More than ten years ago, the demand for pet iguanas in the United States grew so much that more than a million iguanas were imported into the country.
Most of the lizards sold in pet stores during this time came from Central and South America; we are talking about really distant countries, like Ecuador and Peru.
You can already imagine the crowded conditions captive wild-caught iguanas had to endure on the way to the United States.
Today, the management method has not changed much; what you see in pet stores today are essentially wild, tired reptiles that yearn for the wide, arboreal landscapes of their native lands.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy one, but with these facts in mind, you really should be prepared to invest in your new pet, because these creatures were actually taken out of their native habitats to become companion animals for humans.
You may be wondering right now: are all iguanas imported from other countries? There is still a large volume of imports today, but compared to ten years ago, pet stores are now more reliant on local production than import.
It didn’t take long for people to learn how to breed these lizards; Iguana farms actually sprouted not long after the importation of iguanas increased.
While there is definitely a ‘buy local’ movement, I must warn you that if you are going to buy locally raised green iguanas for a healthier specimen you will probably be disappointed, because most large scale iguana farms rarely take good care of their own copies.
Therefore, buying a locally raised iguana is no guarantee that your pet iguana will live longer. Due to the constant destruction of forests in Central and South America, the Iguana iguana species has long been classified as a threatened species.
Exporters of these reptiles must seek special approval from the authorities before capturing and exporting green iguanas to other countries.
Although the export of these animals is regulated in some countries, it is absolutely legal to buy a specimen once the animal has been legally imported.
Therefore, you do not have to worry about buying a green iguana, it is legal; I only ask that you buy one only if you are really passionate about reptiles and are willing to go the extra mile for the animal to keep you alive.
Because once a green iguana has been removed from its old habitat, it will still have some very specific requirements, and these needs will not change even if the environment has completely changed. If these needs are not met, it is not difficult to imagine what will happen next.