Life food is not necessary. Some iguanas relish crickets, mealworms and pinky mice, but these sources of animal protein are poor dietary items and should not be fed at all. Some iguanas develop serious food preferences, so it is important that they consume at least ten different food items regularly, to avoid nutritional problems. It is a good idea to try to prevent iguanas from developing bad dietary habits, which may be difficult to break. Iguanas require a diet higher in calcium than phosphorus, and foods and supplements offered should have a positive calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Many iguanas consume most of their dietary water from the moisture in the foods they eat.
For this reason, make sure that you feed some juicy, moist items every day. The iguana should be soaked daily, as well. The decision to provide a vitamin and mineral supplement is one that you should make with your herp vet, based on the evaluation of your iguana's diet and condition. It is possible to oversupplement, which can also be dangerous. Veterinary Care Iguanas have been implicated as carriers of the Salmonella bacteria.