Life brings us many expected turns and twists. Sadly, there are certain times where we may need to give up our beloved pets to another trustworthy individual such as an unexpected move or an unforeseen financial crisis. Before you decide to give your iguana up for adoption make sure you really and truly can't take care of him anymore. Iguanas don't do well with change and would much rather stay with you. This is true even for a little mischievous juvenile- don't think that your new pet "hates you" either. It always takes time (i.e. months, sometimes up to a year) to get your new friend situated, calm and trusting of you.
With that being said, if you are looking into putting your iguana up for adoption keep in mind that it is your responsibility to find a safe, caring and financially capable home. Sometimes people are just looking for a cheap pet and aren't aware of all of the needs that iguanas have, so please check out the adoptive parents. This may sound crazy to some people but if I were in this situation, I'd even call references!
The first place I'd go to is any local herptological society, lizard/herp rescue, or just general animal shelter. Even if your local animal shelter doesn't take iguanas more often than not they can point you in the right direction.
Second, I would check out the Green Iguana Society's Adoption Board. There you can submit information about your iguana in hopes of someone locally looking for an iguana.
Third, I would also post on the Green Iguana Society's Message Board, and also any other reputable herp forums or blogs. You may just get lucky and meet someone who is willing to foster your iguana.
Finally, I would use www.craigslist.org. While not always being reliable, craigslist offers a valuable tool for networking with people in your area. You may just find the perfect new iguana mom or dad on there. However, before I would adopt out my iguana I would check references with the possible new owner- including personal references, job title, and would even visit their home. I would request further contact to make sure things were going well, too. Another word about craigslist, when you are looking to adopt out your iguana- be reasonable with the adoption fee. You don't want to set it too low (unless you find the perfect person) because many young kids or those not having the means to take care of an iguana may try and adopt. Setting it too high would just be unfair to those who are willing to adopt but would rather put that money towards a better quality of life for your iguana.
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