Husbandry Manual 
               For the 
              Green iguana 
                  
                        
       
              Iguana iguana 
      
     Author: Andrew Dowling  
     Date of Preparation: 10/06/2008 
     Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Richmond 
     Course Name and Number: Captive Animals , 1068 
     Lecturer: Graeme Phipps, Jackie Salkeld  
                        
                                                        TABLE OF CONTENTS 
                        
                       OH&S WARNINGS  .................................................................................................................................... 6 
                       1     INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 7 
                           1.1          ANNUAL CYCLE OF MAINTENANCE ....................................................................................... 7   
                           1.2   ASMP STATUS ................................................................................................................................. 8 
                       2     TAXONOMY ...................................................................................................................................... 9 
                          2.1      NOMENCLATURE .......................................................................................................................... 9 
                          2.2      SUBSPECIES .................................................................................................................................. 9 
                          2.3      RECENT SYNONYMS ..................................................................................................................... 9 
                          2.4      OTHER COMMON NAMES ............................................................................................................. 9 
                       3     NATURAL HISTORY ..................................................................................................................... 10 
                          3.1      MORPHOMETRICS ....................................................................................................................... 10 
                             3.1.1    Mass And Basic Body Measurements ................................................................................... 10 
                             3.1.2    Sexual Dimorphism ............................................................................................................... 10 
                             3.1.3    Distinguishing Features ........................................................................................................ 10 
                          3.2      DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT ..................................................................................................... 11 
                          3.3      CONSERVATION STATUS ............................................................................................................ 11 
                          3.4      DIET IN THE WILD ...................................................................................................................... 12 
                          3.5      LONGEVITY ................................................................................................................................ 12 
                             3.5.1    In the Wild ............................................................................................................................ 12 
                             3.5.2    In Captivity ........................................................................................................................... 12 
                             3.5.3    Techniques Used to Determine Age in Adults ....................................................................... 13 
                       4     HOUSING REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................ 14 
                          4.1      EXHIBIT/ENCLOSURE DESIGN .................................................................................................... 14 
                          4.2      HOLDING AREA DESIGN ............................................................................................................. 14 
                          4.3      SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................... 15 
                          4.4      POSITION OF ENCLOSURES ......................................................................................................... 15 
                          4.5      WEATHER PROTECTION.............................................................................................................. 15 
                          4.6      TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................. 16 
                          4.7      SUBSTRATE ................................................................................................................................ 16 
                          4.8      NESTBOXES AND/OR BEDDING MATERIAL ................................................................................. 16 
                          4.9      ENCLOSURE FURNISHINGS ......................................................................................................... 17 
                       5     GENERAL HUSBANDRY ............................................................................................................... 17 
                          5.1      HYGIENE AND CLEANING ........................................................................................................... 17 
                          5.2      RECORD KEEPING ...................................................................................................................... 18 
                          5.3      METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION ................................................................................................... 18 
                          5.4      ROUTINE DATA COLLECTION ..................................................................................................... 19 
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                       6     FEEDING REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................... 20 
                          6.1      CAPTIVE DIET ............................................................................................................................ 20 
                          6.2      SUPPLEMENTS ............................................................................................................................ 25 
                          6.3      PRESENTATION OF FOOD ............................................................................................................ 27 
                       7     HANDLING AND TRANSPORT ................................................................................................... 28 
                          7.1      TIMING OF CAPTURE AND HANDLING ........................................................................................ 28 
                          7.2      CATCHING BAGS ........................................................................................................................ 28 
                          7.3      CAPTURE AND RESTRAINT TECHNIQUES .................................................................................... 28 
                          7.4      WEIGHING AND EXAMINATION .................................................................................................. 28 
                          7.5      RELEASE .................................................................................................................................... 28 
                          7.6      TRANSPORT REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................... 29 
                             7.6.1    Box Design ............................................................................................................................ 29 
                             7.6.2    Furnishings ........................................................................................................................... 32 
                             7.6.3    Water and Food .................................................................................................................... 32 
                             7.6.4    Animals per Box .................................................................................................................... 32 
                             7.6.5    Timing of Transportation ...................................................................................................... 32 
                             7.6.6    Release from Box .................................................................................................................. 33 
