Iguana Information
How To Care for Iguanas as Pets
1) Description - the desert iguana (Dipsosaurus Dorsalis) is 10 to 16 inches long when fully grown. It has a large, round body with a long tail. In fact, the tail of the desert iguana is longer than its body. Described as "blunt-headed", desert iguanas have very distinct coloring patterns. The head of the desert iguana is colored brown. This coloration diffuses into reddish brown pattern which could be described as looking like a net.
The desert iguana has gray spots on the trunk and neck. Desert iguanas also have dark spots on their white or gray tails. A row of dorsal scales are located down the center of the back of the desert iguana.
2) Habitat - As can be gleamed from its common name, the desert iguana lives in arid desert regions. Desert iguanas are commonly found in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts founding the southwest of the United States. They are also located in Northwestern Mexico and some islands on the Gulf of California. In the southern part of its habitat, the desert iguana usually lives in arid subtropical areas and deciduous forests.
In the desert, these animals can usually be found around the range of the creosote bush. The desert iguana makes use of the creosote bush for shelter and for food. There are also several cases of desert iguanas moving into the abandoned lairs of kangaroo rats.
They are hardy animals, often active even when other lizards have already retreated from the heat. They are also inclined to burrow into the soil near creosote bushes.
3) Food - desert iguanas are primarily herbivorous. This means that they are inclined to eat plant matter. They will eat bud, leaves and fruits of many types of perennial or annual plants that are found in their habitats. They are especially attracted to the yellow flowers of the creosote plant.
4) Behavior - as said before, desert iguanas remain active even during intense heat. However, if the heat proves too much, a desert iguana will climb bushes in order to seek cooler temperatures. They are very quick and they can often be seen crossing roads just before an oncoming car. When a desert iguana runs at these speeds, it often does so on two legs. It folds its front legs near its body and uses its powerful hind legs to propel it forward.
5) Natural enemies -like other animals, desert iguanas have natural enemies. In fact, even before they hatch, there area lot of animals which would eat iguana eggs. A mature desert iguana also has different birds of prey as its natural enemy.
Other common enemies of the desert iguana are small animals such as rats, weasels, foxes and snakes. Of course, man is also one common enemy of the iguana. Many a desert iguana has fallen prey to the automobile. These desert iguanas are now referred to as "roadkill" by the human beings who drive these machines carelessly and without regard for the lives of small animals.
These are just some facts about desert iguanas. As you can see, there are many things about them that people need to know. Hopefully, these facts have opened your eyes and have shown you that desert iguanas are so much more than stupid medium sized lizards. By learning all you can about desert iguanas, you will soon be able to fully appreciate their beauty.
| Iguanas won't be falling out of trees this winter, almanac predicts - Philadelphia Daily News Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:59:00 GMT LEWISTON, Maine - Good news, winter haters: After record snowfall in the mid-Atlantic and unusually cold weather down South, the Farmers' Almanac is predicting a "kinder and gentler" winter. After eyeing ... | ||
| End loms for iguanas - Fiji Times Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:14:00 GMT THE Department of Agriculture has appointed two herpetologists to develop an eradication strategy for the American iguana (pictured) on Qamea in northern Vanua Levu. They are Dr Peter Harlow of Taronga Zoo in ... | ||
| Ecuador offers variety of climes - Spartanburg Herald-Journal Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:30:00 GMT GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador — No offense against the Galapagos Islands. Home to giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas and other exotic creatures, the archipelago off Ecuador’s coast ranks for me ... | ||
| A week's work of music for Friday, September 3 - New Orleans Times-Picayune Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:57:00 GMT Doug Garrison of the Iguanas, Nicholas Payton and the Other Planets' Anthony Cuccia. Magnetic Ear, his versatile contemporary jazz ensemble, was formed as a trio five years ago. The current six-piece version features ... | ||
| Farmers' Almanac Predicts Winter Weather - Gather.com Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:17:00 GMT it won't be anything like the record-breaking cold experienced in the winter of 2010 when 49 states experienced snow and it got so cold in Florida that iguanas fell out of trees. "Overall, it looks like it's going to ... |