Club-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura quinquecarinata)

Short answers

Club-tailed iguana: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×60×100 cm for one adult animal; a pair from ~150×70×120 cm.

Club-tailed iguana: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–32 °C (cooler area ~24–26 °C), basking spot 40–45 °C, at night 20–24 °C.

Club-tailed iguana: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB essential, high (an open-country sun species, Ferguson zone 3).

Club-tailed iguana: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 15+ years.

Club-tailed iguana: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–32 °C (cooler area ~24–26 °C)

Night temperature

20–24 °C

Basking spot

40–45 °C

Humidity

50–70 % (dry forest; briefly higher in the morning through misting)

UVB

UVB essential, high (an open-country sun species, Ferguson zone 3)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×60×100 cm for one adult animal; a pair from ~150×70×120 cm

Substrate

A sand and soil mix they can dig in, with stones; a climbing branch or cork tube (semi-arboreal, it uses tree hollows)

Feeding

Food

Omnivorous, with adults mainly plant-eating (leaves, flowers, vegetables) plus insects; juveniles take more insects

Feeding interval

adults plant food daily to every other day, insects 1–2×/week; juveniles insects more often

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 30–50 cm total length including the tail (SVL of males up to ~26–35 cm)

Life expectancy

approx. 15+ years

Origin

The dry forests of Central America (including the Oaxaca region, Mexico)

Protection status

Not listed under CITES, but IUCN "Endangered"; protected in the countries of origin → captive-bred animals are recommended, check the origin

Brumation

No real winter rest; a slightly cooler, drier rest period (a few weeks) to stimulate breeding is possible

Cohabitation

Keep singly or as a harem with one male and several females; with limited space, keep singly as a rule. Never house males together - they are strongly territorial and tolerate no rival.

Notes

A rare, specialised species (the smallest to medium-sized Ctenosaura). Semi-arboreal, using tree holes; a strong, armoured tail for defence. Taxonomically separated from C. flavidorsalis → the data are partly inconsistent. IUCN threatened.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

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Related species

• Cape spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura hemilopha) – Intermediate
• Guatemalan spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura palearis) – Expert
• Northeastern spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura acanthura) – Expert
• Mexican spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) – Intermediate
• Oaxaca spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura oaxacana) – Expert
• Roatán spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura oedirhina) – Expert
• Black-chested spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura melanosterna) – Expert
• Black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Club-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura quinquecarinata) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×60×100 cm for one adult animal; a pair from ~150×70×120 cm), substrate (A sand and soil mix they can dig in, with stones; a climbing branch or cork tube (semi-arboreal, it uses tree hollows)), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.