Rhinoceros Iguana
A heavy gray-brown iguana with horn-like bumps on the snout, herbivorous and endangered in the wild.
Overview
A heavy gray-brown iguana with horn-like bumps on the snout, herbivorous and endangered in the wild.
History & Origin
The iguana is native to Caribbean (Haiti / Dominican Republic). It belongs to the family Iguanas, a lineage of lizards distributed across those regions and kept both in the wild and by specialist reptile keepers.
Appearance & Size
Rhinoceros Iguana is a large (60–120 cm) lizard.
Temperament
It shows the typical temperament of its group—research the species for handling guidance.
Care & Husbandry
Iguanas are primarily herbivorous as adults, requiring a varied diet of leafy greens, vegetables and limited fruit; juveniles are more insect-tolerant. They need very large enclosures, strong UVB, high basking temperatures and climbing structure. Green iguanas in particular grow large and demand committed long-term husbandry.
Health & Lifespan
Key risks are metabolic bone disease, kidney disease from low hydration, and impaction. Growing iguanas need careful calcium:phosphorus balance and UVB; males can become aggressive in breeding season. In captivity a healthy individual may live around 15–20 years.
Popularity & Recognition
Green iguanas are icons of the pet trade and invasive in Florida and the Caribbean; their dramatic dewlap, whiptail and third 'eye' (parietal eye) make them unmistakable.
