The picture shows a 6 years old male. What does one recognize the male to? Nape of the neck thorns and back thorns are equally long. At this the thorns stand so thick with the males at each other that they almost touch himself. This can already be recognized with young animals, too. In reptile books stands often written that the dandruffs of the throat are than with females greater with males. This isn't true with adult animals. In the reptile books stands written also that the Femuralpores are than with the females greater with the males? The Femuralpores with the males enlarge only in the courtship display time and then also only temporarily.

The photo of a female here now.

The nape of the neck thorns are longer than the back thorns. The distance of the thorns to each other is fundamentally safer than with the males. This animal is 3 years old. It is part of the subspecies rinolopha. Between the nostrils two are to three little hump shacks, this subspecies can be recognized at which . the females often show an intensive blue green color. The primary color of the males is brown red to brick colors.

Now to the food.

The Green Iguana is a herbivore. This is called: His metabolism is coordinated with the way of life in trees. He eats of this which he finds on the tree. These are mainly leaves. Such herbivores under the reptiles (under all reptiles) react to a too high share in animal protein in the food with kidney malfunctions or till the duration with kidney failure. In this case the urine acid (the white share in the excrement) can be eliminated no longer completely. This leads to arthritises with swellings of the joints in the first phase. Skin sores appear in the second phase. The animals die last.

Herbivores nevertheless also need animal protein. There are protein constituents which only can be produced by unicellular organisms, bacteria and yeasts. This but for all vertebrates essential. The Lysin and the Methionin are part of this. The l- Carnitin, this form both connected with each other for the muscle construction and the detoxication function of the liver is indispensable.

What now? Consider that in the free nature a tree resident robs once a bird's nest, an insect catches or with pests, at the leaves of animal food to himself takes from time to time, too. However, this always will be only a small portion of the food. Leguane very much like to eat little animals. However, this may never encourage us to feed our Leguane with too much dose food, flour worms or mouse babies.

Be valid here: The right dosage is the means of the choice.  

1. The main food must be of vegetable origin.

2. Animal food is important. However, it shall are 5% with young animals and pregnant females. Being supposed to be 1% of the complete food crowd animal food with adult animals.

A broader problem: It is praiseworthy to feed the efforts, our animals closely to nature. However, it is impossible. Was close to nature be able to the diet with leaves of fruit-trees, lime, birches, mountain ash, rowan-trees etc. Of these food means be in the best case con-only con-food. We give Taraxacum, cabbage, salad, berries stone and malaceous fruit bananas and citrus fruits to this. Particularly the fruits have an unfavorable ratio of calcium to the phosphorus, however. It is 1:3 to 1:5 lies here. However, the favorable relationship is 5 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus. The minimum is 1.5: 1. Well, you see that we don't get by without a well together mixed food.

My experiences have kan let himself be seen, that be a basis for a long life (particularly also for tortoises) a well balanced bottom food all herbivorous reptiles. But ask: Such a bottom food is very nutritious and mustn't be given in too great crowds. The animals become adiposis or else.

Basic foot:  (details in space parts) You mixes for 5 parts grain flaces and vegetable flaces* 5 parts vegetables and fruits** and 1 part of limestone*** for bottom food: . Give 1 x on the day to the animals got so much till they are replete. The rests should be removed fast. Mould is fatal for vertebrates.

* These flakes must be free of animal components. I prefer ALLCO corn-flakes (of Allco home animal from 27321 of Morsum-Wulmstorf, Germany). This food is free of animal protein, preservation means and artificial pigments. Vitamin is in small crowds leant on vitamine D3 and A. The flakes should 10minutes be soaked in a sculpture sieve into waters approx. Then drip 10 minutes and are then used.

** I use apples, pear, to small pieces reduced for carrot, pumpkin, cauliflower, zucchini, banana to this (depending on year offer). The size of the pieces is dependent on the size of the animals.

*** I must tell to the lime stone that I have around tried very long. Preparations for reptiles are very expensive and contain much too much vitamin D3 . Vitamin D3 is very harmfully in too high doses. In addition, many reptiles don't eat food with very fine lime flour. Granulated natural lime stone is the best. They will the correct size for the grains have taken by many animals well if. I prefer Kalkgrit (lime stone) for (Dr. Ponsold GmbH 39387 Oschersleben, Germany). This lime stone small pieces has the correct grain size (1-3 mm) for Leguane and tortoises and is even taken by hatched tortoises and leguans.

Animal protein: Adult animals get a part for animal protein into the bottom food one times mixed per week. Young animals and pregnant females get this two times per week. I use cat food for this, low-fat curd cheese or prawn wholemeal alternately.

As con-food should leaves are permanently available. Astonishing, which one are sets of this one of Green Leguan for devour so daily into himself. At this the change is very important. My animals very much like to eat food and curly kale as well as horseradish leaves. You often warn in the literature in front of the saponines contained in these plants and mustard oils. If you don't give too much, these plants are a good natural remedy. You impede the growth of non-physiology of (harmful) intestines residents and for this promote the unicellular organisms, yeasts and bacteria which are essential for the digestion and the formation of vitamins of the B complex.

Still a word to the light. All reptiles which sunbathe under natural conditions need absolutely ultraviolet light (UV) to the digestion, to the well-being and to the regulation of her calcium metabolism. At this it has little use to use a highly dosed radiation briefly. It seems more meaningful to me to use a light source to the natural intensity getting close over for some time and daily. I use fluorescent lamps (Repti-Glo 8.0) with approximate 30% visible light, 60% UVA and 10% UVB light share. The duration of the examination is 16 hours per day. I shorten the examination duration for approx. 3 months till 12 hours per day in winter. The animals get a stimulation with the prolongation of the day length for the mating beginning in spring with that. The animals feel visibly well under the lamp. Rickets have never appeared with my animals under these conditions. The lamps shall be 50 cm assembled over the animals. Animals mustn't reach the lamp. Perhaps a safeguarding with wire gauze is appropriate.