Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura bakeri) Care Sheet
The Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura bakeri), also known as Baker’s Spiny-Tailed Iguana, is a highly specialised and critically endangered iguana found only on the island of Utila in Honduras.
Unlike many better-known Ctenosaura, this species is strongly associated with mangrove habitat, particularly coastal and swampy areas containing dense roots, trunks, branches and nearby sandy nesting sites. It is primarily arboreal and makes extensive use of elevated perches within mangrove vegetation.
Because of its tiny natural range, conservation status and regulated international trade, Ctenosaura bakeri should never be treated as an ordinary commodity pet. Captive animals should come only from clearly documented legal captive-breeding stock.
Successful husbandry requires:
- A large, tall enclosure
- Extensive heavy climbing structure
- Strong visible lighting
- Appropriate high-quality UVB
- A broad basking area
- Warm daytime temperatures
- Moderate-to-high humidity with excellent ventilation
- Deep substrate and secure retreats
- Access to fresh water
- A predominantly herbivorous adult diet
- Careful seasonal management
- Minimal forced handling
- Strict attention to legal provenance
Quick facts
Scientific name: Ctenosaura bakeri
Common names: Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana, Baker’s Spiny-Tailed Iguana
Family: Iguanidae
Distribution: Utila Island, Bay Islands, Honduras
Lifestyle: Primarily arboreal/scansorial, with terrestrial nesting activity
Activity: Diurnal
Adult size: Males approximately 31.5 cm (12.4 in) snout-to-vent length; females approximately 23 cm (9 in) SVL, with total length substantially greater because of the tail
Diet: Predominantly herbivorous as adults, with opportunistic animal prey
Day ambient temperature: Approximately 27–30°C (81–86°F)
Basking surface: Approximately 38–42°C (100–108°F)
Cool area: Approximately 24–27°C (75–81°F)
Night temperature: Approximately 21–24°C (70–75°F)
General humidity: Approximately 60–80%, with good ventilation and natural fluctuations
UVB: Essential for high-quality long-term husbandry
Suggested basking UVI: Approximately 4–6, with shaded retreats below 1 and areas approaching zero
Adult enclosure: At least approximately 180 × 90 × 180 cm (6 × 3 × 6 ft) for one adult; larger strongly preferred
Housing: Individual housing safest
Reproduction: Egg-laying
Conservation: Critically Endangered
International trade: CITES Appendix II
Experience level: Advanced/specialist
Taxonomy
The accepted scientific name is:
Ctenosaura bakeri
It belongs to:
Family: Iguanidae
Genus: Ctenosaura
The Reptile Database recognises Ctenosaura bakeri as a valid species with no currently recognised subspecies.
Older literature may use:
Enyaliosaurus bakeri
or occasionally place the species within the subgenus Loganiosaura.
Common names
Common names include:
- Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana
- Baker’s Spiny-Tailed Iguana
- Swamper
- Wishiwilly
- Garrobo
The name “Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana” is particularly useful because it reflects the species’ extremely restricted geographic origin.
Distribution
Ctenosaura bakeri is endemic to:
Utila Island, Honduras.
It is not naturally distributed across mainland Central America or neighbouring Bay Islands.
Restricted range
The species has one of the smallest ranges of any Ctenosaura.
Historical assessments estimated its total range at approximately:
10 km²
with nesting habitat restricted to roughly:
100 hectares of suitable beach habitat.
This extremely small distribution is one reason the species is of major conservation concern.
Natural habitat
The Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana is unusual among iguanas because it is strongly associated with:
mangrove forest.
The IUCN action plan describes the species as occurring almost exclusively within the dynamic mangrove habitat of Utila.
Typical habitat includes:
- White mangroves
- Red mangroves
- Coastal swamp
- Dense root networks
- Driftwood
- Elevated branches
- High humidity
- Nearby sandy nesting areas
Arboreal behaviour
The species is substantially more arboreal than many larger Ctenosaura.
Adults frequently use:
- Branches
- Mangrove trunks
- Roots
- Elevated basking positions
Captive housing should therefore emphasise:
height and climbing opportunity.
Terrestrial activity
Although strongly arboreal, animals descend to:
- Forage
- Move between habitat patches
- Search for nest sites
Females must leave mangrove habitat to access suitable:
dry sandy nesting areas.
