Can Green Iguanas Stand/Walk On Their Back Legs?!

Green iguanas can briefly stand or walk on their hind legs, but it’s not something they do often or for long. They are not naturally bipedal, as their body structure is built for quadrupedal movement (walking on all fours), climbing, and gripping branches.

However, under certain conditions, an iguana might momentarily rise onto its hind legs:

Running Away (Bipedal Sprinting): Some iguanas will lift their front legs and run bipedally for short distances, especially when startled.
Balancing: They might rear up on their hind legs to grab food or inspect something.
Defensive Posture: An iguana may rise onto its hind legs and puff itself up when threatened to appear larger.
Injury or Deformity: If an iguana has a leg injury or metabolic bone disease (MBD), it might attempt awkward movements that resemble standing or walking upright.

Unlike some lizards like the Basilisk lizard ("Jesus Christ" lizard) that can run bipedally on water, green iguanas are not built for sustained upright movement.