By Nature, Iguanas are not very affectionate or friendly with humans either. It’s not particularly essential to know the sex of an Iguana unless you are adopting one. Therefore, we’ll today discuss 3 Ways To Tell If Iguana Is Male Or Female For proper bonding and to make your Iguanas like you, you will need to be consistent with their care.
Consistent provision of food and warmth will create an unbreakable bond between you two. In terms of pets, Iguanas enjoy having their heads rubbed by their owners. Adding to this, Iguanas can be raised into well-behaved, excellent pets.
Before you get an Iguana to your home, it is essential to discover the gender of your reptilian friend to provide better care according to gender. Knowing their sex with also help you, in the long run, to know about future possibilities. It is essential to maintain male territorial aggression to prevent unwanted breeding.
If you have more than one Iguana in an enclosure, you will have to look after them. The enormous Iguana is likely to dominate over the smaller-sized cagemate. It is a widespread problem faced by most Iguana owners who keep more than one reptile in the same enclosure. Here, I’m going to discuss 3 Ways To Tell If Iguana Is Male Or Female.
How To Tell If An Iguana Is Male Or Female
One of the other physical differences is that males tend to be bigger and broader in size than female iguanas. Male iguanas also carry hemipenal bulges on their belly. The more prominent dewlap under their chin and longer spikes on their head to their back distinguish the male Iguana from the females.
In one sentence, male Iguanas are much longer and thicker than females, having muscular legs and chests. Male also develop large femoral pores inside of their legs. Apart from their large dewlap situated under their legs, they also have longer spikes on their head following their back and even tail.
3 Ways To Tell If Iguana Is Male Or Female
Femoral Pores
It is essential to let your Iguana reach its sexual maturity before you look to know if your pet is male or female. Once an Iguana reaches sexual maturity, some distinguishing characteristics will become more pronounced, including the female pores.
If you look at the underside of your Iguana’s hind legs, the female pores will be visible, starting at the vent and ending at the knee. Additionally, male Iguana also has larger female pores, easily seen during the mating season.
If you have made it, you need to be aware that they tend to leave a waxy trail behind on the surface to mark their territory in the breeding season. In the breeding season, the most common species of Iguanas will develop waxy plugs that grow from their pores.
It is essential never to wear down or clean out the wax coming out from your male Iguana’s pores as it is intentional by your pet. It would help if you were concerned because removing the wax plug from your Iguana can damage your pet. On the other hand, females lack as many pores as males and are not larger than male Iguanas.
Fat Pockets And Longer Spikes On Their Head
Again, it is essential to wait for your Iguanas to reach sexual maturity to get more pronounced characteristics distinguishing the male and female. Once an Iguana reaches sexual maturity, the males start to develop fat pockets on the back of the heads.
It is straightforward to locate the bumps formed on your male Iguana’s head. Female Iguanas lack this fat pocket, and female Iguanas usually have a very smooth authority. Apart from the overweight bag, the spikes of your male Iguanas will also be significantly longer than the ones found on females of the same species. Females have shorter spines and are thinner, which gives you another opportunity to recognize whether it is male or female.
Hemipenal Bulges
Depending upon the species, male Iguanas tend to have two bulges under their belly located near their vent. It is pretty easy for you to find it when your pet is either on its back or side. These bulges are also known as semi penal bulges, which are only present in male species of Iguanas, and females will lack these bulges.
Additionally, male Iguanas’ bulges also cause their tail to grow thicker and not taper off like females. In females, it is pretty easy to notice their tails taper down immediately after the vent. In one sentence, we can say that the two oval-shaped bulges are visible on the males, whereas the female will have a single but more circular bulge directly above the vent.
Is a Male or Female Iguana the Best Pet for You?
When deciding on a pet, you must know why you are getting one. If you are thinking of breeding iguanas, then knowing the gender is highly critical to determine if the chosen pet is a good choice for you or not. If you are not breeding them and only getting one for companionship, you must know that both males and females have similar personalities or temperaments.
They also exhibit identical health that relies heavily on their habitat, environment, and care. In the breeding season, regardless of whether your pet has a mate or not, both sexes of Iguanas will exhibit some change in their behavior and body.
The most important thing that you need to consider when deciding on the best pet for you is to know whether you can adequately care for them or not. Whether mate or female, having an Iguana is a long-term commitment that can never be taken for granted. If you want to adopt an Iguana, then there are a few things that you should know.
Space
Before you adopt any pet, always look out for the amount of space available in your room or home. If you consider keeping your Iguanas enclosure in a very tiny spot, choose the female iguanas. The male Iguanas tend to grow bigger and thicker and often need more space for their well-being.
It is essential always to get your Iguana a room that allows them to climb, move, roam, play, bask, sleep, rest, and explore freely. This is why it is essential to evaluate the amount of area you can offer to your friend. Choosing a spacious enclosure of at least 55 gallons in size is always recommended. If you are thinking of keeping them in a small section, you should reconsider getting any pet.
Interesting Further Reading
- Iguana Vs Monitor Lizard: 7 Key Differences
- 7 Safe Plants For Iguana Enclosure
- 9 Best Type Of Iguana For A Pet
Age
You can never know whether your pet is male or female until it is sexually matured. This is why it is always recommended to get the pet checked before adopting one. There is less chance the pet store or the breeder will allow you a short visit to the nearest vet.
Therefore, it is essential to permanently adopt a pet from a reputable breeder who also offers health insurance. Do ask all the questions regarding the gender and the care of your pet. If you want a specific gender of Iguana, then I will highly recommend you always adopt an adult Iguana that is already tamed and raised by humans.
Desired Temperament
If you are looking for a pet with a specific personality, I would recommend you to dig thorough research. Before adopting any pet, you should know that male iguanas are way more aggressive than females, especially during the breeding season. However, male Iguanas are also more adventurous and curious reptiles than females.
If the male Iguanas get proper training and early socialization, they can be raised into well-behaved friends. Talking about female Iguanas, they tend to have a more hermit-like nature. Rather than being touched or held by any human, female Iguanas prefer their own company.
Multiple Pets
If you are thinking of breeding, you might be looking to adopt multiple Iguanas. On the other hand, if you want to have more than one reptilian friend, it is recommended to choose the female ones. In the case of breeding, always go with a single male and one or more females at first. Do you know that male iguanas can never be kept together in the same enclosure?
Male Iguanas can be pretty combative in the breeding season. Keeping two or more males together in the same tank can result in a territorial fight, fight over food, and unwanted stress. All these can result in injuries and even death for one of your reptilian friends.
Conclusion
You know that both males and female Iguanas are trendy pets but keeping them in an enclosure can be tricky. It can be challenging to make up your mind about the kind of friend you want if you only look at specific factors like gender alone.
It is essential to consider other aspects like their diet, care, space, humidity, etc. Do you know that male Iguanas tend to be more fun, curious and notorious? If you are looking for a calm and sedate type of friend, I recommend you always go with the female Iguanas.
Remember that whichever gender of Iguanas you choose will still need proper care, attention, and love to lead a happy, healthy, and long life. I have tried my best to give you all the ideas of how to tell if Iguana is male or female. We have shared many other guides on Iguana care for you to check out. See you in the other article till then take care and goodbye.
94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day. In 2007, I realized that I was made for saving Animals. My father is a Vet, and I think every pet deserves one. I started this blog, “InPetCare”, in 2019 with my father to enlighten a wider audience.