Mangroves and nesting
One of the most unusual aspects of the species’ ecology is the separation between:
- Wet mangrove living habitat
- Drier sandy nesting areas
A captive female therefore needs access to deep, warm, relatively well-drained nesting substrate even though the general enclosure is more humid than that of many other spiny-tailed iguanas.
Activity
Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguanas are:
diurnal.
They require bright daytime illumination and reliable basking opportunities.
Basking
Provide a large, elevated basking platform or branch capable of warming the:
whole animal.
A tiny concentrated hotspot is inferior to a broad basking zone.
Enclosure size
For one adult, provide at least approximately:
180 × 90 × 180 cm (6 × 3 × 6 ft).
Because this species is substantially arboreal, height should not be sacrificed.
Preferred housing
Where possible:
240 × 120 × 200 cm (8 × 4 × 6½ ft)
or larger is preferable.
Large planted walk-in enclosures are particularly appropriate for adult males.
Why generous space matters
A larger enclosure provides:
- Better thermal gradients
- More climbing routes
- More basking positions
- Greater visual security
- More exercise
- Better separation of wet and dry microhabitats
Enclosure orientation
Housing should be:
tall, deep and structurally complex.
Climbing structure
Provide a dense network of:
- Thick branches
- Cork tubes
- Trunks
- Root structures
- Shelves
- Elevated platforms
Branch thickness
Provide several branch diameters.
Large adults should have stable perches thick enough to support:
- Body
- Feet
- Tail
comfortably.
Horizontal perches
Horizontal and gently sloping branches are particularly useful beneath:
- Heat
- UVB
Vertical climbing
Also include:
- Vertical trunks
- Rough bark
- Textured backgrounds
to increase usable surface area.
Branch security
Every heavy branch must be:
firmly anchored.
Large iguanas can dislodge poorly secured furnishings.
Dense foliage
Provide substantial visual cover using:
- Live plants
- Artificial foliage
- Branch clusters
Suitable planting
Possible robust plants include:
- Ficus
- Hibiscus
- Schefflera
- Pothos
- Philodendron
provided they are non-toxic and able to tolerate the enclosure.
Plant damage
Adult iguanas may:
- Climb through plants
- Break branches
- Eat leaves
- Dig roots
Plants should be considered both décor and enrichment rather than permanent untouched landscaping.
Visual barriers
A nervous iguana should be able to retreat from direct view.
Covering or heavily furnishing:
two to three enclosure sides
is often useful.
Hides
Provide multiple secure refuges such as:
- Cork tubes
- Hollow logs
- Artificial tree cavities
- Dense elevated foliage
- Ground-level shelters
Warm hide
Provide at least one secure retreat toward the:
warm side.
Cool hide
Provide another retreat in the:
cooler area.
Substrate
Suitable substrates include mixes of:
- Organic topsoil
- Coco fibre
- Fine bark
- Sand
- Leaf litter
General substrate depth
Provide approximately:
10–15 cm (4–6 in)
across most of the floor.
Deeper substrate sections
Provide deeper sections around:
20–30 cm (8–12 in)
where practical.
These improve:
- Digging opportunity
- Humidity gradients
- Naturalistic behaviour
Female nesting area
Adult females require access to:
deep, dry-to-slightly-moist, diggable nesting substrate.
Provide approximately:
30–45 cm (12–18 in)
depth as a useful minimum.
Nesting substrate
A good mixture can contain:
- Soil
- Sand
- Small amounts of coco fibre
It should:
- Hold a tunnel
- Remain slightly moist below the surface
- Not be saturated
- Be warm enough to encourage laying
Temperature
Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguanas require strong daytime warmth with:
substantial cooler retreats.
Day ambient temperature
Maintain most of the enclosure around:
27–30°C (81–86°F).
Warm upper zone
Elevated areas around the basking site may reach:
30–32°C (86–90°F).
Basking surface
Provide approximately:
38–42°C (100–108°F)
across a broad basking surface.
Cool area
Maintain cooler shaded areas around:
24–27°C (75–81°F).
Thermal choice
The animal should always be able to choose among:
- Hot exposed basking
- Warm branches
- Shaded foliage
- Cool retreat
- Moist substrate
Night temperature
Allow nighttime temperatures to fall toward approximately:
21–24°C (70–75°F).
Seasonal variation
Utila has seasonal changes in:
- Rainfall
- Temperature
- Day length
Captive animals benefit from modest seasonal changes rather than exactly identical conditions all year.
Heating
Use overhead:
halogen flood lamps
or comparable radiant heat sources.
