Iguanas are pretty hardy and not really prone to getting diseases if taken care of properly and fed the proper diet. You should visually check your lizard frequently for signs of illness. Anything out of the norm should be monitored closely. There are several diseases and disorders that they can get, which we won’t be going into on this page. One thing we can tell you is that kidney failure is a very quick killer. If your iguana is showing signs of weakness, inactivity, excessive drinking out of a bowl, blank staring, and diarrhea, get them to a qualified vet immediately. If the vet says that they can not see your iguana right away, then they may not recognize the signs of kidney failure. You may have to try elsewhere. We have been informed through an e-mail about the dangers of egg-binding in female iguanas. This person’s lizard ended up having to get a hysterectomy to save her life. Keep in mind that female iguanas can become egg bound even if the eggs are not fertilized. Talk to a vet or a knowledgeable breeder for more information. There are several books on the market that go into this and other health issues in great detail.

One important thing that we can tell you is to find a good veterinarian. By this, we mean find a caring, experienced vet who is qualified to treat reptiles. This is possibly the most important thing that you can do for your iguana. A veterinarian who knows nothing or very little about reptiles that is treating a sick iguana means possible misdiagnosis of the problem and a probable death sentence for the iguana. It would be a good idea to find a vet before purchasing your iguana. Unfortunately, even with the increase in iguanas and reptiles in general as pets, there aren’t alot of qualified reptile vets out there, so you will have to do some shopping around.