Teeth

They may not look like much, but the teeth in an iguana's mouth are extremely sharp. The teeth are triangle shaped with serrated edges. Iguana teeth will fall out after time. Right below the gum line another new tooth is waiting to take its place. As that tooth is coming in, a new one is being developed in its place. It's an unlimited process which will continue throughout the iguana's life.

Iguanas do not chew their food, but they do use their teeth to cut leaves into bite size pieces. Remember to always de-stem greens and chopped or shred vegetables into bite sized pieces. Stems can cause blockage in your iguana and it could lead to death if surgery is not performed quickly. Large pieces of vegetables can cause your iguana to choke.

Iguana Bites

Because the iguana’s teeth are used for ripping leaves, their teeth can cause serious injuries to its owner. The iguana can bite down and then pull away (ripping action). A person’s normal reaction when bitten is to pull away (from the iguana). By pulling away, this will actually cause more damage to the person. Try to have someone else help to release the iguana’s mouth. Spraying vinegar into the iguana’s mouth will usually make the iguana release itself and is not harmful to the lizard. Sometimes when an iguana attacks it will do a crocodile roll. The iguana will latch on and roll its body. Severe damage will most likely occur due to not only the bite itself, but from the iguana twisting your skin as its rolls.

A large number of attacks occur every year during the male breeding season. Although males are the cause of most iguana bites, females are also known to have attacked. Caution should always be taken when dealing with an iguana that you do not know or during breeding season.