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Green And Red Iguanas Make Horrible Pets

© Frank_Lu/Getty Images A child reaching out to touch a large, green iguana

If you've ever played the alphabet game, the odds are good that you chose "iguana" for the letter "I." After all, iguanas are one of the most well-known lizards next to bearded dragons.

But just because they're famous, doesn't mean they make good pets. They're actually one of the worst pet reptiles a new keeper could buy. Before you adopt a rude, miniature dinosaur, we have some facts about green and red iguanas that might make you rethink that purchase.

Green and Red Iguanas Are Way Bigger Than People Realize

First, you can't tell us that the face pictured doesn't look like something straight out of Jurassic Park. Remember how that movie ended? Sure, iguanas are way smaller than a T-Rex, but they're still unreasonably large lizards for most pet owners to keep. 

Female iguanas are usually around 5 feet long from head to tail and weigh up to 10 pounds. Males can be over 20 pounds, and some have topped 7 feet in length. Imagine a grown man trying to fit in a twin-sized bed. It wouldn't work too well, even for just a night. He'd need a lot more space than that for everyday life, and so would a full-grown iguana. Having a pet iguana is like having a cold-blooded roommate who never grocery shops and doesn't pay rent. 

They Pretty Much Need a Room of Their Own

If you get a baby iguana, the first year or two of ownership isn't that bad. They can fit in an average-sized enclosure that won't break the bank. Except they don't stop growing at age 2. By the time they're 5, they'll need an enclosure that's more than 8 feet long. At 7 years old and beyond, an enclosure measuring 9 by 9 by 3 feet is the bare minimum.

That's practically the size of some New York City apartments. Enclosures that size aren't sold at Petsmart, either. You'll have to either build your own or purchase one from a specialty reptile retailer. They're mostly custom-made, and you'd be lucky to find one under $2,000.

You Might Need a Permit to Get One © Maridav/Getty Images Large wild iguanas on a rocky cliff

Depending on where you live, owning an iguana might be illegal. You can check the full list of animal laws here.

Suffice it to say, no pet is cool enough to justify breaking the law.

360-DEGREE LIVES: Central Bearded Dragons Devour Their Prey At 'Jurassic Cafe'

Editor's note: This is part of a series of videos offering an up-close perspective on the animal kingdom. A special 360-degree video camera system was set up in zoos and other facilities to show how the animals view their world as they interact.

Also visit our special 360-DEGREE LIVES page (http://t.Asahi.Com/360lives), where you can watch all the previous videos.

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With sunlight streaming in the windows and customers enjoying Chinese tea, everything seems quite normal at Yokohama Anettai Chakan (Yokohama subtropical tea house) at first glance.

That is, until you notice central bearded dragons slowly crawling among the customers. In fact, water tanks and glass showcases containing snakes, frogs, newts and turtles are also set up along the walls, and there is a more than one-meter-long green iguana.

Yokohama Anettai Chakan (Yokohama subtropical tea house) is a reptile cafe operating in the city's Naka Ward.

Although central bearded dragons are often taken out for a "stroll," 12 of them are usually kept in a cage. Video footage shows the lizards more active than expected.

As soon as mealworms are placed around the camera, the hungry creatures immediately surround their prey and start swallowing the worms one by one. The sight conjures up a scene from "Jurassic Park" in which animals are attacked by dinosaurs.

According to Mutsumi Nagano, 49, who runs the cafe, the establishment is packed with reptile enthusiasts particularly on weekends, including women and couples who can't keep reptiles as pets because they are not good at handling live meals and frequently absent from home.

The central bearded dragon lives in dry regions in Australia. According to Nagano, the well-tempered lizard likes sunning itself because it can produce vitamins D and E from exposure to sunlight and apparently uses the substances for skin metabolism and other purposes.

When the central bearded dragon feels threatened, it puffs out its spiny throat to intimidate its enemies, Nagano said.

Topic: Bearded Dragons

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