Broad heating
Large animals benefit from multiple overlapping lamps rather than one narrow high-intensity spot.
Thermostat
Use suitable thermostatic control or independent safety regulation.
Monitoring temperatures
Use:
- Digital air thermometers
- Infrared thermometer
to measure:
- Warm air
- Cool air
- Basking branches
- Nesting areas
Lighting
This is a diurnal, visually oriented iguana.
Provide:
bright daytime illumination.
Visible-spectrum lighting
High-output LED or daylight lighting can supplement:
- UVB
- Basking lamps
to create a properly bright enclosure.
Photoperiod
Approximately:
12 hours light / 12 hours dark
is a useful general baseline.
A moderate seasonal adjustment is appropriate.
Night lighting
Provide:
complete darkness at night.
Avoid permanently illuminated coloured bulbs.
UVB
Strong appropriate UVB is essential.
Suggested UV Index
Provide approximately:
UVI 4–6
at the principal exposed basking perch.
UV gradient
Also provide:
- UVI 2–3 in partially shaded branches
- UVI below 1 in heavy foliage
- Retreats approaching UVI 0
UV choice
The lizard must never be forced to remain under high UVB continuously.
UVB lamp
A high-quality:
linear T5 UVB system
is generally appropriate.
UVB and mesh
Actual UV output depends on:
- Lamp model
- Reflector
- Mesh
- Distance
- Basking height
UV meter
Where possible, measure actual UVI with a suitable UV meter.
Humidity
The mangrove ecology of C. bakeri means it should generally be maintained at higher humidity than many dry-forest Ctenosaura.
General humidity
A useful general target is approximately:
60–80%.
Temporary peaks
Humidity may rise toward:
80–90%
after misting or overnight.
Drying cycle
Do not keep every surface continuously wet.
Branches and exposed surfaces should have opportunities to:
dry between misting events.
Ventilation
High humidity must be combined with:
excellent airflow.
Misting
Mist approximately:
once or twice daily
depending on enclosure ventilation and local climate.
Automated rainfall systems can work particularly well.
Humid retreats
Provide humid microhabitats within:
- Deep substrate
- Cork
- Root structures
Water
Provide fresh clean drinking water at all times.
A large basin suitable for partial or complete soaking is beneficial.
Water hygiene
Replace water whenever contaminated.
Large iguanas may readily:
- Defecate in water
- Drag substrate into bowls
Diet
Adult Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguanas are generally considered:
predominantly herbivorous.
CITES assessments describe the diet as mainly plant-based with opportunistic feeding on small invertebrates.
Plant-based foundation
Adult diets should consist primarily of:
- Leafy greens
- Browse
- Flowers
- Vegetables
- Limited fruit
Suitable leafy greens
Useful options include:
- Collard greens
- Mustard greens
- Turnip greens
- Dandelion greens
- Endive
- Escarole
- Chicory
- Rocket/arugula
- Mulberry leaves
- Hibiscus leaves
Browse
Where safe and pesticide-free, fresh browse can provide excellent:
- Fibre
- Enrichment
- Natural feeding behaviour
Flowers
Suitable pesticide-free flowers include:
- Hibiscus
- Dandelion
- Nasturtium
- Rose petals
- Squash flowers
Vegetables
Useful additions include:
- Squash
- Courgette/zucchini
- Bell pepper
- Okra
- Green beans
- Parsnip
Fruit
Fruit should remain a:
minor component.
Examples include:
- Papaya
- Mango
- Fig
- Berries
- Melon
Animal prey
Although primarily herbivorous, C. bakeri is opportunistic.
The Reptile Database records observations of the species consuming other lizards, including:
- Green Iguanas
- Common House Geckos
This does not mean vertebrates should form a routine captive diet.
Juvenile diet
Young animals can be expected to take a greater proportion of:
invertebrate prey
than adults.
Suitable feeders include:
- Roaches
- Crickets
- Locusts
- Black soldier fly larvae
- Silkworms
alongside plant foods from an early age.
Adult insect feeding
Adult animals may receive small amounts of:
live invertebrate prey occasionally.
Rodents
Routine rodent feeding is:
unnecessary.
Meat-based diets
Do not feed adult C. bakeri as if it were a carnivorous monitor lizard.
Calcium
Provide appropriate calcium supplementation.
Multivitamin
Use a suitable reptile multivitamin on a sensible schedule.
Vitamin D3
Dietary D3 supplementation should be considered alongside actual UVB exposure.
