As with chuckawallas, desert iguanas are often not available in the pet trade. Only Nevada allows commercial export of this lizard. Several states allow collecting some individuals with a hunting license. Not many herpetoculturists work with this beautiful species of lizard, but hopefully more will to ensure captive-born animals are available.
Taxonomy and Natural History
The desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) is the only member of the genus Dipsosaurus, and is a very attractive whitish-colored lizard measuring 4 to 5.25 inches (10 to 13 cm) long from snout to vent. The tail is almost twice the length of the body and is surrounded by keeled scales. Males tend to have more angular and broader heads and larger femoral pores than females. Both sexes may develop pink areas on the sides of the belly during the breeding season.
They are most often found on sandy plains, but are also found along rocky stream beds, lower slopes of hills, and silty floodplains. In the northern part of their range they are found in association with creosote shrubs, while in the southern part of their range they are found in subtropical shrub areas. They seek refuge in rodent burrows where they often cover up the burrow at night, possibly to protect it from predators.
Desert iguanas are diurnal and are often not found outside in the early morning. Its body temperature has been recorded at 108 °F (42 °C), which is the highest known active temperature for reptiles. They are active when most other lizards have withdrawn from the heat.
captive care
Desert iguanas must be kept in a desert environment with some type of burrow built from plastic or clay pipes. These lizards like heat, so one end of the cage should have a warm basking area with temperatures above 120°F (49°C) and the other end should not get hotter than 95°F ( 35 °C) during the time. day.
Ultraviolet light must be provided through sun exposure or through full spectrum bulbs. Research shows that desert iguana behavior is influenced by ultraviolet light (Alberts 1993). The secretions from their femoral pores are illuminated by UVA rays which then allow other members of the species to locate them. These secrets are messages between lizards that probably indicate territories and announce the presence of a breeding male.
Desert iguanas are omnivorous, consuming the buds, flowers, and leaves of desert plants, including the creosote bush. In the northern part of its range, the spring diet may be made up predominantly of creosote flowers which it will climb into the bushes to find. Insects, other arthropods, and their own fecal pellets form important parts of the summer diet. In captivity, they can be fed salad and insects such as crickets or super worms several times a week.
Reproduction
Desert iguanas must hibernate for 3 to 4 months to stimulate reproduction. In the wild, desert iguanas can often be found in pairs from April to mid-July with breeding occurring in April and early May. The females usually retire underground in June to lay three to eight eggs, which hatch in August.
Moist sand and soil should be placed at the end of the cage out of direct sunlight so that the female can build a burrow and lay her eggs. Eggs should be incubated in slightly damp vermiculite. The hatchlings should receive the same diet as the adults, paying particular attention to adequate calcium supplementation during the first year. Pups that did not hibernate reached sexual maturity in 1 year (personal communication, 1998, Tom Greb).