Iguanas, Explained: Care, Health, Species and Facts

Iguanas are large lizards in the family Iguanidae, found mainly in the warm parts of the Americas, the Caribbean and the Galápagos, with a few species in Fiji. The green iguana is the species most people mean, and it is the one kept as a pet. It can grow 4 to 6 feet long, live for well over a decade and depends on its keeper for heat, UVB light, humidity and a leafy diet. In South Florida and Puerto Rico, escaped and released pets have become an invasive species.

Iguana Guide covers iguanas one clear question at a time: how to care for a pet iguana, how to recognize health problems, what iguana behavior means, how the different species compare and what to do about wild iguanas in Florida. Start with the care guide if you keep an iguana, the species section if you want to tell them apart, or the Florida section if wild iguanas live in your neighborhood.

Iguana quick facts
Animal type	Reptile (lizard)
Best-known species	Green iguana (Iguana iguana)
Adult size	Commonly 4–6 ft including tail (size guide)
Lifespan	Up to about 19+ years in captivity (lifespan guide)
Diet	Mostly leaves, flowers and fruit (diet guide)
Native range	Central and South America, Caribbean (habitats)
Other types	Marine, rock, blue, rhinoceros, spiny-tailed, desert and Fiji iguanas (all types)