Adult feeding frequency
Offer fresh plant food:
daily or most days.
Juvenile feeding
Juveniles can receive:
daily food
with proportionally more insects during rapid growth.
Body condition
Adults should remain:
- Muscular
- Lean
- Active
Obesity
Avoid excessive:
- Fruit
- Fatty feeders
- Animal protein
- Overall calories
Handling
Handling should be based on:
trust rather than forced restraint.
Captive-bred behaviour
Captive-bred animals may become highly accustomed to:
- Keeper presence
- Feeding
- Target training
- Routine enclosure work
Forced capture
Repeated chasing can make an animal increasingly:
- Defensive
- Fearful
- Difficult to manage
Target training
Target training is particularly useful with intelligent larger iguanas.
It can assist with:
- Weighing
- Moving between enclosures
- Veterinary transport
- Routine management
Necessary handling
When restraint is unavoidable:
- Secure the room
- Support the entire body
- Control the hindquarters gently
- Avoid squeezing
- Protect the face from the tail
Tail
Never lift the animal by:
the tail.
Bite safety
Large adults possess powerful jaws.
A serious bite can cause:
- Deep wounds
- Bleeding
- Tissue damage
Social housing
Individual housing is the:
safest default.
Males
Adult males can be territorial.
Do not routinely house multiple adult males together.
Male and female housing
Permanent pair housing may lead to:
- Persistent courtship
- Repeated mating
- Female stress
Multiple females
Some females may tolerate one another in very large enclosures, but compatibility must be assessed individually.
Signs of social stress
Watch for:
- Chasing
- Biting
- Tail striking
- Feeding suppression
- Persistent hiding
- Weight loss
- Exclusion from basking
Reproduction
Ctenosaura bakeri is:
oviparous — egg-laying.
Wild nesting ecology
Females leave the mangrove environment and use:
dry sandy terrestrial sites
for nesting.
This ecological distinction should be reproduced in captivity.
Breeding condition
Only breed adults that are:
- Fully mature
- Healthy
- Well hydrated
- Skeletally strong
- In good body condition
Female preparation
Females require:
- Strong UVB
- Appropriate calcium
- Deep nesting substrate
- Excellent hydration
- Adequate energy reserves
Courtship
Males may display using:
- Head bobbing
- Postural changes
- Dorsal spines
- Pursuit
Gravid females
A gravid female may:
- Increase basking
- Become restless
- Reduce feeding near laying
- Dig repeatedly
Nesting depth
Provide approximately:
30–45 cm (12–18 in)
of diggable nesting substrate.
Clutch size
Published biological information indicates that females generally lay:
moderate-to-large clutches, often around 10–20 eggs,
although individual variation should be expected.
Because species-specific reproductive data are considerably less extensive than for common captive iguanas, precise clutch expectations should not be treated as absolute.
Egg handling
If eggs are removed for artificial incubation:
- Handle gently
- Avoid unnecessary rotation
- Maintain orientation
- Prevent dehydration
Incubation medium
Suitable media include:
- Vermiculite
- Perlite
maintained:
moist but not saturated.
Incubation temperature
A conservative captive range is approximately:
28–30°C (82–86°F).
Incubation duration
Expect approximately:
80–100 days
as a practical working range, with incubation time varying according to temperature and clutch conditions.
Avoid excessive heat
Do not increase incubation temperature simply to accelerate development.
Hatchlings
Hatchlings should normally be maintained separately from adults.
Hatchling enclosure
Provide:
- Secure housing
- Fine branches
- Dense visual cover
- Cork retreats
- UVB
- Broad basking
- Fresh water
Hatchling temperature
Maintain daytime ambient temperatures around:
27–30°C (81–86°F).
Hatchling basking
Provide approximately:
35–39°C (95–102°F)
across a suitable basking area.
Hatchling cool area
Maintain approximately:
24–27°C (75–81°F).
Hatchling night temperature
Allow temperatures to fall toward:
21–24°C (70–75°F).
Hatchling humidity
Maintain approximately:
60–80%
with good airflow and opportunities for exposed surfaces to dry.
Hatchling UVB
Provide approximately:
UVI 3–4
at accessible exposed perches.
Hatchling diet
Offer:
- Small roaches
- Small crickets
- Black soldier fly larvae
- Silkworms
alongside finely chopped:
- Greens
- Flowers
- Vegetables
Plant foods from the beginning
Vegetation should be introduced immediately rather than waiting for adulthood.
