Iguanas
Just the basics:
by Jamie Long

• Iguanas get VERY large (5-6 feet). In a year or two, you will need an enclosure at least 4 feet tall and 5 feet long! My 6-year-old iguana has a floor-to-ceiling cage. And NO, an iguana won't stay small if you keep it in a small enclosure.
  
  
• They get VERY strong and MUST be tamed. A 4-foot long un-tame iguana can be dangerous. My vet had his arm in a sling due to an iguana bite. More importantly, they will not stay tame automatically - they require regular handling to stay tame. With today's busy schedules, it's easy to go a week and realize that you haven't taken him out of his cage. And even very tame ones can sometimes turn ferocious.
  
  
• Iguanas have demanding diet and habitat needs.
  
  
• People under the age of 15 will ALMOST FOR SURE be unable to be the primary care giver for a large iguana. Iguanas live for 15 years or more, so it's a long-term commitment.
  
  
• It can be hard to get rid of an iguana once they get big. (Contrary to popular belief, the big ones don't sell for hundreds of dollars. They usually get destroyed at animal shelters. Zoos don't want them.)
  
  
• Just like Barbie, the retail price of the iguana itself is a trivial fraction of the money you will end up spending on him.