Iguanas are so cheap because most stores pay pennies for them. You have to know what the correct iguana price is so that you can make a smart purchase. Iguanas are shipped by the dozens or hundreds to pet stores. However, don’t let the cheap price fool you. Most of the time, when pet stores receive such large numbers of iguanas, they cannot provide enough care for them. Iguanas are reptiles that need the right conditions to live. They need things like UVB lights, the right kinds of food, space, and warmth. The price of the iguana is not only made up of the initial price; it’s the total cost of caring for the iguana that tends to surprise people. It’s crazy that most pet stores don’t even carry the proper items to care for your iguana. Sometimes they can give you prepackaged food. Iguanas can’t eat those things. Iguanas are herbivorous and need natural greens like kale and mustard greens. They are not like dogs that can eat wet and dry dog food.
let’s talk numbers
Iguanas can be purchased for less than $20.00. That is very affordable! There are so many iguanas available out there and the demand is low. As long as the demand is low and the supply is high, the price will remain as low as it is. There are also many unlicensed people selling iguanas at extremely low prices. They shouldn’t be selling these iguanas because it’s illegal to sell an exotic animal without a license, but they also have an effect on the market and the price. When you buy an iguana, you have several other purchases to make. You have to go through a big cage. Iguanas are exotic animals from tropical jungle areas. They love large areas and love to climb. A large cage can cost at least $200. You also have to put UVB lights in the cage. You need to buy dishes for food and water. You also have to buy a litter box to keep the cage clean. All of those items can cost up to $50 total. You probably don’t want to put your iguana’s cage right next to an electrical outlet, so you may need to purchase an extension cord if you don’t already have one.
Since you need to provide some extra light for the iguana, it will cost you on your electric bill. The iguana also needs to eat. However, you can’t just buy any food. Since iguanas are vegetarian, you should buy fresh vegetables for them. All of this can add up to around $50 to $100 per month. Unfortunately, iguanas carry salmonella disease because they love to lick everything in sight. Make sure you have enough money for vet office visits.
It would probably make more sense if iguanas sold for over $100 in stores. This way, people would think twice before buying them. They would probably do more research instead of buying them on instinct. If people were more prepared, most iguanas would start living fully for twenty plus years instead of three years or twelve to fifteen.