What to do when you encounter a ‘frozen’ iguana

The weekend cold front brought bone-chilling temperatures for Southwest Florida. However, the green iguana experiences something far more intense than a mere chill.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the green iguanas will enter a hybernated state and fall from trees when temperatures drop into the 40s and 30s.

Once an iguana “freezes,” the FWC recommends humanely killing the animal as they will suffer from brain damage when they freeze up.

The iguanas are non-native species to Florida and are considered invasive, as they can cause damage to sidewalks, foundations and seawalls by digging burrows.

According to the FWC, there are several ways to deter the reptile from frequenting your property:

• Removing plants that act as attractants.
• Filling in holes to discourage burrowing.
• Hanging wind chimes or other items that make intermittent noises.
• Hanging CDs that have reflective surfaces.
• Spraying the animals with water as a deterrent.

Sightings of the invasive lizard species began in the 1960s with only a few isolated locations being recorded. Since then, the population has exploded across the Atlantic Coast in Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties and along the Gulf Coast in Collier and Lee Counties. 

While considered herbivores, records show that endangered tree snails were found in the stomachs of iguana specimens. This creates a threat for the endangered gastropods.

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Like all non-native reptile species, green iguanas are not protected in Florida except by anti-cruelty law and can be humanely killed on private property with landowner permission.

If you encounter a frozen iguana, it is important to exercise caution when dispatching it, as salmonella can be transmitted from the animal to humans.