Iguana Cage Substrate: The Facts

How to Choose a Safe Substrate for Your Pet Iguana

By Wanda Leibowitz, published May 07, 2008
Published Content: 365  Total Views: 1,009,220  Favorited By: 26 CPs
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Iguana cage substrate is not only the material your pet iguana will deal with on a daily basis, it is the material that can make the difference between a safe and happy pet iguana and a pet iguana who faces danger and discomfort. Read on to discover the facts on the most popular types of iguana cage substrates, so that you can make an educated decision about what kind of cage substrate is right for your pet and for you. With variables like availability, cost, ease of maintenance, and appearance to consider, the more you know about cage substrate the better the chance you'll make the best choice for you and for your beloved pet iguana.

Iguana Cage Substrate And Toxins
When choosing an iguana cage substrate, your first priority should be to make sure that it's entirely free of toxins. A curious iguana is likely to lick and may even attempt to ingest the cage substrate that surrounds them, so be sure it's safe for your iguana to take a bite out of his or her environment. A paper cage substrate like newspaper or paper towels can be safe, so long as it is printed with exclusively non-toxic ink. For confirmation about the toxin levels of your iguana cage substrate choices, if you're not using a commercially produced cage substrate guaranteed to be toxin free, be sure to research how the material you're using is made, and what it contains. Also remember that any kind of adhesive, like glue or sealant, that you may use to secure your iguana cage substrate to the floor of the environment must be non-toxic. Anything that goes into your iguana cage goes into your iguana, whether it is ingested orally or by airborne particles, so make a toxin-free environment your top consideration when choosing a substrate.

Takeaways
  • Make sure your iguana's substrate is toxin-free.
  • Beware of loose threads that can wind their way around your pet's feet.
  • Look out for anything that isn't digestible and could cause a bowel impaction.
Did You Know?
Many different products for many different animals are called "substrate", but that doesn't mean that all substrates are safe for all animals!
Comments
Showing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
 
 
Very interesting article!

Posted on 05/10/2008 at 4:05:29 PM

 
You definitely provided details I'd never considered. Interesting!

Posted on 05/10/2008 at 7:05:23 AM

 
I would think rocks, peat moss and water would be all they need. Of course clean the rocks and peat moss.

Posted on 05/07/2008 at 9:05:26 PM

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