Starter Kits Special Offer! -50% OFF ALL LIVESTOCK

Due to its immense popularity last year, we are continuing with our 50% OFF ALL LIVESTOCK when purchased with one of our full starter kits. This covers any animal/group of animals up to £300 in value, for animals over £300 you still get £150 off their standard price when purchased with a full starter kit. 

Desert Igunan’s (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) are a small iguanid lizard native to the southwestern USA from the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts as well as some islands in the Gulf of California and northern Mexico. This is a sun loving diurnal species that has a higher temperature tolerance (and temperature preference) than many of other desert dwelling reptiles. They will remain out and active even into the low 40C’s only retreating down a burrow for shade and shelter once the ambient temperature reaches mid 40C’s. Throughout most of their range they live in amongst creosote bushes in rocky, sandy environments but in the southern end of their range they are also found in scrub and dry woodland. They are well adapted to dig their own burrows in the sandy soils but will also make use of other animal’s burrows such as those from foxes and desert tortoises. In captivity they need an arid environment with plenty of scope to dig their own burrows.

They are primarily vegetarian but they will eat insects readily if offered, in captivity we feed ours 90% insects and 10% insects with bee pollen offered as an additional occasional food source.

Once common in the reptile keeping hobby (between the 1990’s and early 2000’s) they used to be a pet shop regular species due to their ease of care and personable nature. Unfortunately, almost all of these were Wild caught individuals that used to be regularly imported from the USA and Mexico. Since the wild caught import was (rightly) stopped this species has almost vanished from the reptile keeping hobby due to difficulties in breeding them in captivity and the lack of people attempting it. In order to breed the adults need a very significant seasonal cycling both in terms of temperature/ lighting and dietary cycling. We were fortunate enough that one of our pairs produced a viable clutch this season and these offspring are our own store bred individuals. They make an excellent pet species and are suitable for both beginners and seasoned enthusiasts not to mention having widespread nostalgic appeal to those keepers that perhaps were keeping them 15-20 years ago…

Like most species that we sell, these Desert Iguana were bred by us right here in store.

If you wish to buy a Desert Iguana you can come visit us at our reptile shop or if you want us to ship live reptiles to you we can via a specialist courier, please contact us through our website, social media or by telephone to arrange this.