Vegetarian lizards are among the most difficult of the reptiles to keep healthy in captivity. This can be attributed to the more complicated husbandry techniques needed to care for them. Many are the iguanas seen with deformities caused by vitamin deficiencies, improper diet, lack of sunlight, or by hypovitaminosis (vitamin overdose).

Housing for your lizard can range from a simple aquarium set-up to more elaborate, large caging systems. Keep in mind, however, that the small iguana you just bought, with care, will one day become a 4 - 5 foot giant! Therefore, when planning its home, remember that your lizard will need a lot of room to run. For example, if your lizard is 1 foot long, he will need a 40 gallon aquarium, at the very least. If it is an arboreal species, it will also need climbing space and branches.

There are many kinds of substrate to be considered for your cage. Though, as with the cage itself, the substrate can get as complicated as a regular terrarium, the simpler the substrate, the easier it is to clean, and the more sanitary your pet's home will be. Therefore, a substrate of clean newspaper is recommended. This is probably the best choice, as it is inexpensive, plentiful, easy to change, and hides less mess. Gravel (pea-sized), ground corn cob, and wood shavings are to be avoided at all costs, as they can easily be ingested by the lizard while eating, causing severe intestinal problems. In addition, these substrates are hard to keep clean. If you must have a decorative substrate, artificial turf is probably your best bet, as it can be cleaned, and reused.

As a general rule of thumb, your lizard's cage should have a temperature gradient of 90oF at one end and down to 80oF at the other. This can be accomplished using either a red incandescent bulb, or a 250 watt infra-red heat lamp, depending on the size of the cage. The bulb should be placed at one end of the cage. Dimmer switches or thermostats can also be added to regulate the heat source. It is important to monitor the cage temperature at all times, by placing a thermometer at each end of the cage.

A heat rock may also be placed on the floor of the cage as a basking site, though extreme care should be taken when using one, as they can sometimes get overly hot. This can be taken care of by wrapping a towel around the rock if necessary. The heat rock should never be used alone as a main heat source. Another option for a heat source is an under tank heater. These are available from pet stores and have the benefit of being physically separated from the animal by the cage bottom.

Light is another important factor in your lizard's health. For the vegetarian lizard, a full spectrum light is recommended. This light will induce the formation of vitamin D3, which is necessary for proper bone development. The light should shine directly on the animal, as it does little or no good if filtered through the glass of the aquarium. In addition, when mounting the light, it should be placed no further than 18" from the animal for maximum effect. This light should be left on during the daylight hours only, and should be switched off at night to let the animal sleep. The heat source, however, should remain on at all times.

Humidity requirements differ from species to species, depending on their natural habitat. Those from forests and jungles such as green iguanas and prehensile-tailed skinks, for example need moderate humidity, which can be supplied by a daily misting with water. Do not let the cage stay wet, however, as skin diseases can develop quickly.

The key to a healthy diet is a good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and a good vitamin supplement. Some good food choices, low in phosphorus and high in calcium, are alfalfa, beet tops and stems, clover, prickly pear, bean and alfalfa sprouts, parsley, dandelion tops and leaves, other nontoxic flowers (check with your local nursery), soybean hay and leaves, turnip tops, apples, pears, strawberries, etc. Once each week, these fruits and vegetables should be dusted with a good vitamin supplement. Crickets, waxworms, or night crawlers may be offered but very infrequently. Bananas are source of debate. The occasional piece of banana won't hurt your lizard, but the phosphorus content may disrupt the delicate calcium: phosphorous ratio, which can cause metabolic bone disease. This ratio is of vital importance, with the recommended balance lying between 1.0 - 1.5:1.0. Another acceptable food source has recently been made available through pet stores. It is a dry powder that has all of the appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements included. DO NOT, under any circumstances, feed any lettuce, cabbage, or canned fruits and vegetables to your animal. These contain no real nutritional value for your reptile, and on such a diet your pet will soon become ill and eventually die.

One of the major health problems found in vegetarian lizards is fibrous osteodystrophy, a metabolic bone disease. This occurs most frequently in animals with chronic renal disease or chronic nutritional imbalance, such as calcium deficiency, Vitamin D deficiency , or excessive phosphorus in the diet. The early clinical signs are firm, swollen limbs and tail (the lizard may, indeed, look like a fat, healthy animal), with the untreated animal later developing foreshortened mandibles, and paralysis. In its early stages, this disease can be cured by proper diet, vitamin supplements, and ultraviolet radiation. In its later stages, however, permanent damage may have occurred.

Another common problem, especially in wild-caught specimens, is parasite infestation. Ticks and mites are often found on reptiles. These can cause serious health problems, and should be removed. Ticks can easily be removed by first dabbing them with alcohol, and then pulling them off with tweezers. Any new animal that you buy should be checked for ticks, especially around the cloacal opening. Mites are usually seen as tiny black dots moving on the lizard. The most effective way to be rid of these pests is to cut off a small piece of Vapona or other plastic, insecticide-laced strip, and place it in a small container with holes in the lid. This should then be placed in the cage with the lizard and left for 2 - 3 days. Approximately 2 weeks later, this procedure should be repeated. In addition, the cage should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to prevent reinfestation.

There are two more health problems that should be mentioned at this time. The first of these is infectious stomatitis, or mouth rot, as it is more commonly known, the main symptoms of which include swollen gums, mouth lesions, or "cheesy" exudates. Treatment includes cleansing with hydrogen peroxide solution, followed by a good topical antibiotic or antiseptic (i.e., betadine). This treatment, as most others, should only be provided under the care of a veterinarian, or experienced herpetologist.

Respiratory infections are probably one of the most common of all reptile ailments. These generally appear when a reptile is not kept warm enough. Symptoms of respiratory infection include, "gaping" of the mouth, wheezing, gurgling, and bubbling from the mouth and/or nose. In its early stages, a respiratory infection can be cleared simply by maintaining the animal at a constant, higher heat level, between 85 and 90 degrees F. If left untreated too long, however, pneumonia may ensue, and prescription antibiotics may be required.

Finally, if your lizard should lay eggs, you should place them in a container on damp paper towels, marking the tops of each egg with a pencil to ensure that they stay in the same orientation in which they were laid. This container should then be kept at approximately 85 F, until help can be reached.

The information on this sheet is applicable to the care of a great many vegetarian lizards sold in pet stores. However, lizards are very specialized reptiles, and their needs vary from species to species. Thus, to find more information on your particular animal, as far as specialized needs go, the following books will be helpful.