Hatchling feeding
Offer food:
daily.
Hatchling supplementation
Provide:
- Proper gut loading
- Calcium
- Appropriate multivitamin supplementation
- Correct UVB
Quarantine
All newly acquired animals should undergo quarantine.
At least:
90 days
is a sensible minimum.
Parasite screening
Veterinary faecal testing is particularly useful for:
- Animals of uncertain origin
- Wild-origin animals
- Animals losing weight
- Animals with abnormal faeces
Common health concerns
Potential problems include:
- Metabolic bone disease
- Nutritional imbalance
- Obesity
- Burns
- Dehydration
- Respiratory disease
- Parasites
- Rostral trauma
- Social injuries
- Reproductive complications
Metabolic bone disease
Possible signs include:
- Tremors
- Soft jaw
- Weakness
- Limb deformity
- Spinal deformity
- Fractures
MBD prevention
Provide:
- Correct UVB
- Appropriate calcium
- Balanced diet
- Correct temperatures
Humidity-related problems
Keeping the enclosure too dry may contribute to:
- Dehydration
- Poor shedding
while excessive wetness combined with poor ventilation may promote:
- Dermatitis
- Respiratory disease
- Fungal growth
Burns
High-output basking equipment can cause serious thermal injury.
Animals must never be able to:
touch heating elements.
Obesity
Potential causes include:
- Excessive fruit
- Excessive animal protein
- Overfeeding
- Insufficient exercise
Respiratory disease
Warning signs include:
- Wheezing
- Clicking
- Nasal discharge
- Increased respiratory effort
- Open-mouth breathing away from the basking area
Reproductive problems
Females may suffer from:
- Calcium depletion
- Follicular disease
- Egg retention
- Dystocia
Possible dystocia
Seek veterinary help for:
- Persistent unsuccessful digging
- Straining
- Severe lethargy
- Weakness
- Persistent abdominal enlargement
Veterinary red flags
Consult a suitably experienced reptile veterinarian for:
- Persistent anorexia
- Significant weight loss
- Tremors
- Weakness
- Serious wounds
- Burns
- Abnormal breathing
- Persistent abnormal faeces
- Prolapse
- Suspected reproductive difficulty
Enrichment
Useful enrichment includes:
- Branch rearrangement
- Browse feeding
- Target training
- Different basking levels
- Deep substrate
- Food scattering
- Elevated feeding stations
Bioactive housing
Large naturalistic enclosures can work extremely well.
A bioactive substrate can support:
- Plant growth
- Digging
- Humidity gradients
- Naturalistic behaviour
Clean-up crew
Suitable species may include:
- Springtails
- Appropriate tropical isopods
provided conditions suit both the iguana and clean-up crew.
Bioactive does not mean maintenance-free
Continue to remove:
- Faeces
- Spoiled food
- Dead prey
- Excess mould
Outdoor housing
In suitable climates and seasons, secure outdoor housing can provide:
- Natural sunlight
- Fresh air
- Enrichment
- Large usable space
Outdoor security
Outdoor housing must be:
- Escape-proof
- Dig-resistant
- Climb-resistant
- Predator-proof
Natural sunlight
Unfiltered sunlight is an excellent source of UVB.
Glass and many plastics block most useful ultraviolet radiation.
Outdoor shade
Always provide:
- Deep shade
- Fresh water
- Cooler retreats
Conservation status
The Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana is classified as:
Critically Endangered.
Conservation threats
Major threats include:
- Mangrove destruction
- Coastal development
- Tourism development
- Habitat fragmentation
- Loss of nesting beaches
- Wildlife trade
- Human disturbance
The IUCN action plan identifies ongoing habitat destruction and development on Utila as central threats.
Extremely small wild population
Historical assessments have suggested only a few thousand individuals may remain.
Older estimates ranged from approximately:
3,000 to 10,000 individuals
although these should not be interpreted as a precise current population count.
CITES
Ctenosaura bakeri has been listed under:
CITES Appendix II since 2010.
It was one of several threatened Honduran Ctenosaura listed before the remainder of the genus was added to Appendix II in 2019.
Legal provenance
This is particularly important for C. bakeri.
Retain:
- Purchase records
- Breeder records
- CITES documentation
- Import/export permits
- Hatch records
- Parentage information
- Locality documentation
Captive-bred only
For private husbandry, documented:
captive-bred animals should be the standard.
