It is good to know the different possible options that will help keep an Iguana warm. Sometimes, people depend on heat lamps as the only heat source for their Iguanas. Unfortunately, in case the light fails, or the power goes out, or you want to travel a short distance with your Iguana, etc., it can make you disoriented.
Knowing various ways to warm your lizard saves you from getting into such a problem. Primarily, heat is necessary for Iguanas to digest foods, run from danger, move muscles, catch prey, etc. The wild Iguanas have just the proper heat, which nature takes care of.
How To Keep Iguana Warm At Night?
The captivated species depend on us for their essentials. You can keep your Iguana warm by using heat packs, a blanket or pillowcase, a hot water bottle, or your car’s heating. We dig more on each option below.
5 Ways To Keep Iguana Warm At Night
Put Your Iguana In A Blanket/Pillowcase And Have It Close To Your Body
Suppose power goes out, the bulb blows unexpectedly, or you temporarily don’t have a heat lamp for different reasons. In that case, it’s pretty possible to protect your reptile lizard from getting cold. First of all, take notice of the temps inside the terrarium; the safe level is 65℉ and above. But anything below that requires your intervention.
A blanket or pillowcase is recommended to help warm up an Iguana. You don’t want your animal friend to stay in temperatures below average; it’s unsafe. Gently wrap your reptilian friend in a blanket or pillowcase and close it to your body. Be watchful on the lizard not to suffocate it.
That way, the lizard will use your body heat to warm itself. It will also be helpful to place a blanket over the terrarium when the power goes out. The blanket will help to retain heat. Use a thermometer regularly to ensure adequate temperature.
You are rubbing on Iguana to keep it warm. It’s enough to cover your Iguana with a blanket; keeping it close to your body can help it generate some heat to keep warm.
Use Heat Packs
A cheaper alternative to keep your Iguana warm is using heat packs. Please avoid your Iguana being in direct contact with the heat packs or any other material you use for warming up at all costs. A heat pack, e.g., a rechargeable portable heat pad/pack (soft pink), does a beautiful job raising the Iguana’s temps in the terrarium.
The good thing with quality heat packs is their ability to emit heat for many hours. Other heat packs to use are hand warmers and self-heating pads. Simply put a hand warmer inside a material like a sock to avoid burning your Iguana.
The self-heating pads tend to hold and reflect the body’s heat. Gently wrap your Iguana in a self-heating pillow or blanket, and then you may want to use an additional heat pack for extra warmth.
Use Hot Water Bottles And Put Them Inside A Foam Box
You can also consider using a hot water bottle to warm up your Iguana. Two bottles of hot water are enough for one terrarium. Put the bottle(s) inside a foam box and then place it in the terrarium. The foam box maintains the temperature while the hot water bottle acts as a heating source.
You can also set the bottles around the cage and keep them out of reach from the Iguana to prevent direct contact. Covering the bottles with a cloth or blanket before introducing them into the cell is also viable.
It’s a great solution to help keep any Iguana warm. Using grain pillows instead of hot water bottles has proven effective and reliable. You can also keep your Iguana warm by putting a hot bottle in a box in its tank.
Get In The Car And Use Car’s Heating
You may also consider warming up your Iguana using the car’s heating. In this case, carefully wrap the Iguana in a blanket first and warm it in the vehicle if you have one. You do it by turning the car’s heating on and then putting the lizard under it.
The car provides sufficient warmth, and your Iguana should get very warm. However, some Iguanas don’t appreciate being wrapped or handled for a long time, and if that’s the case with your lizard, don’t depend on the car’s heating.
Get A Heating Source
While all the tips we have discussed will help maintain the terrarium temps at their favorable level, sticking to using forever isn’t commended. These are the only viable options to follow when facing a heating emergency like bulb shortage, power outage, etc.
However, Iguanas will thrive well when living under good conditions. It’s, therefore, necessary to get a heating source for any Iguana. These lizards are desert inhabitants, and their cold-blooded nature requires them to live under hot external heat sources to stay warm.
Henceforth, the best thing you can do for your Iguana is set up heat lamps in the terrarium. The heat lamp provides appropriate basking spots where Iguanas receive heat and ultraviolet rays. Bulbs with high wattage emit a more significant amount of heat.
Nighttime Temperatures for Iguanas
While Iguanas are used to cooler temperatures at night, you should be careful that your Iguana doesn’t get too cold. This is just as dangerous as overheating and can make your Iguana ill. We’d recommend monitoring the temperature inside your Iguana tank and making sure the night temperature inside the vivarium never drops below 18℃.
You can do this will a thermostat, which is easy and cheap to pick up on Amazon. Once attached to a heat source, you can program your thermostat to turn the heat lamp on whenever the temperature drops below 18℃.
It’s normal for your Iguana to feel cold to the touch in the morning (this is normal for cold-blooded reptiles who use their environment to regulate their body temperature). You should only worry if the temperature in your tank has drastically fallen.
Interesting Further Reading
- How Long Can An Iguana Live Without Heat?
- Do Iguanas Need Uvb: How Much Uvb Do Iguanas Need?
- How Long Does It Take For An Iguana To Grow?
Nighttime heating options for Iguanas
If your house is freezing at night, you may need to install nighttime heating to keep your Iguana warm. Here are the different options.
CERAMIC LAMP
A ceramic lamp is perfect for nighttime heating as it doesn’t emit light (and won’t disturb your Iguana’s natural sleeping pattern). You’ll find loads of great value ceramic lamps on Amazon. Just make sure it’s attached to a thermostat and only turns on when the temperature drops below 18℃.
INFRARED NIGHTTIME BULB
Another good option is an infrared bulb. You can pick one up for less than £10 on Amazon, and the glow from this type of bulb won’t disturb your Iguana’s sleep. Remember that an infrared bulb won’t last as long as a ceramic lamp.
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.
