Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)

Short answers

Marine iguana: How big does the enclosure need to be?

Not suited to being kept in a terrarium.

Marine iguana: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: up to ~12 years in the wild, sometimes older.

Marine iguana: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Marine iguana: Can several be kept together?

Colonial in the wild, though this has no bearing on keeping the species.

Marine iguana: How big do they get?

Adult size: approx. 1.0–1.3 m total length (males), varying greatly with the island and subspecies.

Climate

Daytime temperature

—

Night temperature

—

Basking spot

—

Humidity

—

UVB

—

Enclosure

Minimum size

Not suited to being kept in a terrarium

Substrate

—

Feeding

Food

In the wild almost exclusively marine algae (highly specialised); this cannot be replicated properly in a terrarium

Feeding interval

—

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 1.0–1.3 m total length (males), varying greatly with the island and subspecies

Life expectancy

up to ~12 years in the wild, sometimes older

Origin

Only the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador)

Protection status

CITES Appendix II; Galápagos National Park / a UNESCO World Heritage Site, strictly protected, with an export ban. Keeping it is practically neither legal nor possible

Brumation

—

Cohabitation

Colonial in the wild, though this has no bearing on keeping the species. Outside the short breeding season in December/January, marine iguanas are gregarious and lie tightly packed in large colonies; only during the breeding season do males defend small territories against rivals. The previous text about rank fights over territory did not fit: conflict is the exception in this species, not the rule.

Notes

The only marine lizard in the world. It feeds on marine algae and needs salt water, surf, working salt glands and cool algae beds → keeping it properly in a terrarium is fundamentally impossible. NOT a pet, and not legally available. This entry is purely for information.

Do you keep this species?

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

Look for Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Anegada ground iguana (Cyclura pinguis) – Expert
• Grand Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi) – Expert
• Common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) – Intermediate
• Cape spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura hemilopha) – Intermediate
• Fiji banded iguana (Brachylophus fasciatus) – Expert
• Green iguana (Iguana iguana) – Intermediate to expert
• Guatemalan spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura palearis) – Expert
• Helmeted iguana (Corytophanes cristatus) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (Not suited to being kept in a terrarium), substrate (—), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.