                       8     HEALTH REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................... 34 
                          8.1      DAILY HEALTH CHECKS ............................................................................................................ 34 
                          8.2      DETAILED PHYSICAL EXAMINATION .......................................................................................... 34 
                             8.2.1    Chemical Restraint ............................................................................................................... 34 
                             8.2.2    Physical Examination ........................................................................................................... 34 
                          8.3      ROUTINE TREATMENTS .............................................................................................................. 34 
                          8.4      KNOWN HEALTH PROBLEMS ...................................................................................................... 35 
                          8.5      QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................... 42 
                       9     BEHAVIOUR .................................................................................................................................... 43 
                          9.1      ACTIVITY ................................................................................................................................... 43 
                          9.2      SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ................................................................................................................... 43 
                          9.3      REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR ...................................................................................................... 43 
                          9.4      BATHING .................................................................................................................................... 43 
                          9.5      BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS ......................................................................................................... 44 
                          9.6      SIGNS OF STRESS ........................................................................................................................ 44 
                          9.7      BEHAVIOURAL ENRICHMENT ..................................................................................................... 44 
                          9.8      INTRODUCTIONS AND REMOVALS .............................................................................................. 45 
                          9.9      INTRASPECIFIC COMPATIBILITY ................................................................................................. 45 
                          9.10     INTERSPECIFIC COMPATIBILITY .................................................................................................. 45 
                          9.11     SUITABILITY TO CAPTIVITY ....................................................................................................... 45 
                       10    BREEDING ....................................................................................................................................... 46 
                          10.1     MATING SYSTEM ........................................................................................................................ 46 
                          10.2     EASE OF BREEDING .................................................................................................................... 46 
                          10.3     REPRODUCTIVE CONDITION ....................................................................................................... 47 
                             10.3.1      Females ............................................................................................................................ 47 
                             10.3.2      Males ................................................................................................................................ 48 
                          10.4     TECHNIQUES USED TO CONTROL BREEDING .............................................................................. 48 
                          10.5     OCCURRENCE OF HYBRIDS ......................................................................................................... 48 
                          10.6     TIMING OF BREEDING ................................................................................................................. 48 
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                         10.7     AGE AT FIRST BREEDING AND LAST BREEDING ......................................................................... 48 
                         10.8     ABILITY TO BREED EVERY YEAR ............................................................................................... 48 
                         10.9     ABILITY TO BREED MORE THAN ONCE PER YEAR ..................................................................... 48 
                         10.10    NESTING, HOLLOW OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS.......................................................................... 49 
                         10.11    BREEDING DIET .......................................................................................................................... 49 
                         10.12    INCUBATION PERIOD .................................................................................................................. 49 
                         10.13    CLUTCH SIZE .............................................................................................................................. 49 
                         10.14    AGE AT WEANING ...................................................................................................................... 49 
                         10.15    AGE OF REMOVAL FROM PARENTS ............................................................................................. 49 
                         10.16    GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................... 49 
                       11   ARTIFICIAL REARING ................................................................................................................. 50 
                         11.1     INCUBATOR TYPE ....................................................................................................................... 50 
                         11.2     INCUBATION TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY ............................................................................. 50 
                         11.3     DESIRED % EGG MASS LOSS ...................................................................................................... 50 
                         11.4     HATCHING TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY ................................................................................ 50 
                         11.5     NORMAL PIP TO HATCH INTERVAL ............................................................................................ 50 
                         11.6     DIET AND FEEDING ROUTINE ..................................................................................................... 50 
                         11.7     SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................... 50 
                         11.8     DATA RECORDING...................................................................................................................... 51 
                         11.9     IDENTIFICATION METHODS ........................................................................................................ 51 
                         11.10    HYGIENE .................................................................................................................................... 51 
                         11.11    BEHAVIOURAL CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................................. 51 
                       12   ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................ 4 
                       13   REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................... 4 
                       14   BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................... 4 
                       15   GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................ 4 
                       16   APPENDIX .......................................................................................................................................... 5 
                        
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