Kira, yes, unfortunately it is true. You gotta understand that herps aren't as popular here as in the USA or Europe, so when someone sees a huge lizard they go WOW it must be worth a lot, and if the right person comes along he may actually be willing to pay. Baby igs are all over the pet stores for sale. I myself got mine for 150 Hong Kong dollars, which is about $19 USD. I can get it for cheaper but this place guaranteed that they would take care of all the licenses and papers for me and they did, which is good. Other places become hesitant when I ask them about licenses, because 99% of the people here just buy them without a second thought about legality and don't know any better. I saw one place which was like selling baby igs for about $20 USD equivalent and giving out one bottle of free zoo med iguana feed with each purchase. But adults are very expensive because with the lack of knowledge (many don't care, many do care but no resources because most people here speak broken english at best, and there aren't much iguana manuals in chinese), so I presume most never grow up big. One other shop had a HEALTHY female iguana, about 5 ft snout to tail length and wants fifty thousand hong kong dollars for it!!! That's about $6500 USD. That expensive a lizard won't stay healthy for too long though as they are keeping it in a tiny cage and feeding it only lettuce. I would think that as business people, if they didn't care less about the animal's health, they would at LEAST care about the loss of money if it dies. I guess not.

I have seen two other adult iguanas for sale for reasonable prices. In fact, I was gonna buy one of them at first before I decided to get a baby one. That one was about 3.5 feet - 4 feet snout to tail length (I'm guesstimating) and he wanted 1100 HKD (roughly $140 USD) for it. Reasonable. It was in good health except it had a scarred dewlap, but I decided against buying her because she was already quite big and strong and NOT tame at all, and I didn't think I could handle her right off the bat. Another one was 6 feet snout to tail length and was for sale for about $450 USD, but it was all grey (no green whatsoever) and was starting to lose its health. The store guy said it was abandoned by a former customer. They stuck him in a very small box in the back, with heat but no UV. When I asked about iguanas, they were saying that "Someone had one that was 6 feet", not letting me in that it was hidden in a box in the back. When I talked to the guy more, and he was more friendly, he offered to show it to me and took me in the back. He opened the door and I was like WHAT THE HECK??? HALF the shop's space was behind the door, and there were all sorts of things there, like these free roaming giant, and I mean GIANT, turtles. Some were like 3 - 4 feet in length, some were like small baby turtles, crawling around the floor. The entire floor was covered with turtles!!!! He led me into a room where the iguana was hidden and there were a few other things on the side. I presume they stash the stuff they don't have a license for in the back, and only give hints and sell to people they trust or think they can trust.

Wow, that's so sad to hear. It really sucks to read about those that are so hungry for profit that they risk the health and well being of their investment. That's an insane amount on money. Makes no sence, but then again, little in the pet trade does. (shaking my head)
What were the condition of those poor turtles? I love turtles too, I have 3 big fatties that I love to spoil as well as my 2 Igs & 2 cats. Can't imagine they were doing too good free roaming and crouded like that on (probably a dirty)floor.

Kira, actually the TURTLES all seemed fine. In fact, the room was really clean, it was sort of furnished like what you'd expect of an office building. They weren't completely crowded so they can't move, and there was maybe like a foot's space between each of them if you can imagine, crawling around the floor. It was a BIG room. I didn't look to see if they had a UV source, but turtles seemed active and looked well (not that I know much about turtles). Perhaps they are more hardy than lizards and thus don't show signs of ill health as fast.

The LIZARDS on the other hand are pretty badly treated. Kept in too small enclosures, no UV etc. etc. I don't think it's that they are conciously thinking about risking their health to make money as in "I can save X dollars if I go without a UV light", I think it's just that they just plain don't care about the animals' health and are lazy to set them up. It's like they never even thought about it.

Well, at least that's good to hear about the turtles. But, still heartbreaking about the other animals in their care.
At least you got your baby out of there and in a good home.

replover,

That is an awesome picture and one beautiful Iguana!

Steve

Anthony, she is looking terrific! Fat and healthy! You are doing a great job with her.

Due to survival in a species where mature (alpha) males run off younger males, the iguana will keep female characteristics until they reach first heat. This prevents alpha males from running off young males before they can fend for themselves. There is security in number with this prey species.

So, all iguanas will look female until first heat when their hormones surge and the male characteristics come out. Then they either have to fight the alpha male for position (some submissive males are allowed to stay with the group) or they have to leave and find their own territory to establish.

So, could be a female or a male, hard to tell right now.

__________________
Regards,
Dominick
_____________________________________________
"Do you watch too much television? Did you do so as a toddler? Evidence tonight that it could be the cause of learning disorders, like attention deficit and hyperact-Ooooh, a kitty!" - Keith Olbermann

Dominick,
What is the AVERAGE size/age for it to reach first heat if it is male/female?
I always thought they get first heat at sexual maturity, which is 6" snout to vent length for males? Or is it a year or so after sexual maturity?

My females first season came when she was 2 years old.

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!