The Ultimate Guide To Pet Iguana Diet And Feeding. The Easy Way.

Welcome to this ultimate guide to iguana diet and feeding. Here you will be able to learn quite a lot including:

• How to feed your iguana.
• What fruit and vegetables iguanas can eat.
• What foods iguanas should not eat.

If you have come here with a certain food in mind you can use the table of contents to skip to the section you need.

What do iguanas eat in the wild?

Iguanas are predominantly herbivores and eat vegetables, leaves and fruits. In Panama, the wild green iguanas favourite food is known to be wild plums. They consume a variety of plants and flowers, as they require exactly a 2 to 1 calcium to phosphorus ratio within their diet. Wild iguanas have been seen eating snails and insects like grasshoppers and some marine iguanas will dive down to eat algae!

What should pet iguanas eat?

You need to include a variety of greens, vegetables and fruits in your pets diet in order to keep them well balanced and healthy. They need to keep a balance of 2 to 1 calcium and phosphorus. They are omnivorous when they are younger but shift to almost 100% herbivores as they grow older.

They enjoy vegetables such as bell peppers, beetroot and carrots. Specifically red, yellow and orange vegetables should be the focus of their diet. Vegetables should only make up about 20% of their diet and fruits should make up 10%, while the rest of their diet should consist of leaves and flowers.

It is also easiest to feed them pellets which will provide the nutrition they require. There are multiple incredible brands that you can purchase at your local pet store, however pellets should only make up 10% of your iguanas diet.

What you should feed to baby iguanas.

Baby iguanas eat some insects and should be fed more regularly than older iguanas. They should be fed lots of dark leafy vegetables and other yellow, red and orange vegetables.

It is best to avoid vegetables like iceberg lettuce, as it has little nutritional value. Pellets can also be included in their diet, but should not make up more than 10% of their total diet. They should be fed twice a day and calcium and vitamin D supplements should be included in their diet to ensure that they have a completely balanced lifestyle.

A lack of calcium can cause severe harm to your baby iguana and especially while they are still developing.

What to feed an adult iguana, iguana diet?

Older iguanas appetites can vary, but on average they eat about once per day. It is best to avoid lots of fibre and rather focus on feeding them lots of green and leafy vegetables.

You can also incorporate pellets into their diets and add in yellow, orange and red vegetables. Your pet will also enjoy eating fruits, and they can be fed fruits as an extra treat. They are known to enjoy apples, grapes and bananas.

It is best to avoid feeding them lettuce as it has very little nutritional value. Very occasionally you can add grains to add some variety to their diet. It is also best to focus on fresh food and not frozen food.

Which insects should you feed your iguana?

Adult iguanas don’t require a lot of protein within their diets and regularly feeding them insects can be quite harmful to them. They are predominantly herbivores but very occasionally might eat a snail.

If you do wish to feed them one, please ensure it is not one you found in your garden and rather go and buy snails at a pet store. Wild snails may be contaminated with pesticides and parasites and this can harm your iguana.

However a word of caution should be included, as feeding your iguana insects will put a strain on their kidneys and livers and can cause them to become quite ill and even die.

Like juvenile iguanas, adult iguanas require calcium and vitamin D supplements in order to thrive and function as a healthy pet. Here you find great juvenile iguana food.

Where to get food for your iguana.

You can purchase pellets from any pet store and some supermarkets may also carry iguana pellets. Ensure that you purchase pellets specifically designed to nourish your little friend.

Of course you can also purchase all the fruits and vegetables they would normally eat at a grocery store or farmers market. You can also find dandelion greens and other fresh flowers that they may enjoy eating, at supermarkets.

It is best to always feed them fresh food and not anything frozen,as fresh food has a higher nutritional content.

How to keep and store food for your iguana.

Storing food for your little pet is quite simple. To make it easier, you can chop up all your fruits, vegetables and leafy greens and keep them in containers in the fridge to make daily feedings easier to administer.

If you keep some insects for your baby iguana, then you need to store them in a sturdy plastic container. Do keep in mind that you won’t need to store too many insects, as baby iguanas shouldn’t eat a lot of insects and adult iguanas shouldn’t really eat insects at all.

Which fruit and vegetables can you feed iguana?

In this next section of the guide I am going to go over a few fruits and vegetables that you yourself may enjoy and can share with your pet iguana. Along with that I will also let you know some foods that you should never feed your iguana.

Vegetables that iguanas can eat:

Can iguanas eat broccoli?

Yes iguanas can eat and love broccoli! Broccoli is a great vegetable to add into their diets as it is full of nutrition. They should however only be included in moderation, and other leafy greens should be the focus of your iguanas diet.

Can iguanas eat carrots?

Yes iguanas can eat peeled or shredded carrots. Carrots are an incredible addition to add into your iguanas diet! It is full of great nutrition for them and is a food they are known to enjoy.

Can iguanas eat cabbage?

Yes iguanas certainly can eat cabbage. Cabbage is an nutritious vegetable which can form the majority of their diet. It is full of nutrients for them and can be used as a stable meal for your little pet iguana. They can eat cabbage regularly with other leafy greens.

Can iguanas eat celery?

Yes iguanas can eat celery. However celery stalks should only be fed occasionally to your iguana as they don’t have as much nutritional value as other vegetables.

Can iguanas eat cucumber?

Yes, absolutely iguanas can eat cucumber. They enjoy eating cucumber, as they are herbivores. It is an good vegetable to chop up and add into their diets. It can be fed more regularly, as it is full of nutrients but should still not make up more than 15% of their total diet. Cucumber is also full of water which is great for making sure your iguana stays hydrated.

