The iguanas are awesome pets and also cute and loveable pets. The iguana is territorial in nature and is herbivorous.
They are one of the reptile species that is herbivorous in nature and also that is not so common. Due to this reason, the famous question arises that whether the iguana eats met or not.
Many people want to feed them with a non-veg diet and are quite curious to know whether it is fine with them or not. In this guide, we will discuss the fact whether the iguana can eat meat or not and what are the reasons behind it.
Can iguanas eat meat?
The answer to this question is no, a very big no because the iguanas are herbivorous in nature and they do not eat meat. You should not even try to feed them with meat because it is deadly for the iguana. You would regret it later as the meat feeding can even kill the iguana.
Do not even try to do that not even by mistake. You should not feed them with non-vegetarian diets such as chicken, beef, insects, or other animals as it can prove fatal to their health. You need to take care of the iguana whenever or whatever you are feeding them because the various food can have various consequences.
Why iguanas cannot eat meat?
The iguanas cannot eat meat due to various reasons and one should be aware of those reasons so that they do not feed them meat not even by mistake and those reasons are listed as below:
1. Herbivorous in nature
The iguanas are herbivorous in nature and because of that, they do not eat meat, and neither should they be fed with meat. As their body is designed in such a manner that they can only eat vegetarian food and is not meant to eat the non-vegetarian one. This is one of the main reasons that the iguana does not eat meat which is no kind of animal protein. As an herbivorous animal body is designed in such a manner that it can only eat an herbivorous diet and not the other one.
2. Meat is harmful
As we know that the iguana is herbivorous in nature which completely means that the iguana should not be fed with meat.
Another reason is that the meat is harmful to the iguana as their body is not designed to take in and absorb the meat so the meat can prove harmful for the iguana. The life of iguana can be at risk if they are fed with meat because the meat is not only harmful to them but also deadly.
You can lose tour iguana if they eat the meat because their body will not accept the meat and this will prove to be fatal for their life. So that is why the meat is not meant for the iguana as it has harmful effects on them and makes sure that you do not feed the iguana with meat and not even by mistake.
3. Not easy to digest
The body of the iguana is designed in such a manner that it can only digest vegetarian food. It would be very difficult for them to digest the meat by themselves, as their body will not accept it.
The iguana will feel uncomfortable if they will eat meat as their body will not accept the meat that they eat. It will be harmful and fatal for them. So it should be kept under observation that you do not feed the iguana with any sort of food item that is not good for them and they are not able to digest it.
4. Will get sick
If the iguana by mistake also eats the meat then their body does not accept it and they can fall sick. Sometimes the owners also by curiosity or due to experimental purposes they feed them with meat but in the end, it proves to be a bad decision and you will also notice that the iguana will start getting sick.
The meat is not at all good for the iguana and you should not even try to feed the iguana with it. As it can also prove fatal to the life of the iguana and you would regret your decision later.
5. Damages their organ
When the iguana is fed with the meat for small-time or by mistake as such it does not much affect their body but if they are fed with the meat for a longer time span then there are chances that the organs of the iguana would be damaged and they will have to go through lots of issues because of the organ damage. So make sure that you do not feed them with meat for a longer time span as it will prove to be a bad decision.
These are the various reason which you should not feed the iguana with meat not in any form as animal protein is not good for them. So make sure whatever you are feeding to the iguana it should be plant-based as their body is designed for the herbivorous diet and not for the other one. A meat diet would prove fatal for them and in the process, you can even lose your iguana, so choose you food items that you will feed your iguana with carefully.
Can baby iguanas eat meat?
There is also a notion that if the baby iguanas are fed with the meat their body will be able to accept the meat and they will have no issue with meat even when they will grow up. Well, that is true with most of the other reptile babies but this is not the case with the baby iguana as they are herbivorous in nature so their body is designed accordingly.
You need to make sure that the iguana should be fed with leaves and other plant-based food because that is suitable for them.
They will grow on plant-based food and not on meat as it is said that the animal protein helps in the growth but that is not the case with the iguana.
The iguanas can grow plant food as this is how their body is made and this is what is suitable for them. So you should not experiment with the baby iguana and challenge nature. Feed them what is recommended for them and what is accepted by their body, so that there are no issues with the baby iguana, and also you do not have to lose your iguana in any case just by feeding them with the meat.
What type of meat can iguanas not eat?
The iguanas cannot eat any type of meat be it any type like chicken, pork, beef, etc. The iguana should also not be fed with insects or worms which you normally feed to other lizards like the grasshoppers, crickets, mealworms, roaches, wax worms, house flies, etc.
Even these insects are small in size but still they are not safe for the iguana so you should not try to feed these insects or worms to them. So no type of meat or non-vegetarian food is safe for the iguana because their body is not designed for non-vegetarian food.
As the iguana’s digestive system will find it difficult to break the animal protein. Also, this will even force pressure on organs like living and kidneys which would further lead to organ failure. So in any case the meat should not be an option to be fed to the iguana because, in the end, you will regret your decision. In some situations, owners have even lost their iguana because they have fed the iguana with meat.
What food is safe for the iguana?
The iguana should be fed a plant-based diet because they are herbivorous in nature. So you are feeding them with spices, plant leaves, fruits, flowers, plant matter, vegetables, and other parts of plants. The plant-based food is safe and also recommended for the iguana so that they can live a happy and healthy life.
You should prefer them to feed with greens such as parsley, kale, collard, mustard greens, dandelion greens, turnip greens, Romaine lettuce, etc. But make sure whatever greens you feed the iguana with it should be safe and also fresh because the fresh and clean greens have more nutrients as compared to old and stale one.
Final thoughts:
The iguana is a cute and awesome pet but you need to take care of them, especially when it comes to feeding. You should be careful when you will feed the iguana as they only eat a plant-based diet and the meat is not suitable for them.
You also need to spend time with them so that you can build a bond with the iguana and which will further lead to a better understanding between the two and there will be no issues created by the two for each other.
The iguana will live happily and comfortably inside the captivity if they would be provided with everything that they need.
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