A few times a year, Nicole Wyre takes a stroll around pet shops in Mong Kok. She's on the lookout for any new animals available to local residents. Last month, she spotted a new lizard in town - a green iguana, also known as the common iguana.
'What we used to see in pet stores were a lot of chameleons, now they are selling iguanas, which I've never seen before in Hong Kong,' says Wyre, an American veterinarian who treats animals and reptiles at the Tai Wai Small Animal and Exotic Hospital.
According to Wyre, many iguana owners may not be aware that small six-inch iguana hatchlings can grow to five- to six-feet long. 'The biggest thing that people need to understand is that iguanas can become huge ... and therefore need large enclosures or even an entire room set aside for them,' she says.
Wyre says the cold-blooded creatures need specific heat and lighting requirements that can be expensive. Owners can expect their lizard to live up to 15 years. However, once the decision has been made to purchase an iguana, Wyre suggests booking an appointment with an exotic veterinarian for a complete body check and nutritional consultation.
Wyre has owned about 15 snakes, bearded dragons and iguanas over the years. For those who want a lizard, the veterinarian recommends getting a bearded dragon, which will stay smaller in size and be less aggressive. 'I have owned many species of reptiles and the iguana is by far the most difficult and expensive pet to own,' she says. Wyre explains iguanas waste no internal energy and are extremely efficient creatures. An iguana's body temperature, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure and immune system are '100 per cent related to the outside temperature'.
A common problem Wyre encounters is owners trying to feed their iguana a high protein diet such as cat or dog food, or eggs, which can lead to developmental and bone issues from not enough calcium in their diet. 'Nutritional deficiencies and excess of protein, for example, are the most common problems seen in young iguanas,' she says.