Just now (i guess im late with this) found out that they are circling the pet trade.. Wondered how these lizards fair in captivity.
                        
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 Julian Garcia |
Anyone Here have a Fiji Iguana? |
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Posts: 1495 (04/18/08 13:10:58)
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Jurgen van Spengen |
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Posts: 1536 (04/18/08 13:18:20)
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Julian, they've been bred for several generations in europe, they seem to do fine although I don't keep any myself,
"know how to make a small fortune by breeding chondro's?
start with a large fortune. -Danny Brotto" |
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rickyortiz |
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Posts: 73 (04/18/08 13:30:53)
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i dont know if they are illegal or not but this was in a recent news letter i get in my email:
American Found Guilty Of Possessing Endangered Fiji Iguanas Sunday: April 13, 2008, Telegraph, U.K. An American man has been acquitted of smuggling iguanas from Fiji to the United States in his hollowed-out prosthetic leg reports the Los Angeles Times. But Jereme James was found guilty of concealing and possessing Fiji Island banded iguanas and could face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on July 14. The iguanas are an endangered species. Prosecutors say that during an undercover investigation Mr James had confessed to selling three of the iguanas for $32,000. Police seized four of the neon green-striped reptiles when they searched his house after obtaining a search warrant last July. |
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Brandon Osborne |
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Posts: 653 (04/18/08 13:41:16)
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I think Fijis are the reason Tom Crutchfield fled to South America for several years. From what I remember, he sold four of them and got in a bit of
trouble. I think this was around '96-97. He probably would have faced federal time had he been tried. The judge in the case was somehow connected to his
business or one of his customers, and the case was thrown out. I don't think they are legal for the pet trade within the U.S. but things could have
changed by now.
Last Edited By: Brandon Osborne
04/18/08 16:23:05.
Edited 1 times.
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VinnyButch |
fiji iguanas | |||
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Posts: 74 (04/18/08 15:27:12)
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When Tom Crutchfield finally came back to the US for good, he was giving guided tours of the Everglades for a while. My son and I took one of his tours (quite
good, actually) and I got to talking to him about all sorts of things reptilian, including the Fiji Iggy problem. His story to me was that the case was
eventually knocked down to a wrist-slapper because it began with a federal agent coming to him and asking if he could get some Fiji Iguanas for him. At that
time, Tom could get his hands on literally any animal you could ask for. He probably still can. When he got the undercover agent the Iguanas the feds put the
hammer down on him. I don't know if that constitutes entrapment, but Tom didn't do any hard time, so...
When all was said and done, Tom had to 'volunteer' not to be in the reptile business for a certain number of years. Apparently his time is up, because he's all over KS with ads. In the meantime, as I understand it, Fiji Iguanas are still a definite no-no in the US. But gorgeous, IMHO. VinnyButch
Last Edited By: VinnyButch
04/18/08 15:53:37.
Edited 1 times.
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MarlboroMan |
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Posts: 81 (04/18/08 16:29:55)
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Definitely cool looking critters.
Link to pics on google.
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Chris Haight |
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Posts: 21 (04/18/08 19:10:46)
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I'm not certian on their status either, but i've always been a fan of them. I recall one ad for them on KS several years ago, It was from a named
company out of Cali. at the time. They were pretty pricey, and i thought it was odd to see them on KS.
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taphillip |
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Posts: 284 (04/18/08 19:53:17)
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As fantastic as they are, I wouldn't buy one with your money.
T- |
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AndrewK |
Re: Anyone Here have a Fiji Iguana? | |||
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Posts: 240 (04/18/08 20:03:08)
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Hey Julian,
I kept them previously in "zoo keeper land." Adults and 1 successful captive breeding/hatching of two babies. They were reasonably hardy and presented no real captive problems. They are very pretty (obviously). That said, my facsination with them wore off pretty quickly. Andrew Koraleski |
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Tom Verbeeck |
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Posts: 14 (04/19/08 10:31:08) |
I have a pair of Fiji's since september '07. Male is now just becoming ready to breed, but I'm hoping he will wait a couple of months so that the
female will be a little older.
In Europa they are breeding them for more then 25 years. There are 15 different bloodlines. 3 of them are at Blijdorp Zoo and are offspring of the San Diego Zoo. These 3 animals aren't bred yet and Blijdorp doesn't want to participate in breeding projects, so we are limited to 12 bloodlines, wich isn't much... They are easy to keep, but hard to breed and very hard to raise the young. Kind like chondro's 
They aren't that expencive anymore. I paid 2500euro for a pair. Nominat that is. Blue is about double that price, blue spotted is even more expencive and yellow is big bucks. Then there are a lot of people starting to breed banded and spotted females. I don't like that, I would wish that they would leave this species as natural as they could, but there isn't much I can do at it. There is a lot of money involved with the Fiji 'morphs', so many people want to see there Fiji investment paying up. If there is anything specifick you want to know feel free to ask. I can talk for hours about Fiji's. Here are some pics of mine: 
 
 
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Only Chondro |
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Posts: 540 (04/19/08 14:05:04)
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Friend of mine has a pair female is blue too.
I tought they come from Tonga? OC |
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Tom Verbeeck |
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Posts: 15 (04/19/08 23:40:55) |
That's right. Blue animals come from Tonga, white from Fiji.
Didn't Jeroen sold his pair? Or does he still has them? |
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OM |
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Posts: 27 (04/20/08 07:56:19) |
They really are incredible animals! A few years ago I heard that in the US only zoos can keep them legally, and even then they were still considered
"property" of Fiji somehow as if on loan to whatever institute was keeping them. This may have changed in recent years.
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Tom Verbeeck |
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Posts: 16 (04/20/08 09:23:29) |
As far as I know the first generation Fiji in the US are indeed property of the King of Fiji. Don't know about their offspring.
It's a shame they can't be kept legal over there. Zoo's are throwing away eggs because they can't place the young... what a waste... |
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oOBrieOo |
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Posts: 1840 (04/21/08 08:36:40)
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That really sucks that we can't keep them legally over here in the US. I would give ANYTHING within my power to give to get a pair of them. I've been
obsessed with Fiji Igs since childhood. I also had no idea they were "common" over in Europe. One more reason to move over there I guess.
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