Non-invasive sexing needs to wait until the iguana is 8" long snout-vent length svl this is approximately at 12 months of age assuming proper environment and diet from date of purchase or shortly thereafter. Pet stores selling baby iguanas younger than a year of age who tell you what sex they are are, quite simply, lying to you. Iguanas whose overall growth has been severely stunted will continue their sexual development, although it may be delayed. Note that the onset of the first breeding season, occurring at 1. Femoral Pores Femoral pores will have begun to expand on the males, with the whitish keratin plug clearly visible in all of the pores. In females, the pores remain pinpoints except for the first pores immediately adjacent to the vent may be slightly opened. See the Femoral Pores page for drawings and photos.

What are the differences between male and female iguanas? Visually determining the sex of an iguana is only possible once it has reached sexual maturity, usually at around two years old. Males are larger, grow bumps on their head, and have a large dewlap. Females are longer, more slender and lay eggs. Once an iguana reaches the age of sexual maturity, certain physical characteristics help determine the gender of the reptile.

It can be very difficult to determine the sex of an iguana until it is at least one year old, and even then, some igs are still hard to sex accurately. Once your ig is about a year old, male sexual characteristics begin to become more prominent. The jowls begin to develop and the femoral pores will begin to enlarge and may develop a waxy substance. Males may also begin to develop fat pads on the back of the head, and you may notice the hemipenal bulges becoming more obvious on the sides of the tail near the vent.