The Spiny Tailed Iguana

By Ian Dawson

There is relatively little known about the mysterious spiny tailed iguana and only a handful of subspecies. They are generally located in the Yucatan Peninsula through to Panama however their presence is largely located in Mexico. The spiny tailed iguana that thrives on the Atlantic coast there can typically grow up to 24-34 inches in length and are often mistaken for an alligator when they are spotted in Florida. They love to lay and soak up the sun and are often found around heat retaining objects such as stones and brick walls.

Spiny Tailed Iguana Traits

The most noticeable difference between the spiny tailed iguana and its close relative the green iguana is that the spiny tailed iguanas are very aggressive and don’t do well in captivity. They rarely ever become tame and continue to act aggressive towards the owners and other people as well. It is hostile and angry in a way and is best left to thrive in its natural environment as this just doesn’t make a good pet as the owner is always feeling like an inferior pet owner and the spiny tailed iguana is in distress because of its captivity.

The spiny tailed iguana has a few distinct traits such as the tail being ringed with very specialized spiny scales that run the length of the tail. Most of the iguana relatives have a dorsal crest that are very short generally however the spiny tailed iguana has a very long dorsal crest.

Captivity

If you already own a spiny tailed iguana and you have to house it, there are a few considerations to know before setting up its home. In general the spiny tailed iguana prefers a woody habitat and it is imperative to remember that the spiny tailed iguana thrives on digging and you should provide him with the material to suit it. Pine and aspen shaving and even some bark litters that you can buy for reptiles are not suitable for the spiny tailed iguana so be sure to steer clear of those. Alfalfa is a wonderful product to use to provide your iguana with digging material. Always make certain that your spiny tailed iguana has a fresh bowl of water at all times and it is sometimes suggested for this specific type of iguana that you allow ice cubes to melt over an enclosure into the water bowl.

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