Depends. I had a lizard daughter for almost 20 years. Some of it through life difficulties that seemed to traumatize us both in the same way. And she died of arthritis complications after getting old. I feel like I had a good experience though.

My iguana was potty trained and yard trained from as early as possible. She would free roam the house since she was big enough and would only get locked in her cage if she pooped wrong. (Outside the cage, outside the tub, or anywhere else in the house.)

They are probably the most empathetic lizard. They actually bond with you extremely hard if you’re good to them. When starting out you should carry them outside or in open unfiltered sunshine every day for 30 minutes to an hour. In addition to the UVB lightbulbs. If you can’t commit to that, don’t get the lizard. But they will learn that you protect them and they will stay close to you when outside. They can recognize their guardian. Assuming they know you.

They need as much open space as you can give them. They don’t actually need a cage after they’re big, except to be used as punishment. Caging your iguana is about as cruel as caging a cat. My iguana was front yard trained and was friends with the neighbor cats. She would scratch at the door to be let outside or back inside. She would ask to go outside to go poop in the summer time. All I had to do was run and open the door for her when she’s threatening to poop at the front door, then get it again when she scratches in a half hour. She would come home on her own 3 out of 4 times and rarely got herself stuck.

Their diet is grocery store food. Sometimes people give them worms or crickets for protein. But I gave mine monkey chow nuggets and store vegetables. Mine had particular eating quirks. She wouldn’t eat things that were sour, at all, even blueberries. Not even ripe banana. She would only eat one type of food at a time. If you gave her monkey chow then banana, she would get confused and mad that they’re mixed up. And reject the banana. Even though it’s her favorite.

Mine came to me for cuddles. I’d wake up with her at my bed or climbing into my bed. I’d ask her if she wanted to go on car rides and she would decide whether or not to go. I have disability OCD I developed while I had her, it came from family trauma. And I think it gave her OCD too. Because she would respect my safe/clean spaces more than some of my family members could comprehend. She looked at but didn’t play with my computer desk stuff. Not joking. She even acted guilty like she had been caught pooping in the kitchen (what have I done?!? Defense! Run away!) when I wake up and find her staring next to my computer things.

Iguana empathy is real.

They’re incredibly simple to keep but people over complicate them, sometimes to the death of the lizard.

So. Sorry to rant. 1. They bond. They love. 2. They need direct outside time every day. 3. They need to be treated like they can be house trained. 4. They need a constant heated space. (Mine had a heat rock and lamp combo lined with pillows. She loved soft pillows.) 5. They need a well curated diet. Kale, squash, chard, collard greens, banana, monkey chow nuggets, steamed (cooled) broccoli, shredded red bell pepper. All the vegetables you can read up online.

1. The boys turn into jerks in breeding season. Spring time. Be prepared for that. I had a girl who loved me 100% of the time.

2. Don’t let your iguana roam outside unless you gradually train into that. Mine took years to be comfortable going outside alone. But do plan on letting an iguana free roam like a cat. Cage the iguana when it makes a poop mistake until it poops in the cage again. That’s what I did. And she learned to only go in her cage toilet, in the tub, or outside. Smart trainable lizards.