An iguana can make for a great pet, but it requires a lot of attention and space. A well-adjusted iguana can be a friendly companion like a large dog, yet independent like a cat. However, they can also be destructive like a two-year-old child or a cockatoo if they do not get enough time and space. Owning an iguana is unlike owning any other pet, as it demands close attention to detail and requires learning about their behavior, lighting, and nutritional needs.Compared to other more "normal" pets, iguanas are more complex and challenging to care for, with some iguana parents considering them on par with raising a human child. Unlike a human child, an iguana cannot go off to boarding school or summer camp and never leaves home to go to college. If you are willing to make the necessary commitment to care for an iguana properly, you will be rewarded. But, if you cannot make such a commitment, it is best to choose a pet that requires less from you physically and financially.It's essential to know that several different types of related lizards have the word "iguana" in their name, including the green iguana, which is the most widely sold of all the iguanas and is the one most likely to be in shelters and rescues. Therefore, it's crucial to learn as much as possible about iguanas, their care, and temperament before deciding to get one as a pet.For instance, it is interesting to note that paleontologists named the dinosaur "iguanodon" because its fossilized teeth looked very much like the modern-day iguana's teeth. The name "iguanodon" comes from the Spanish word "iguana" and the Greek word for tooth.