See What This Florida Woman Does When Dozens of Iguanas Invaded Her Home

When we think of an animal invasion, we probably imagine something out of a scary movie where a town is taken over by locusts or something. However, for this one woman in a suburban neighborhood, her house has been overrun by iguanas! 

Iguana Sighting in Cape Coral

On Thursday, September 28, 2023, NBC2 News picked up a story about iguanas invading a Cape Coral home. Cape Coral is located in Florida and is just a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Susan Rizzo reported that dozens of iguanas kept coming onto her property. 

At first, she tried to find out how to get these reptiles removed. “$100 to come out to $50 minimum that has the cheapest per iguana,” Susan Rizzo said. So, instead, Rizzo spent money getting fences put up, and when that didn’t work, she had to resort to getting rocks put up to try and keep them out. 

Despite her attempts to keep these scaly creatures out, she reports live on NBC2 News that these iguanas continue to find ways to get onto her property. While this may not sound like a huge deal, Rizzo reported they knock things over on her property, pull out vegetables, and leave behind feces. Her pets have reportedly picked up on those and have been taken to the vet because they have become ill as a result. 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission provides a reminder about iguanas in Florida below.

“Green iguanas are not native to Florida and are considered an invasive species due to their impacts on native wildlife. Like all non-native reptile species, green iguanas are not protected in Florida except by anti-cruelty law. They can be humanely killed on private property with landowner permission. This species can be captured and humanely killed year-round and without a permit or hunting license on 32 public lands in south Florida.” 

Where Do Iguanas Live?

Iguanas are unique-looking reptiles that catch our attention when we come across them. So, it is no wonder that when this Cape Coral homeowner found them continually invading her yard, she took special notice. 

Iguanas can range anywhere from 8.8 to 17.6 pounds (4-8 kilograms.) Iguanas have scales all over their body that are brown, green, or yellow in appearance. 

These reptiles are omnivores, which means that they will eat both meat and plant matter. We will find iguanas eating things such as insects, fruit, leaves, plants, and flowers. 

The location of iguanas largely depends on their species. There are 35 known species of iguanas, according to Live Science. These species can range in color, size, and what they eat. Iguanas can be found in Central America, North America, and South America. 

Check Out the Incredible News Footage Below!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/passion4nature