The helmut iguana is a mysterious creature and they are not found widely throughout the world and are can be found in the warmth and sun of Costa Rica. It's most recognized feature is it's helmut shaped head as it appears as though it is wearing a helmet on it s head and is named accordingly so. It is also found in other tropical settings such as Mexico and other Central American countries where it has warm climates and access to low trees and other forms of greenery.

The Helmut Iguana: Forest Chameleon?

The helmut iguana has other tell tale characteristics besides it's fantastic helmeted head such as a slender body that has the appearance of being squeezed in supported by long limbs. The tail is twice as long as the front of the helmut iguana and is used to defend itself against predators by swiping at the predator with his tail and biting. It is often called the forest chameleon because of the colors and it's ability to hide very well in the bushes and tree limbs. The helmut iguana is generally colored with a wide array of browns, grays and even olive colored with markings of these colors in all kinds of shades.

The helmut iguana generally eats small crawly bugs like earthworms, spiders, and grasshoppers in the wild however, if you have a helmut iguana captive, it is recommended to provide calcium supplements as well as vitamin supplements. Iguana species are known to get their supply of calcium from the sun, which helps the iguana to absorb calcium so it is essential to provide the iguana with a supplement.

The Helmut Iguana in Captivity

Although the helmut iguana is not the most common iguana held in captivity and is most definitely not one that you will often see in the pet store, there are many people who have been able to locate and get a helmut iguana. They are typically the same care as any other lizard or iguana species with the exception that they are not limited to water and require a large and spacious environment so that they can flourish. The helmut iguana also requires a large variety of plants and branches and should be out of the water as well and in so that the iguana can climb on them.

The helmut iguana also requires a lot of moisture as well as ultraviolet light and the temperature should be maintained at 26-32 degrees Celsius. In order to provide the required amount of humidity, it is generally easily achieved by very gently heating the water dish. There should also be some type of system that will spray the helmut iguana or alternatively, you can choose to spray the iguana with a water bottle periodically.