Stress In Iguana - Causes, Signs and Management

In this post, we will discuss baby and adult iguana stress reasons, signs and managing stress in iguanas. You will learn what can make your iguana stressed, how to prevent it and how to destress your iguana.

As we have discussed in our previous post about iguana behaviors (read here in the new tab), iguanas have a strong sense of self-defense. Iguanas are also sensitive to any changes of environment, new people and even their owners changing their looks. Your iguana might become stressed due to different reasons. Let’s discuss all of them.

Iguana stress signs

Green Iguana Stress - Stress In Iguanas and Solutions — Iguanas can turn dark within minutes after getting stressed.

Shut eyes (shutting off not to see what is happening around)
Aggressiveness if scared by people or animals, to protect itself from potential threats – people, objects or pets. These will include head bobs, eyes being wide open, tail whips, extended dewlap etc.
Mean behavior to show dissatisfaction if bored or unhappy with something – ruining the cage decorations and wasting the food in the cage
Running away if scared
Darker skin – iguana can turn completely dark in minutes when stressed
Hiding somewhere in the house or in small dark spots – both new and tame iguanas can do it (some new iguanas do it without a reason or when severely stressed)
Digging in the tank (if the tank is too small)
Pooping in the wrong spots (showing its dissatisfaction)
Lethargy and poor appetite in case of stress (poor husbandry)
Sitting still and fixing the eyes on the object (scared and stressed)
Trying to escape the tank, head banging against the glass
Trouble sleeping – or sleeping more than usual
Zoning out
Pooping more often, or less often

What can make your iguana stressed or scared?

Stress In Iguanas - Signs,Causes and Solutions — Your iguana is very likely to become competitive and aggressive if you bring another iguana in the house

A small cage (or a big one for a baby) can make your iguana seriously stressed. Adult iguana cage should be around 7.5-8 feet long (1.5 longer than iguana), 6-8 feet high (at least 1.3 longer than your iguana, and depth – around 4-6 feet (at least 80% of iguana’s length). But at the same time, don’t build a big cage for a hatchling baby iguana – it will get stressed in a big cage. A good option for a hatchling/baby iguana is this large tall cage by Exo Terra, which is 36”x 18”x 24”. It will be easier for your baby iguana to navigate in the cage, but make sure upgrade when it grows bigger. Read all about iguana cages here.
Other iguanas in the house/cage. Your iguana will be highly stressed if there is another iguana in the house. This is especially true with two or more males – rivalry will be extreme. Same goes if you bring a new iguana home after the first one has settled (especially if they are adults).
Change in the environment. Your iguana might become stressed if you change its environment or cage (new cage, house remodeling etc.). It might also experience stress if you change your clothes or looks. Iguanas love routines and are very sensitive to changes. But with time, your iguana should get used to its new environment.
New people. Most iguanas, especially young ones, tend to be scared of new people. This is especially true for untamed iguanas.
Other pets. Your iguana is very likely to be scared of other pets, such as cats, dogs or rodents. Sometimes, iguanas get used to other pets if they have been living together most of their lives. But even in this case you need to be careful as iguana’s mood can change (for example during the breeding season).
Poor or unsuitable living conditions. You need to make sure that your iguana has a large enough cage, basking spots, proper lighting and heating, food and so on. If your iguana can’t bask properly or do other things – it will be extremely unhappy.
No routine. Your iguana loves routines and wants to eat, poop and sleep at the same time of the day. Same goes to everything else. Any changes in a routine will bring stress.
Bright colors. Believe it or not, bright colors and even specific clothing can scare your iguana. Your iguana might become scared of bright yellow, purple or other color clothing, toys and other objects. It can even become scared of specific shapes.
Iguana can also become scared of head accessories (such as towels around the head). Scared iguana can lay flat and even run around the cage, hitting the glass with its snout. Make sure to remove the clothing or objects as soon as possible and let your iguana calm down.

If you have brought your new iguana home, it will be very stressed. Make sure to be patient with your iguana. Iguanas are very sensitive to changing their environments, so they need time to get used to new a house again. New iguana is likely to hide and run away from you.

Stress In Iguana - Causes, Signs and Management — Young iguanas don’t need a big cage straight away – make sure to transition later.

What to do if you suspect stress in iguana?

To manage stress in iguana, you will need to find the reason first. Start thinking about recent changes and events that could have caused stress. Have you changed anything in the house (added, taken out, rearranged etc.)? Have you changed your looks?

Or maybe you started working longer hours or otherwise being at home longer? Your iguana might become sensitive to you not only being away for longer, but even being at home longer. This is because that’s not a normal routine.

Does your iguana have a big enough cage with a basking spot? Is it the breeding season? Iguanas mature by the age of 2-3, and start displaying breeding behaviors then.

Can stress kill an iguana?

Severely stressed iguana can stop eating and drinking properly, leading to dehydration and weight loss. What is more, severe stress can cause immune system suppression. Immune system suppression, on top of a poor appetite, dehydration and low activity, can lead to death.

So, severe stress can kill your iguana if stress is persistent and has been going on for a prolonged time. This is why you need to act quickly when you suspect stress, find the reasons and eliminate them.

Make any changes slowly

As we have discussed, iguanas can become stressed when you make even small changes. Having said that, make sure to introduce new things slowly. For example, if you are planning to move your iguana to a new cage, start placing your iguana in there for short periods of time, so it can get used to it first.

If you wish to introduce new foods, do it without removing the foods that you offered before. Gradual changes will decrease the chances of stress. It is also a good idea to offer a wide range of foods from the beginning.

Another great way to train your iguana to become more resistant to stress is to keep offering new things throughout its life. These new experiences will make your iguana more ready for any small changes. But this often works with iguanas that you have from a young age.

How to manage stress in iguana?

If you think that your iguana is stressed, start with finding the reason.
Try to eliminate the cause of stress.
Let your iguana calm down, it can take few days and up to a week.
To help your iguana destress, make sure to give it baths, mist it, hand feed it and even hold it if you think it is comfortable. Some contact might help with de-stressing. This only in case if your iguana is established and tame.
However, with a new iguana, establish it in a cage with basking and hiding spots (branches, plants etc.), so it can hide when it feels the need. Don’t disturb your iguana in the beginning, don’t approach it too much, don’t make sudden moves and limit any contact. Make sure it can hear and see you whenever you are approaching. Acclimatization can take 2-4 weeks.
If your iguana is black, laying with its eyes closed and not eating, then this can lead to death. Iguana’s nervous system becomes strained, and iguana becomes depressed. This lead to skipping meals and general body weakening.
Approach your iguana slowly, touch it gently and speak softly. Call it by the name as iguanas recognize faces and their own name.
Review your iguana’s living conditions – is there a UVB lamp? Without UVB lamp, your iguana will slowly develop MBD, leading to soft bones and body wastage. Do you supplement your iguana’s food and offer it nutritious foods?
Are the temperatures and humidity in the cage optimal? Are there plants and branches in the cage? There is a chance to confuse a stressed iguana with malnourished iguana.
If you are planning to keep two iguanas together, make sure they are not both males. Never keep two males in the same house. It is a good idea to keep two iguanas (females or male + female) in separate cages. Provide basking and hiding spots for each, as well as separate food and water bowls.