Dogs are man’s best friend.

That’s what we usually hear.

But would you believe if I tell you that iguanas can be your best friend, too?

Sure, we’ve heard a lot of stories about people treating dogs, cats, birds, and fishes as best friends.  But how many would want large reptiles like snakes and lizards as best friends?

If you’re an ordinary pet owner, you might take a rain check on taking care of an iguana.  But you’ll never know the joy being felt by those who dared to live up to the challenge.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons to have an iguana as a pet:

1.    Iguanas are vegetarians.

If you’re a pet owner, chances are, you have to go to a pet shop and buy food.  It’s bearable if you have to buy only the simple dog food or cat meal, but what if you have to buy mice?  Or worms, cockroaches, crickets, and the like? Most of the time you have to hold these tiny creatures and feed them to your pet – may they be affectionate or seemingly uncaring.

You don’t have to go to a pet shop to feed your iguana.  You can simply pick greens from your garden or buy fresh vegetables from the grocery.  Isn’t that simple?

2.    Iguanas usually hit it off with their owners.

Unlike some lizards and snakes, iguanas are known to interact with their loving caretakers.  Some would sleep beside their masters – evidence that iguanas can be very close to human beings.

Some are calm when held by their owners, but would twist and bite when held by a stranger.  Nevertheless, some are so tame that anyone can hold them.

Some iguanas would even allow their owners to dress them up in silly outfits.

3.    Iguanas live long.

We all would like to have a pet that would live very long since you’re going to invest emotion, not to mention money for food, medicine, and veterinary services.

While rats, hamsters, or bearded dragons may live only a few years, iguanas, like cats and dogs, may live up to 20 years.

Actually, the oldest iguana on record lived up to 29 years!

4.    No hair or fur will stick to your clothes or worse, get into your nose!

If you’re asthmatic, you very well know the difficulty of being around animals that would make you sick.  Iguanas, however, being reptiles, have none of the fur and hair that would send you to the hospital.

5.    Iguanas are very educational.

Children will learn a lot when they care for iguanas.  They have to know about temperature, rainforests, animal husbandry, importance of proper care of lizards, etc.

It maybe good to take note too that these lizards are distant relatives of dinosaurs and taking care of them will provide children with a venue for study of the prehistoric creatures.

Iguanas are good subjects for Show-and-Tell, research work, and the like as well.

As you can see, there are lots of reasons to become an iguana owner.  Why not live up to the challenge?  Go to your nearest pet shop and get an iguana for you and your family now!