You probably know that iguanas are from tropical areas. This makes you think that overheating is not a common problem, but it is. In the wild, iguanas can protect themselves from the sun any time they need it. In captivity, they rely on you to keep their temperature in a proper range and provide them with a cooler area to go.
It is very important that you have some thermometers in your iguana’s enclosure. This will allow you to control the temperature and do something if it gets too hot. You should try to have at least three thermometers spread throughout the room.
The placement of the thermometers is also important. If you intend to use one to monitor the temperature in the middle of the enclosure, placing it on a side wall will give you an inaccurate reading. Therefore, you must place the thermometer very close to the area you want to monitor.
If the temperature gets out of hand, you’ll want to know the signs of overheating in iguanas. The most noticeable symptom if he gasps and opens his mouth. If you feel it, it will probably feel hot to the touch.
If your iguana overheats, you should immediately remove it from the heat source. After being removed, it should cool down without further intervention. If you want to speed things up, you can put warm water in a bottle and spray it on.
You should also know that iguanas that become overheated are very susceptible to dehydration. Therefore, if your iguana is suffering from this condition, you need to ensure that it is rehydrated. The best way to do this is to feed him high-water content foods like lettuce and watermelon.