Iguana Removal | Pest Busterzz

Pest Library

Iguana Control in South Florida

Schedule Service

Iguana Quick Facts

Size

Adults commonly measure about 3 to 5 feet long from nose to tail

Color

Usually green, gray-green, brown, or nearly black; mature males may appear orange during breeding season

How to Identify

Large lizard with a long banded tail, prominent cheek scale, throat dewlap, and a row of spines along the back

Active Season

Active year-round in South Florida, with breeding activity from winter into spring and hatchlings often appearing in summer

Indoor or Outdoor

Primarily outdoors near canals, seawalls, trees, landscaped areas, roofs, docks, and sunny open spaces

Day or Night

Mostly active during daylight, especially when temperatures are warm enough for basking and feeding.

Diet

Primarily leaves, flowers, shoots, fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants; juveniles may also eat insects and snails.

About Iguanas

Green iguanas (Iguana iguana) are large, nonnative lizards established throughout much of South Florida. They are commonly recognized by their long tails, prominent throat dewlaps, large cheek scales, and the row of spines extending from the neck down the back. Although their name suggests one color, adults may be green, gray, brown, nearly black, or seasonally orange.

Iguanas often appear around canals, seawalls, trees, rooftops, gardens, pools, docks, and sunny landscaped areas that provide food, warmth, and shelter. Property owners are usually concerned about damaged plants, droppings, repeated basking activity, and burrows that may weaken canal banks, sidewalks, foundations, berms, or seawalls.

Where Are Iguanas Commonly Found?

Outdoor Shelter and Basking Areas

Green iguanas live mainly outdoors and use both ground-level and elevated shelter. South Florida properties are especially attractive when they combine dense vegetation, exposed sunny surfaces, nearby water, and loose soil suitable for burrowing.

Canal banks, seawalls, berms, and waterfront slopes
Burrows in sandy or loose soil
Trees, palms, shrubs, and thick landscaping
Rock piles, debris, culverts, and drainage pipes
Roofs, fences, docks, pool decks, and retaining walls used for basking
Gardens and ornamental beds with preferred flowers, fruit, or foliage

Nesting and Breeding Sites

Females dig nest burrows in warm, well-drained soil. These tunnels may be built in canal banks, landscaped slopes, open lots, or beneath hardscaped areas. Several females may use the same general nesting area, so repeated digging or multiple openings can indicate an established breeding site rather than a single passing animal.

South Florida Conditions That Support Activity

Year-round warmth and abundant sunshine
Canals and waterways that act as travel corridors
Fruit trees, vegetable gardens, hibiscus, orchids, and other preferred plants
Open soil along seawalls, foundations, sidewalks, and landscape beds
Overhanging trees that provide access to roofs and pool areas
Quiet structures, vacant lots, and dense vegetation that offer shelter

Iguana Behavior and Attractants

Feeding Habits

Green iguanas are primarily plant eaters. They may feed on tender shoots, leaves, blossoms, fruit, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Hibiscus, orchids, roses, garden greens, melons, squash, and many fruiting trees can attract repeated visits. Young iguanas may also consume insects or tree snails.

Basking and Movement

Iguanas are active during the day and depend on external heat to regulate their body temperature. They often begin the day basking on roofs, seawalls, sidewalks, branches, docks, or pool decks before feeding. They climb well, swim readily, and may escape by diving into water or dropping from a branch when approached.

Breeding and Burrowing

Florida breeding activity generally occurs from December through April. Females dig nesting tunnels and may lay dozens of eggs, which incubate without parental care. Hatchlings commonly emerge during summer. A productive nesting area can support recurring activity even when adults are removed from the visible portion of the property.

Response When Disturbed

Most iguanas attempt to flee, but a cornered or handled animal can defend itself with sharp claws, teeth, and a powerful tail. Cold-stunned iguanas may appear inactive and then recover unexpectedly as temperatures rise, so they should not be brought indoors or handled casually.

Iguana Damage and Concerns

Landscape Damage

Iguanas may repeatedly browse flowers, leaves, vegetables, and fruit, leaving ornamental beds and gardens stripped or uneven. Their weight and climbing can also break smaller branches or damage delicate plants.

Burrowing and Erosion

Burrows are a more serious property concern. Tunnels dug into canal banks, berms, foundations, sidewalks, seawalls, or landscaped slopes may contribute to erosion, soil loss, settling, or collapse. The level of risk depends on burrow location, soil conditions, drainage, and the amount of repeated activity.

Droppings and Nuisance Activity

Droppings on patios, pool decks, docks, sidewalks, roofs, and boats create sanitation and cleanup concerns. Iguanas may also fall into pools, block walkways, damage screens, or startle residents, employees, and customers.

People and Pets

Iguanas usually avoid people, but they can scratch, bite, or strike with the tail when captured or cornered. Pets may chase or attack them and can be injured during the encounter. Avoid direct handling and seek professional help when an animal is in a confined area or removal cannot be performed safely and humanely.

When Are Iguanas Active in South Florida?

South Florida’s climate allows green iguanas to remain active throughout the year. They are most visible on warm, sunny days when they leave shelter to bask, feed, and move between trees, canals, rooftops, and landscaped areas.

Winter through spring: Breeding behavior becomes more noticeable, and mature males may show brighter orange coloration.
Spring into summer: Females may dig nest burrows in warm, open soil.
Summer: Hatchlings often emerge, and young bright-green iguanas may appear in groups near vegetation.
Rainy periods: Soft soil can make digging easier, while flooding may displace animals from burrows.
Cold fronts: Iguanas may become sluggish or cold-stunned and fall from trees, then recover as temperatures rise.

