How to Get Rid of Iguanas Without Hurting Them

Rethink Your Landscaping

Thickets and overgrown plants around your home are inviting to iguanas.

These spots offer hiding places for them to seek shelter.  

Trimming and cleaning up your landscaping is a technique for keeping iguanas away. This tip will also help keep snakes away from your home. 

Iguanas also like wood and rock piles, or other debris in your yard. They will even hide inside kayaks and canoes that are laid on the ground.  

Certain plants and flowers can attract iguanas, like hibiscus and vegetable gardens. You may want to consider building a greenhouse for your garden to keep them out. This cuts off their source of food and leaves them to search elsewhere.  

Wire netting can also help stop iguanas from getting into your plants. Be sure your wire goes underground as well. This will stop iguanas from digging to get underneath the fence. 

Placing guards around the base of your trees can be helpful. This will help prevent them from climbing up into trees. Do this by wrapping metal sheets around your tress, about 18 inches from the ground.  

You also want to remove or cut down any hollow trees. These are another preferred hiding spot for iguanas. 

Using motion-sensitive sprinklers is another idea. This helps to scare them off should they get too close to your yard. If you happen to spot an iguana while outside, spray them with your garden hose. 

Don't Appeal to Their Appetite

Fruits are a favorite food of iguanas. 

Picking up any fallen fruit from trees will help get rid of iguanas. You'll also want to remove fruit that hangs too low to the ground. 

Iguanas love avocados, mangos, berries, and leafy greens. Yet, citrus trees are not their favorite. You may want to consider this when planning which plants to put in your yard.  

Leaving out any food will also attract iguanas. So, be sure to always put away any leftovers when dining outside. This will also help protect your home from ants. 

Keeping pet food bowls inside the home is another tip. You'll also want to keep your trash well covered and in a secure spot, as not to lure iguanas. Placing something heavy on top of your trashcan lid is also smart.  

It's never a good idea to try and feed an iguana—unless you want to start keeping it as a pet. 

Spray a Repellent Around Your Yard

Try using an iguana repellent around the yard and near your plants.

These are safe to use with natural ingredients, so they won't cause any harm to iguanas.  

Some people also have success with garlic spray and neem oil. Repellent granules are another option to cover the border of your property. Then spray iguana repellent on top of granules for best results. Follow the label instructions for any DIY products. 

These granules are good to use near your foundation to avoid any digging. They may also be able to stop iguanas from damaging seawalls. Repellents are not 100% effective but may help reduce your iguana problem.  

Sound repellers are another alternative for how to scare iguanas away. These create noise and vibration to frighten iguanas. 

Check for Holes 

Iguanas love digging holes, often to nest inside them.

This can be a huge annoyance. Yet, it is problematic if they dig too close to your home's foundation. 

Filling their holes with rocks will make it harder for them to dig. Rocks or gravel are a better alternative than dirt. 

Check to see if any eggs have been laid first before you place rocks in the hole. A female iguana can lay 76 eggs each year. So, you may want to remove these before filling the hole.

Call the Pros 

Setting your own traps can lead to iguanas (or you) getting hurt. They try and escape when caught and sometimes end up getting cut up by the cage.

There is also the potential of accidentally trapping a neighbor's cat.  

Iguanas may even bite or scratch you when you try to move them from a trap to a cage. This creates a health risk as they can spread diseases.  

So, if the problem gets out of control, your best bet is a professional pest removal service. 

How to Get Rid of Iguanas, Once and for All 

These techniques may be able to help you figure out how to get rid of iguanas.

Try making changes to your landscaping to make your yard less hospitable to iguanas. Use non-toxic repellents and take away any source of food. 

The iguana invasion is becoming quite a problem in South Florida. So, it's best to call a professional if the problem gets out of control. 

Reach out to Reynolds Pest Management to help rid your yard of iguanas and other pests.