures to make sure he is getting warm enough. One other downside is that iguanas will outgrow an enclosure like this very quickly. They need enclosures that are twice their length, and much taller than they are long. Felix is pushing that boundary right now, and will soon have a new home for himself.
Iguanas in general...
I didn't address the more specific needs of iguanas in this review, but if you have any questions, please contact me! In a very small nutshell, iguanas need high basking spot temps (around 95F), high humidity, a diet consisting mostly of greens (collard greens/mustard greens/escarole, turnip greens), small amounts of certain fruits/veggies for treats, NO lettuce or animal protein at ALL, and VERY importantly, they need UVA/UVB light within the recommended distance of the bulb (usually around 12-15"). Finally, iguanas need large areas to live - a hatchling can live in a large fish tank, but a juvenile to adult iguana needs a very large enclosure - at least twice their length and very tall. Iguanas are arboreal, and need to climb. Iguanas are not hard to care for, you just have to know what they need.
Here is a great site for everything you need to know about iguana care:
Green Iguana Society
http://www.greenigsociety.org
Here is where I get my light/heating supplies.
Reptile UV
http://www.reptileuv.com
Recommended:
Yes
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