Activity may be less visible during cooler weather, heavy storms, or the hottest parts of the day, but established iguanas can remain nearby in trees, burrows, drainage structures, and dense vegetation.

How to Recognize an Active Iguana Burrow

An active iguana burrow may appear as an oval or rounded opening in a canal bank, landscaped slope, berm, or patch of loose soil. Freshly displaced sand, repeated tracks, droppings, worn vegetation, or an iguana entering and leaving the opening can help distinguish an active tunnel from an old cavity. Nest systems may extend several feet and can have more than one entrance.

Do not assume that filling the visible opening has solved the problem. An animal may still be inside, another exit may exist, or the same location may be reopened. Burrows near seawalls, sidewalks, foundations, drainage features, or canal banks should be evaluated carefully because improper filling can conceal erosion or create additional damage.

Why DIY Iguana Control May Fall Short

Iguana problems can persist because the animals move across neighboring properties, use hidden burrows, and return to reliable food and basking areas. Professional help is often practical when activity is recurring, a burrow is close to infrastructure, the animal is difficult to capture safely, or removal must comply with current Florida wildlife rules.

Focusing Only on the Iguana You See | A visible animal may be one of several using the property. Others may be sheltering in trees, burrows, drainage structures, or neighboring landscapes.
Missing the Burrow or Nesting Area | Removing an adult does not address eggs, hatchlings, or a productive nesting site hidden in loose soil or along a canal bank.
Relying on Unproven Repellents | Noise devices, scattered household products, and temporary scare tactics may shift activity for a short time without changing the food, shelter, or access that draws iguanas back.
Closing a Burrow Without Inspection | Filling an entrance while an animal is inside can create welfare and odor problems, and an occupied tunnel may simply be reopened or extended elsewhere.
Leaving Preferred Food and Access in Place | Fruit, tender flowers, vegetable gardens, overhanging branches, and convenient basking surfaces can continue attracting iguanas after a visible animal is removed.
Unsafe or Unlawful Handling | Iguanas can bite, scratch, and whip with the tail. Live possession, transport, transfer, and release are regulated, so removal should follow current FWC requirements and humane practices.

Schedule Service

Lower-Impact Options

When appropriate, Pest Busterzz may prioritize trapping, exclusion, monitoring, and habitat modification rather than broad product applications. The methods used depend on inspection findings, property conditions, and current wildlife requirements.

The Pest Busterzz Iguana Treatment Approach

Pest Busterzz begins with the property conditions and activity patterns found during inspection, then develops an iguana management plan appropriate for the site.

Inspection

We confirm the type of iguana activity, estimate how many animals may be involved, and inspect burrows, canal banks, seawalls, trees, roofs, docks, landscaping, travel routes, feeding areas, and basking sites.

Targeted Treatment

Based on the inspection and current regulations, the plan may involve humane trapping or removal, exclusion from specific areas, burrow and nesting-site management, and habitat changes that reduce food, shelter, and access. The appropriate methods depend on the property and activity found.

Monitoring & Follow-Up

We evaluate whether activity has declined, check for reopened burrows or new travel routes, and adjust the plan when additional animals or problem areas are discovered. Follow-up needs depend on the size and conditions of the property.

Prevention

Recommendations may include protecting valued plants, harvesting ripe fruit, removing fallen produce, trimming access branches, reinforcing vulnerable soil areas, modifying basking sites, and addressing open burrows after animals have been removed.

Yes. Established populations occur across much of coastal South Florida, particularly in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Monroe, Collier, and Lee counties. Canals, warm weather, abundant landscaping, and year-round food allow them to thrive around homes, businesses, golf courses, marinas, parks, and waterfront properties.

Look for a large lizard with a very long tail, a row of pointed spines along the back, a hanging throat dewlap, and a large round scale on each cheek. Young animals are often bright green, while adults may be gray-green, brown, nearly black, or orange during breeding season.

They can. Iguanas dig nesting and shelter burrows in loose soil, canal banks, berms, and landscaped slopes. When tunnels are close to seawalls, sidewalks, foundations, or drainage structures, repeated digging may contribute to erosion, settling, or collapse. The actual risk depends on the location and extent of the burrow system.

A property may offer several dependable resources at once: edible flowers or fruit, sunny surfaces for basking, trees for escape, water nearby, and loose soil for burrowing. Removing one animal may not stop activity when those conditions remain or when additional iguanas live on neighboring properties.

Iguanas usually flee from people, but a cornered or captured animal can bite, scratch, or strike with its tail. Dogs may be injured while chasing or fighting them. Keep people and pets away from trapped, cold-stunned, or confined iguanas and arrange professional assistance when safe handling is uncertain.

Do not bring it indoors or assume it is dead. Cold-stunned iguanas can recover quickly as they warm and may then defend themselves with their claws, teeth, and tail. Keep pets and children away, avoid direct handling, and contact a qualified wildlife professional for guidance or removal.

No. Captured green iguanas cannot be released at another location in Florida. They are a Prohibited nonnative species, and rules also apply to live possession, transport, and transfer. A professional wildlife control operator can help manage the animal in accordance with current FWC requirements.

Consider professional service when iguanas return repeatedly, damage valued plants, leave droppings around pools or commercial areas, occupy a confined space, or dig near a seawall, sidewalk, foundation, or canal bank. An inspection is also useful when you are unsure whether a burrow is active or removal can be performed safely.

faqs

Iguana FAQs

Back to Pest Library