Help. I am petting a baby iguana for 2 weeks now. Was it really a baby green iguana.?

Two weeks earlier, my dad brought home a green iguana that he caught near my auntie's backyard. I reallly have interests with owning one and was really excited when I saw it. I think it was still a baby iguana because it's still small maybe 1 and a half feet (including tail)

I tried to give it okras but the iguana won't eat it. So I tried to give it rice, and that's what it eats now. I tried to give him some other greens the other day but it won't even take a bite.

He's always green and turns greener whenever I pour water on him (was it a good idea lol). I never held it on my hands yet because I'm afraid it would jump and run away. I would just touch it sometimes.

I put him on a 2 by 1 feet wide and 2 feet high aquarium which has a branch and stones and sands. I also put a bowl for it to drink and soak.

Its tails are turning brown. I would like to help it shed his tails because I've read that old intact shedded skins are bad for iguanas.

Right now, it only eats cooked rice. I don't know how to make him healthy. I want a happy and healthy iguana. How can i do it?

2014-08-26T07:57:30Z

Anyways. I am from the Philippines.

2014-09-12T02:37:53Z

Thank you for answering guys. I decided to let the lizard go after knowing that it's not the kind of something I should pet because they are more likely be happy if they're out in the forest with their buddies. I miss him :(( I named him Lorax by the way.

Thea2014-08-27T16:13:40Z

Favorite Answer

That is not an iguana. It is a type of agamid and needs insects. It looks like a Calotes jubata which is also known as Bronchoela jubata. They are native to the Philippines.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hestiantoro/5847246840/

http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Bronchocela&species=jubata

?2014-08-26T17:12:10Z

I'm not really sure what it is either...it like more like a bearded dragon as far as shape and scalation goes but color and the spines looks like an iguana. This is a rather perplexing lizard. Regardless of what it is, I'd never feed it rice. Try bugs or worms. Try some fruits too. I'd it has a bad shed give it more humidity and I'd help it get the bad skin off by rubbing in one direction towards the tip of the tail(if the skin's really dry, soak it first), the skin left on can cut off circulation to the limbs and kill it. I'd keep it in a 3long x2 wide x2 high for now, while it's small. Could you get a picture showing the entire body?

Anonymous2014-08-26T16:08:43Z

let him go. hes a wild animal. if you want a iguana then go to a pet store and buy one.