Iguanas are lizards that are capable of growing from five to six inches in length from head to tail. They can be brown or green in color. These lizards are native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Iguanas are also found in Florida. Non-native iguanas were brought to the United States, and in Florida, and now the state is being overrun by them. There are a couple of reasons why these lizards are thriving in the Sunshine State. The first is the climate. It is hot in Florida and it rains often, making the perfect climate for them to live. The second reason is the number of eggs that a female can lay each year. On average, female iguanas can lay up to 80 eggs per year. If there are 100 iguanas in a particular area, that number can grow to 8,000 after the first year. This is why homes and businesses in Florida are dealing with iguana infestations. South Florida is the area with the biggest iguana population. They can be found in Northern Florida, but the population isn’t as large as in Southern Florida. This is because it gets colder in Northern Florida, which isn’t the best climate for these lizards to thrive. If you see an iguana on your property, it is best to call an expert in iguana removal.
What Type of Damage Can Iguanas Do?
Iguanas seem like harmless creatures, and when they are kept as pets in captivity, they are extremely harmless. They are even relatively friendly. When iguanas are in the wild and making their homes on your property, they aren’t harmless.
Iguanas aren’t dangerous or aggressive toward humans; however, they can cause serious damage to your property. Green iguanas dig burrows to create their homes, which can damage the infrastructure of sidewalks, causing them to collapse. This is bad for the city streets as well as the walkways on your property. They also dig into foundations. If you have an infestation of iguanas on your property, they will destroy your home’s foundation, which can be an extremely costly problem. These lizards also borrow into beams, seawalls and canal banks, which can cause erosion. This is all damage that in some cases, cannot be repaired. If the damage caused by iguanas can be repaired, it will be expensive.
Another issue that homeowners in Florida have to deal with if they have an iguana infestation is their droppings. These lizards leave their droppings on porches, decks, pool platforms and inside the pool. You will also find droppings on docks, boats, and seawalls. Not only is this disgusting, but it is also very unsanitary.
Iguanas are herbivores. In the wild, they will eat the ornamental trees from your garden and your shrubs. If you have fruit bearing trees, iguanas will eat your crop. The same is true if you have a garden in your backyard. As harmless as these lizards seem, they can wreak havoc on your property. This is why it is essential that you contact a professional in iguana removal as soon as you suspect that you have a problem.
Why Call a Professional In Iguana Removal?
There have been several articles in Southern Florida newspapers over the last couple years urging residents to kill iguanas on their property due to the massive population explosion. Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy as you might think. To kill an iguana, you first need to trap it. This isn’t difficult with smaller iguanas, but it can be with larger ones. These lizards are very skilled climbers and they are very agile. This can make it difficult to capture one.
Baby iguanas are easy to catch; however, if you have adult iguanas living on your property, they will feel threatened if you try to capture them. When iguanas feel threatened or cornered, they will whip their long tails, which won’t cause serious damage, but it will hurt enough for the iguana to have a chance to get away.
A professional in iguana removal understands the habits and the behavior of iguanas. They will come to your home for a complete assessment. Experts have the knowledge and experience to be able to spot signs on your property that there is an iguana problem, and they will be able to figure out where the nests are located. When the expert has determined where the iguanas are living, they will be able to set traps to catch them, and remove them from your property.
Most homeowners don’t have the knowledge or skill necessary to successfully trap an iguana, let alone a whole colony of them. This is why it is best to leave the job to an expert in iguana removal. A professional will make sure that they don’t remove just a few of the lizards, they will do their best to remove every one.
Once the iguanas have been removed, the structure of you home and the vegetation in your yard will be safe.
Iguana Prevention
After the professional removes the iguanas from your property, it is up to you to keep them from coming back. It is essential that you keep the trees and bushes near your home and pool trimmed. You can also spray neem oil or garlic spray around the border of your home. Iguanas hate these smells so they will stay away.
Final Thoughts
The State of Florida has called on residents to kill iguanas on their property, but this is easier said than done. Capturing an iguana can be difficult because they are fast and can be aggressive when cornered. Also, they are pretty cute lizards. If you do manage to corner an iguana, killing it can be more than you can handle.
When you hire a professional in iguana removal, you won’t need to worry about rounding up the iguanas yourself. The expert will use their skills and their know-how to find the lizards where they live, and trap them humanely.
