Mexican Spinytail Iguana
A gray-green iguana with a strongly spined tail, common in dry Mexican regions.
Overview
A gray-green iguana with a strongly spined tail, common in dry Mexican regions.
History & Origin
The iguana is native to Mexico. It belongs to the family Iguanas, a lineage of lizards distributed across those regions and kept both in the wild and by specialist reptile keepers.
Appearance & Size
Mexican Spinytail Iguana is a large (80–120 cm) lizard.
Temperament
It shows the typical temperament of its group—research the species for handling guidance.
Care & Husbandry
Iguanas are primarily herbivorous as adults, requiring a varied diet of leafy greens, vegetables and limited fruit; juveniles are more insect-tolerant. They need very large enclosures, strong UVB, high basking temperatures and climbing structure. Green iguanas in particular grow large and demand committed long-term husbandry.
Health & Lifespan
Key risks are metabolic bone disease, kidney disease from low hydration, and impaction. Growing iguanas need careful calcium:phosphorus balance and UVB; males can become aggressive in breeding season. In captivity a healthy individual may live around 15–20 years.
Popularity & Recognition
Green iguanas are icons of the pet trade and invasive in Florida and the Caribbean; their dramatic dewlap, whiptail and third 'eye' (parietal eye) make them unmistakable.