Can iguanas eat lettuce?

Yes, iguanas can eat romaine lettuce, but you should avoid feeding them ice berg lettuce as it has very little nutritional value. Romaine lettuce has more nutritional value.

Can iguanas eat dandelion?

Yes dandelion leaves are a great additive to include into your pet iguanas diet. They really enjoy it and it is a great thing to add into their diet to create variety. These are also an easy thing to find at the majority of supermarkets and aren’t expensive either. Please ensure that you purchase, rather than feed your iguana wild dandelion greens, as they may be covered in pesticides and have other parasites within them, which can harm your iguana.

Can iguanas eat tomatoes?

Yes, iguanas can eat tomatoes and I will be honest, they seem to absolutely love eating them. Tomatoes are a wonderful fruit to add into their diets As they are packed with vitamins.

Can iguanas eat sprouts?

Yes iguanas can eat sprouts! They will really love sprouts and it will also help keep them hydrated if its incorporated into their diets. It shouldn’t make up more than 15% of their diets as you should rather focus on adding leafy green vegetables into their diets.

Fruits that iguana can eat:

Can iguanas eat apples?

Yes iguanas are fine to eat apples. Iguanas will enjoy eating apples and it is a great treat. It should be chopped up fine and incorporated into their daily serving.

Can iguanas eat grapes?

You are fine to feed your pet iguana grapes. Iguanas will really enjoy grapes on occasion. It is a great fruit to add variety into their diet but it should not be fed to them regularly.

Can iguanas eat strawberries?

Yes iguanas can eat strawberries. This should be kept as an occasional treat, as too much of the fructose within strawberries is not good for iguanas, but it is a great occasional snack to include within their diet. They are also known to enjoy strawberries!

Can iguanas eat peaches?

Yes Iguanas can eat peaches and will also enjoy eating peaches. It is a lovely treat to incorporate into their diets. It should be chopped up fine and fed to them.

Can iguanas eat raspberries?

Yes it is absolutely fine for iguanas to eat the occasional raspberry. They  are a sweet treat to add into their diet, or even as a topping on their pellets. Unfortunately though, they are high in fructose so they should not be fed a high amount of raspberries.

Can iguanas eat bananas?

Yes bananas are a great fruit to feed to your iguana on occasion! It is packed full of nutrients, and they can eat the skins as well. Try not to feed iguanas to much banana though as they are very high in potassium which is not good at high levels.

Can iguanas eat cherries?

Yes Iguanas can eat cherries and will really enjoy them. Ensure that you remove the pit from the fruit, and chop it up to help them digest it. It shouldn’t be fed regularly as it is very high in fructose and it is not healthy for them to eat regularly.  

Can iguanas eat spinach?

Yes you an feed your iguana spinach. It is a great staple food to add into their diet, as it contains all the nutrients they require. It can make up a larger portion of their daily diet. Spinach is a leafy green and that is what iguanas thrive on.

Other foods your Iguana will enjoy:

Foods which iguanas should not eat.

Below is a list of foods including fruits and vegetables which an iguana should not eat. This is for various reasons including toxicity and high sugar and salt levels.

Can iguanas eat eggs?

Chicken eggs should never be fed to iguanas as it contains far too much protein for them to handle, but they may occasionally eat insect eggs. They shouldn’t be fed eggs regularly, as too much protein is not good for them.

Can iguanas eat beef?

No iguanas should not be fed beef, as it is too high in protein for them to process. This can lead to serious health problems especially in adult iguanas. Try to stick to a plant based diet for your pet iguana and save the beef for yourself.

Can iguanas eat rhubarb?

Rhubarb is extremely toxic to iguanas and it should never be fed to them. This includes the stem and the leaf of the rhubarb plant. Under no circumstances should you feed any rhubarb to an iguana.

Can iguanas eat oranges?

It is best to avoid feeding your little friend any fruit that is too acidic for their digestive systems to process as it could make them ill.. oranges are also too high in vitamin C for your pet iguana to cope with.

Can iguanas eat chicken?

No iguanas should never be fed chicken, as it is too high in protein for iguanas to handle. They do not naturally eat chicken and cannot process it. Save the chicken for yourself and feed your iguana a plant based diet instead, it will thank you for it in the long run.

Can iguanas eat kale?

No it is best not to feed iguanas kale as it is too high in goitrogens which can cause severe thyroid issues. It can be fed very very occasionally and in small amounts but it is not recommended.

Can iguanas eat kiwi fruit?

No iguanas should not be fed kiwi fruit. Kiwi fruit is unfortunately too acidic for your iguana to eat. It will be too harsh on their digestive systems to process.

Can iguanas eat avocados?

Avocados are toxic to a number of animals, so it is best just to avoid giving it to your iguana. Avocados are also very high in fats which is not good for the iguanas health.

In conclusion:

You can include an amazing amount of leafy vegetables and other flowers. Iguanas will really enjoy eating fruits and vegetables as well which you can easily incorporate into 10-15% of their diet.

You can chop fruits up fine and put them on top of their pellets and their other leafy greens. They do not process protein, so it is best to avoid feeding them any protein such as insects or any meat.

They also shouldn’t eat any acidic fruits such as oranges or lemons. They enjoy strawberries, bananas and cantaloupe. It is also best to do some research into which house plants are toxic to your little friend if they are free to roam around your house.

There are a number of good pellets which you can purchase to feed to your iguana as well. On average, depending on your iguanas’ appetite, they should be fed daily and baby iguanas should be fed twice a day.

There is a large variety of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens you can experiment with!

For more helpful pet lizard guides have a look at these articles from this website.