Like any other pet, Iguana also needs an especially tight that full feel their nutritional requirement and promote their further growth. Therefore if you don’t know the actual age of your Iguana, it can be tough to prepare a healthy diet. It can be very tough to provide proper care if you are unsure how old your Iguana is.
Like most reptiles, it can be challenging to determine your Iguana’s actual age without knowing when they hatched. So, It’s best to learn How To Tell How Old An Iguana Is? However, a few things can help you learn about the age of your Iguana, which will be discussed in this article.
All the methods mentioned below to determine the age of your beloved Iguana are at least an estimate. Therefore, let’s take a look at the multiple methods to determine the actual age of your Iguana so that you can provide them with a nutritious diet and take care of them better for improved life quality and longevity.
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Know This First: SVL Vs. STL
Before knowing how to tell how old an Iguana is, it is important to know how to measure them. When you talk about measuring a lizard, You will see two types of numbers stated: SVL and STL. Both are common ways to measure animals that come with a tale.
The SVL stands for snout to vent measurement, which is more accurate than the length of the full snout to tail tips. This is primarily because Iguanas usually lose their tail in the wild and even in captivity at some point in their life. When an Iguana loses its tail, it will regrow but take time, just like many other reptiles.
The second regrown tail will also be darker and shorter than the original one. Therefore, always measure your Iguana from snout to went. Iguana usually detaches their tail when they are frightened, threatened, or spooked In The Wild or in captivity. Now without wasting time, let’s talk about how to tell how old an Iguana is.
How To Tell How Old An Iguana Is?
There are two ways to get an estimate when it comes to knowing the actual age of any reptiles. Talking about Iguana, for the first years of its life, you can determine your pet’s age by measuring its length from head to tail.
On the other hand, another way to tell the estimated age of your pet is by gauging their age when they reach sexual maturity. If you want to get the most accurate measure and the age of your Iguana, contact the breeder or the Store from where you have adopted one.
Below are some methods that might not give you an exact age but provide a good idea. However, knowing the exact birth date helps you know the accurate age of your pet, which can only be done by contacting the breeder.
Ask The Breeder Or The Person From Whom You’re Buying
If you want to get an accurate age estimate of your Iguana, you will need to contact the breeder. The breeder is the only person to know the date of birth of your Iguana and tell the exact age. It is not easy, though, to contact the breeder in most cases.
If you have adopted an Iguana from a pet store, it cannot be easy to get information about the breeder. Adopting an Iguana from a pet store has its disadvantage. Stores keep breeder information credentials hidden, making it impossible for buyers to contact them.
Therefore, it can also be difficult to figure out what exact breeder you need to contact. It can also be tough for a breeder to determine the exact age of the Iguana you purchased since they breed so many lizards. You don’t always have information to track the Iguana from the breeder to the buyer. Therefore, the Store from where you have adopted should be contacted.
Sometimes, pet keepers and stores will provide age information when purchasing. If this is not the case and the Store never keeps a record of their pet’s age, then below are other few methods. Some stores had the date when they received a pet from selling to the breeder.
From that date, you can have an estimated idea of the actual birth of your Iguana. It should come with the paper if the Iguana has been adopted from a reputable store or breeder.
All in all, this can either be hit or miss. Some people have lots of information on the pets their selling, including the health information, whereas others have nothing. Some stores might also provide you with the contact number of the breeder, but it is rare.
Determine The Sexual Maturity Of Your Iguana.
If an Iguana is sexually matured, it might be at least 8-12 months old. If your Iguana is not sexually mature, they are still younger than this. To learn about the sexual maturity of your Iguana, you should consider checking under your pet’s tail for bulges.
If there is any bulge, your pet is sexually mature. Before sexual maturity, the stone will have no bulge at all. Using this method, you can also determine the actual gender. This method is the last resort if you cannot determine the actual age of your pet through other means.
At least, you will know your Iguana is less than a year old if they are not sexually mature. Once you notice lumps, your Iguana should be about 8-12 months old.
Interesting Further Reading
- How To Make Your Iguana Like You? (5 Easy Ways)
- Can Blue And Green Iguanas Mate?
- 3 Ways To Tell If Iguana Is Male Or Female
Measure Your Iguana
Another excellent way to get an estimated age of your Iguana is by measuring your pet. Remember that this is only effective if your Iguana is yet to grow fully. If your Iguana is under a year old, it will be sexually mature.
If an Iguana is sexually matured, it might be almost impossible to pinpoint the actual age of your stone. If you multiple iguanas, you can compare the female with the male ones. Usually, a female Iguana has a shorter body than a male of the same species.
The female should measure up to an inch shorter than the male Iguana. Plus, the growth of a female Iguana also slows down at the six-month mark. It is recommended to use a tape to measure your Iguana until they hit one year or they’re sexually matured. Almost all iguanas grow at the same rate, and you can use their size to determine the estimated age of your pet. Below is the size chart with the expected age of iguanas.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if you have picked out any Iguana from a local Store or rescued one; it is normal to be curious about their age. If your Iguana is not sexually mature, it is likely to be less than a year old. It’s a good idea to learn the general age of your young Iguana by identifying when it reaches sexual maturity.
If you want to get the most accurate information on the estimated age of your Iguana, consider contacting the breeder. Iguana tends to grow very rapidly for the first few years. Iguanas are sexually mature at around 8 12 months of age but fully much at around 2-3 years of age when the growth rate slows down.
In the fourth year stage, your Iguana is less likely to get any longer but will still increase weight. When it comes to determining the actual age of an Iguana, many factors come into play. I hope that after reading this, you will be able to have a better idea regarding your Iguana’s age. If you find this article, share it. Sharing this piece with others to let them know how to determine the age of their iguanas.
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.