Celebrate National Iguana Awareness Day the 2nd Saturday in September

• By NSC
• 2 Comments.

 

 

Are you aware of iguanas? No? Then you need this holiday. It’s National Iguana Awareness Day (NIAD)!

Ok, no the day isn’t for spreading awareness that the iguana exists. Most people probably know iguanas exist (at least those that care one way or another).

In fact, they’ve been pretty popular pets for years. And that’s actually what the day is about.

People love their iguanas … Until they don’t. And even when they do keep loving them, they’re not always sure of the right way to care for them.

So a group of iguana owners started National Iguana Awareness Day to help people understand that iguanas aren’t “disposable pets.” And they need special care. Its motto was “Hard to Care For, Easy to Love.”

(Now, we believe no pets should ever be considered disposable. We hope you agree. But this day’s about the iguana).

Technically this holiday no longer officially exists. It began in 1998 and was dropped as an officially recognized day in 2001.

But we think its mission is important, and it still gets mentions around the web, especially on social media. So apparently others agree that knowing how to care for your pet iguana is important.

There’s also some disagreement about the date. We’ve seen it mentioned for both the 8th and the 6th over the past few years. We also have several sources that put it on the 2nd Saturday in September. That’s what we’re going with. But really, feel free to celebrate on whichever day works for you. More awareness is always good!

 

A Bit About Pet Iguanas

Baby iguanas are, like most babies, ridiculously cute. But they grow up. And while they’re still cute (to reptile fans, anyway … Which we assume you are. ‘Cause you’re on this page!), they’re also:

• Big. As in 5-6 feet long and around 20 pounds. You need space for your pet to roam. Preferably a room all its own.
• Strong. Handle your pet regularly as it grows so it’s used to your touch. And don’t piss iguanas off. Their bites hurt. So do lashes from a tail (it’s strong too!).
• Herbivores. Iguanas need fresh fruits and veggies daily. And lots of them. Remember: The reptiles are big!
• Susceptible to metabolic bone disease (MBD). This condition causes soft bones, deformed bones, and other problems for many reptiles. It develops when the animal doesn’t have the right ratio of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D3 in its body. The bad news is MBD is a top cause of death in pet iguanas. The good news is you can prevent it (usually) just by using the right UV lights.
• Smart. They can be potty-trained! That could mean using the toilet, or another specific spot (including going outside).

 

Iguanas also need their homes to be in a certain temperature range to thrive. For green iguanas (the usual pet iguana), that’s 75 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 32 degrees Celsius).

If you’re thinking of getting an iguana, even knowing how much space and attention it’ll need, you should also know that they’re considered exotic pets. Some states and communities don’t allow them. Others require you have a special license to own one.

Make sure you know the laws where you live before you get yourself an iguana.

You may also want to be sure there’s a vet near you who can actually treat iguanas if yours gets sick. Most “regular” vets don’t treat reptiles.

Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this unofficial green holiday.

---

---

 

Ideas For Celebrating National Iguana Awareness Day

If you’re an iguana lover, spread the word about the day. Even if there’s nobody officially behind the day any more, its message is important for potential iguana parents.

If you have your own iguana, take a few moments to make sure you’re still treating your pet right. Sometimes we can get distracted, forget, or start taking things for granted. So:

• Have you replaced the UV bulb recently?
• Are you making sure you’re feeding the right ratio of minerals?
• Are you paying enough attention to your pet?
• Is there anything you can do to make the habitat better or more natural?

 

If you’re thinking about getting an iguana, learn all you can about their needs first. You may decide its more work than you’re prepared for. Remember, it’s not fair to the iguana for you to decide that later!

Consider one of these websites:

• Melissa Kaplan’s Green Iguana Care Collection: Melissa’s reptile sites aren’t pretty, but they have excellent information you need to know if you’re going to be keeping reptiles.
• Reptilecare.com: We link you to the Green Iguana page on the site.
• The Iguana Den
• Green Iguana Society

 

Or one of these books:

• Iguanas for Dummies, by Melissa Kaplan: Has a lot of the same information as her website (1st one listed above), but also lots of new stuff.
• Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner’s Manual, by James W. Hatfield, III
• Green Iguanas: A Complete Guide to Iguana Iguana, by Adam Britton and Jennifer Swofford

 

And check out the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians website to find a reptile vet near you. Really. You want to find one before you need one.

What will you be doing for National Iguana Awareness Day?

 

GoogleAd-NSC-Bottom (text-3)