Green iguanas have been a fad pet for years. Unfortunately, many escaped or were abandoned after becoming too large or expensive to care for. There are now thousands of the green lizards throughout south Florida.

Did you know?
• Green iguanas can grow to six feet in length and
  live for more than 15 years.
• Iguanas are excellent swimmers.
• Iguanas communicate through head bobs and
  other body language.

Although most people find these animals fascinating, iguanas do sometimes cause problems. The most frequent complaint is that they eat ornamental plants, such as orchids or Hibiscus. Iguanas can also cause problems when they dig holes for nesting. But iguanas are not known to pose a threat to native wildlife (iguanas are primarily herbivorous) and they normally avoid people—although iguanas will defend themselves when cornered.

Green iguanas are not native to the United States, but they have thrived in Florida for many years and are most likely here to stay.

Although Green iguanas—as with all wildlife—can sometimes pose unwelcome challenges, there are humane methods of discouraging iguanas from becoming a nuisance.

• Do not feed iguanas. Feeding only encourages animals to stick around.
• Make your property less iguana-friendly by planting landscaping that iguanas will not eat such as citrus, crotons or any tough, thick leaved plant.
• Plants can be protected using chicken wire. To discourage iguanas from climbing in trees, wrap thin sheets of metal, such as aluminum fl ashing, around the base of trees.
• Iguana Repellent. You may have luck with a spray mixture—made from blended garlic cloves and hot peppers—that deters iguanas from eating plants.

Trapping. In Florida it is illegal to trap and then relocate iguanas. Trappers hired to “solve” a problem involving iguanas almost always will kill the animals. Trappers often use cruel snares to capture iguanas.

You Can Help
• Never buy an iguana from a pet store. Instead, adopt one from a herpetological society or wildlife rescue group, such as The Wildlife Care Center in Fort Lauderdale. Note: Iguanas are not easy to care for. They require a very specifi c environment and diet.

• Contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and urge them to take steps to ban or restrict the sale of iguanas in Florida. Today, iguanas can be purchased for as little as $10, making them popular impulse purchases at pet stores. Captive iguanas often do not receive proper care and die shortly after their purchase. Others are irresponsibly released into the wild. The pet industry is ultimately responsible for the large numbers of iguanas in Florida. Contact the FWC through their website: http://myfwc.com

• In July 2008, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners and the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County unanimously approved resolutions requesting that the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission add green iguanas to the list of "reptiles of concern." Reptiles on this list— such as pythons or anacondas— require a $100 permit to purchase. The City of Pompano Beach passed a similar resolution in February.

The FWC has expressed skepticism that anything can be done to decrease the numbers of iguanas already established in the wild. Although we agree that iguanas are likely here to stay, we also feel that problems can always get worse. Making it more complicated and expensive to obtain iguanas would stop impulse purchases and discourage their sale at pet stores. The new designation would hopefully cut down on the number of former "pets" who are dumped into the wild. Have iguanas been a subject of nuisance complaints in your community? Please ask your city or county commission to pass a resolution urging the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission to designate green iguanas as "reptiles of concern." Contact ARFF; we can help.