If you reside in a place with lots of iguanas around your home or garden, knowing if these reptiles can climb, how good they are, and what they can climb are all fundamental questions. As a reptile enthusiast myself, this is something that I have researched in depth by spending hours.
If you are an Iguana owner, knowing if they can climb can amaze you. I will try to give you all the answers right here in this post, along with sharing my experience to help you understand the ability of your Iguana to climb. Therefore let’s first know the answer: can iguanas climb walls?
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Can Iguanas Climb Walls?
Yes. Iguanas can climb walls that allow their claws to get a perfect grip, and Iguanas cannot climb those walls that are either solid or smooth. The walls made of rough materials like rocks and woods, along with the designs that allow the claws to have a grip, are ideal for Iguana to climb.
Usually, Iguanas use their sharp nails to cling to the object to climb in. In the wild, Iguanas are 100% arboreal which means they love spending most of their time on trees or climbing off the ground. Depending on your tank setup, an Iguana may spend less time climbing in captivity.
What Walls Can Iguanas Climb?
The types of walls that Iguana can climb usually have rough surfaces with holes or uneven surfaces. The specific type of wall that iguanas can climb depends on the design and material used to make that wall.
Wood / Rock Wall: Usually, a wall made up of woods or Rock gives a higher opportunity for your Iguana to climb. These materials are easily accessible in Iguana natural habitats around the world. You shouldn’t be surprised to see an Iguana climbing on a wall made out of Rock or wood material since they are highly used to climbing on these materials.
Walls With Gaps or Holes: Many other designs help or allow your Iguana to climb much more accessible. Walls that have gaps or holes are straightforward for Iguana to get a grip on.
Cement Walls: If the cement wall has more texture and is not as flat, they will have no problem climbing it. You can see many footages and videos of an Iguana climbing upon a cement wall on YouTube.
Brick Walls: The brick walls usually have a rough surface with lots of gaps and small holes. Thus, it is straightforward for iguanas to use their sharp claws to grip onto. Although it will not be as easy to climb compared to walls made of wood or Rock, walls made out of bricks will make your Iguana think twice before climbing.
If you are considering building a brick or Cement wall around your property so that no Iguana can climb or escape, drop this idea as it’s not worth it. Below are some wall ideas that prevent Iguanas from climbing.
What Walls Prevent Iguanas From Climbing?
If the wall surface is smooth or complex, they will not be able to dig their nails into that object to climb. Walls with smooth and solid surfaces are hard to climb for Iguana since they can’t get a grip.
PVC, Glass, or Metal Walls: Iguana can never climb on the walls that have been made with the right design and material. The walls made up of bamboo, PVC, metal, or glass are almost impossible for iguanas to climb on. Any wall without any holes or gaps with smooth and solid surfaces made out of glass or metal is something they won’t be able to grip.
Cement Walls With Smooth & Flat Surface: Talking about the cement walls, an Iguana may be able to climb on some flat cement but still struggle with it. Cement walls are pretty smooth; it is common to see guana struggling to climb.
How To Prevent Iguanas From Climbing Walls?
The best way to prevent your Iguana from climbing a wall is by building one with smooth surfaces with no holes or gaps. If you habit of letting your pet Iguana roam freely around your home, then it can be concerning and quite a headache. Adding to this, there are a few walls and obstacles that your Iguana can quickly destroy using the sharp claws.
One of the best ways to prevent this is by using a glass plate. You can alternatively use Metal sheets also. At the bottom of the wall, either put a metal sheet or a glass plate to prevent them from getting a grip.
Just make sure that the metal sheets or the glass plates are a few feet high from the ground, making the Iguana unable to jump that high to get a grip. You don’t necessarily need highly tall glass plates or metal sheets. Before you purchase any glass plate or metal sheet, you need to know the pros and cons.
Interesting Further Reading
- 7 Safe Plants For Iguana Enclosure
- Can Iguanas Live With Other Reptiles?
- 9 Best Type Of Iguana For A Pet
Pros & Cons Of Using Glass Plates
Pros
People use glass plates to prevent Iguana from climbing the walls. Placing the glass plates at the bottom of your wall will prevent your pet from climbing, but it will also make your house more beautiful than the metal sheets.
Cons
Glass plates are more expensive to install compared to metal sheets. They are vulnerable to breakage also.
Pros & Cons Of Using Metal Sheets
Pros
Metal sheets tend to be very sturdy and can last for a long time. Placing this sheet at the bottom of your wall will have peace of mind when letting your Iguana roam around the house, and it is effective in stopping your Iguana from escaping. Plus, installing metal sheets is cheaper than glass plates.
Cons
The only disadvantage of using a metal sheet is that it is rusty depending on many external factors. Another thing is that it can look disgusting when placed at the bottom of your wall.
FAQ
Conclusion
Summary: By now, you know that Iguanas can climb on walls made out of material with gaps and holes that they can easily grip on. Walls made of Rock, wood, or brick give easy access to your Iguana to have a proper grip to climb on to.
If you want to prevent your Iguana from climbing the walls of your house, make sure to use some metal sheets or glass plates a few feet high from the bottom of the wall. If the walls around your house have some gap or are uneven, it can let your Iguana escape also.
It is better to have a bamboo, PVC, or metal wall with a smooth and solid design. You can also have glass walls practically impossible for Iguana to climb on. Having a cement wall can also be a poor Idea as it can still have lots of texture to give your Iguana enough grip to climb.
I hope you have all the knowledge about the question. Can Iguanas climb walls? If you have any questions regarding their ability to climb, consider sharing this article if you just appreciate our work. Your one share can make many people aware that their iguanas can also climb and escape from a textured, uneven wall that has gaps or has some holes.
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.