Wild collection of a Critically Endangered island endemic is entirely inappropriate for ordinary hobby acquisition.
Conservation breeding
Captive breeding can have genuine conservation value when:
- Lineages are documented
- Parentage is recorded
- Animals are legally held
- Genetics are managed responsibly
Hybridisation
Natural hybridisation between:
Ctenosaura bakeri** and Ctenosaura similis**
has been documented.
In captivity, these species should not be deliberately hybridised.
Preserving pure, documented C. bakeri bloodlines is especially important because the species is Critically Endangered.
Do not deliberately produce hybrids
Conservation-value breeding stock should remain:
taxonomically and genealogically documented.
Never release captive animals
Never release a captive animal into Utila or any other wild habitat.
Unmanaged release could:
- Introduce pathogens
- Alter wild genetics
- Undermine conservation programmes
- Violate legislation
Common husbandry mistakes
Common mistakes include:
- Treating the species exactly like a dry-country Ctenosaura
- Providing insufficient height
- Providing too little floor space
- Providing too few branches
- Providing no elevated secure retreats
- Keeping the enclosure too dry
- Keeping humidity high without ventilation
- Providing no deep nesting area
- Providing a tiny concentrated basking spot
- Heating the whole enclosure excessively
- Providing no cool retreat
- Providing weak UVB
- Using UVB lamp percentage instead of actual UVI
- Keeping the enclosure dim
- Feeding adults too much animal protein
- Feeding excessive fruit
- Poor calcium provision
- Routine rodent feeding
- Excessive forced handling
- Housing incompatible adults together
- Failing to quarantine
- Purchasing undocumented animals
- Losing CITES records
- Deliberately hybridising C. bakeri with other Ctenosaura
- Releasing captive animals
Responsible ownership
Before obtaining a Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana, ensure you can provide:
- A very large, tall enclosure
- At least approximately 180 × 90 × 180 cm (6 × 3 × 6 ft)
- Extensive heavy climbing structure
- Multiple elevated retreats
- Deep substrate
- A substantial sandy nesting area for females
- Bright visible lighting
- Strong appropriate UVB
- UVI approximately 4–6 at the principal basking area
- Broad basking temperatures around 38–42°C (100–108°F)
- Cooler shaded retreats
- Humidity around 60–80% with excellent airflow
- Fresh water
- A predominantly plant-based adult diet
- Correct supplementation
- Minimal forced handling
- Individual housing where needed
- Quarantine facilities
- Experienced reptile veterinary care
- Complete CITES and provenance documentation
- Responsible lineage management
- Long-term commitment
Summary
The Utila Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura bakeri) is a Critically Endangered island endemic found only on Utila in Honduras.
Unlike many other Ctenosaura, it is strongly associated with:
mangrove forest
and is substantially arboreal.
For one adult, provide at least approximately:
180 × 90 × 180 cm (6 × 3 × 6 ft),
with larger accommodation strongly preferred.
Provide:
- Extensive climbing branches
- Elevated hides
- Deep substrate
- A dedicated sandy nesting area for females
- Bright visible lighting
- Excellent ventilation
Maintain daytime ambient temperatures around:
27–30°C (81–86°F)
with a broad basking surface around:
38–42°C (100–108°F).
Provide cooler retreats around:
24–27°C (75–81°F)
and nighttime temperatures around:
21–24°C (70–75°F).
Maintain approximately:
60–80% humidity
with natural fluctuations and good airflow.
Provide strong UVB with approximately:
UVI 4–6
at exposed basking positions and extensive shade.
Adults should receive a:
predominantly herbivorous diet
based upon leafy greens, browse, flowers and vegetables, with fruit limited and animal prey used only opportunistically or occasionally.
The species is:
egg-laying
and females require deep, warm, well-drained nesting substrate.
Ctenosaura bakeri is:
Critically Endangered
and regulated under:
CITES Appendix II.
Only documented captive-bred animals should be considered, and conservation-value bloodlines should be preserved rather than deliberately hybridised.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This care sheet provides general husbandry guidance and does not replace species-specific research or veterinary advice. Individual requirements may vary.
Always check current legislation governing the acquisition, collection, import, transport, keeping, breeding or sale of reptiles in your jurisdiction.
If you have concerns about an animal’s health or care, consult a suitably experienced exotic or reptile veterinarian.
Information correct at the date of publication.
reptilecommunity.com | Revised: August 2026