Skin Disorders in Iguanas

Iguanas are a member of the lizard family and include many species such as the Green Iguana, the Fijian Banded Iguana and the Fijian Crested Iguana. The most common type of iguana kept as a pet is the Green Iguana which is native to Mexico and South American countries such as Brazil.



There are many important things to know if you're going to have a pet iguana, including the type of environment and food they need to stay healthy and different conditions that can affect them such as skin disorders and how to treat them. Iguanas are aggressive, high-maintenance pets that are difficult to keep, especially when they grow to their full size of 5 to 6 feet.

  1. Skin Blackening Syndrome

    • Although some iguanas from certain areas have a normal brown or tan color instead of the usual green, it is never normal for an iguana's coloring to turn black. If your iguana started out green and then turned black, it is a sign that something is wrong, either with the iguana or its environment. This color shift can be caused from severe stress, which can be brought on from a variety of reasons such as coming into contact with a dominant and aggressive iguana. Removing your iguana from the stressful situation will usually cause the color to return to normal..

      An all-over crusty-looking black appearance is usually caused from things such as an overcrowded, unclean tank or an improper diet.

      Soaking the iguana daily in warm povidone-iodine and water baths and making sure the animal is properly housed and fed will cause the black scabby skin to split and shed off.

    Mites

    • Mites can also cause skin irritations and infections in your iguana. Mites are blood-sucking parasites which are the most active at night. They will cause crusty, scabby and weeping areas on the iguana especially where the scales are small and thin and the blood is easiest to get to, such as around the head, neck and armpits, or if there are any open scratches on the skin. If you notice any of these symptoms in your iguana you should immediately take it to a veterinarian because if left untreated, the infection can spread to the blood and other organs and eventually result in death.

    Vesicular Dermatitis

    • Vesicular dermatitis, also called the blister disease, is caused from keeping the iguana in a moist and dirty environment. As the animal lies on damp ground saturated with urine, water or rotting food, the skin will become irritated and form watery blisters. As the condition becomes worse, the skin will rot away from the blister, leaving even more open areas. The infection can also pass into the body and cause septicemia, an infection of the blood which can be fatal.

      Keeping the iguana's environment clean and dry is the best way to prevent this skin condition. If you notice the blisters, you can soak the iguana daily in a bath of water and povidone-iodine.

    Burns

    • Burns are another skin condition that can affect an iguana if it is kept in an environment that is too hot, or is in too close contact with heat sources such as overhead lights or under-tank thermal pads. The burns can cause blackened patches of skin or fluid-filled blister clusters. Mild burns can be treated with daily soaks in povidone-iodine with water, and over-the-counter burn ointment. More serious burns should be treated by a veterinarian as it can destroy the skin and leave the iguana susceptible to bacterial infections.

    Topical Salmonella

    • Crusty blisters or bumps with no apparent external cause can sometimes be caused by a disorder known as Topical Salmonella. If you can't find a reason for the blisters such as a damp, dirty cage or a thermal burn, you can try treating them for a few days with topical antibiotic ointment or anti-fungal ointment to see if they disappear. If the blisters are still not healed you should consult with a veterinarian.