Collar Iguana
collar iguana
Name Dutch: collar iguana
Scientific name: Crotaphytus collaris
Origin: USA
Age: 10-15
Height: up to 30cm. including tail
Day temperature: 26-30°c
Humidity: 40%
Birth: 5-10 eggs per clutch
Activity: Day active
Legislation: None
Climate: Steppes
Stay: Terrariums
Heat place: 40 – 50°c
Night temperature: 15 - 18 °
Night humidity: 60-70%
Minimum size: 100 x 50 x 50 cm
Description
The Collared Iguana is a very fun, curious and active lizard from the United States. The men are often very colorful from green to blue. They got the name because of the black and white bands they have around their neck. The Collared Iguana is a diurnal lizard that is very fast and agile. In nature they allow themselves to be approached fairly close, but if you get too close the collared iguana will quickly shoot away. In some cases, he will run away using only his hind legs. They bring themselves to safety in this way at high speed.
The Collared Iguana is a voracious eater and can handle quite large food. Adults even eat other lizards in the wild. So do not combine this strain with other strains. Until a few years ago, C. collaris and bicinctores were regularly imported from the United States. The most commonly kept species is the Crotaphytus collaris. Today, C. dickersonae is also sporadically available.
Housing
These beautiful animals are often kept as a trio (1 male + 2 females). Several men will surely fight with each other. The minimum terrarium size is 100x50x50 cm where a man with two women can be contained. Sand can be used as bedding, which hardens, and where the collared iguana can dig holes in without collapsing. Large stones can be used, but it is important that these stones are stable on the bottom, so that when digging these stones cannot tip over and the iguana can end up underneath. Of course, pieces of wood or other decoration may also be used.
Collared Iguanas are extreme sunbathers and can handle high temperatures. So get a UVb lamp that gives off high values such as Lucky Reptile Bright Sun Desert. Place a large stone under this lamp so that the animals can warm up quickly. Once warmed up, the Collared Iguanas will begin to hunt for food. As soon as they see something move they will run full speed towards the prey and try to grab it. Due to the speed, the insect is usually too late to escape. Because these iguanas live in such open areas, it is equally important to get plenty of daylight into the terrarium. This can be achieved by placing extra bright Suns in low wattage, multiple Exo Terra Natural Light CFLs or Reptile Systems Ferguson Zone 1 T5 TLs. In the morning the terrarium can be watered lightly to simulate the dew that the animals drink from.
Sex & Reproduction
The males and females are easy to distinguish from each other because of the differences in color. Females are generally smaller and have a grey/brown base color. It is advisable to cool these animals in winter to a temperature of about 10°c so that they can hibernate. In the spring, the female will develop bright orange spots on her neck on the flanks of her body, indicating she is ready to mate. Three to four weeks after mating, the female will lay an average of six eggs in a dug hole with moist sand.
It is best to place the eggs in an incubator and incubate them at an average temperature of 29°C. The eggs will hatch after about 60 days.
Voedsel
Food includes adult crickets, medium grasshoppers, medium dubias, wax moth larvae, silkworms. And in nature they even eat conspecifics or other lizards that are slightly smaller than themselves. Make sure that the food animals are always dusted with a good vitamin and mineral supplement, this is necessary to prevent certain deficiencies.
