How to keep iguanas out of the garden

For those living in cooler areas, iguana control may seem like an insignificant problem. But, if you live in a place where iguanas move freely, the question of how to get rid of them is important. These harmful reptiles can damage flowering plants and vegetables if left unchecked. Let’s look at how to keep iguanas out of the garden and away from their beautiful plants.

Iguana damage to garden

Iguanas are plant-eating lizards that feed on many types of plants. They especially like flowering shrubs, such as hibiscus, and berry fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, strawberries and figs.
They also dig burrows for a living. These burrows can damage lawns and garden paths.
Iguanas can also leave droppings that are not only smelly and unsightly, but are also a health hazard – iguanas carry Salmonella.

How to prevent iguanas from entering the garden

Most of the iguanas that enter the garden are pets that have escaped or have been released by lazy owners.
that I didn’t want to take care of them anymore. That doesn’t mean you can just go and get the iguana or touch it. Many of these former pets have gone wild and can be dangerous if they feel threatened.
The best way to get rid of iguanas is to keep them out of the garden. This way of controlling iguanas means changing the environment a little so that it is not iguane-friendly. Some ideas are:

• Do not leave food scraps such as fresh fruits and vegetables in the garden or in open composting containers, as this can be an additional food source for iguanas.
• Get rid of areas where iguanas may hide, such as shrubs, low plants, and piles of branches or rocks.
• Cover or get rid of flat, warm surfaces, such as sidewalks and rocks, where iguanas can sunbathe.
• Fill the burrows as you find them. Do not leave a burrow open. Try to fill the burrows during the day when the iguanas are not there.

It is helpful to make your garden more predator friendly to prevent iguanas from entering. Owls, falcons and ravens will eat young iguanas. Pets bark and sometimes chase iguanas away, which eventually drives them out of the garden. However, keep in mind that large iguanas can injure your pet. So be careful when deciding if your dog can go out with a wild iguana.
Low fences around gardens may be sufficient to keep iguanas out. On trees and shrubs, a 6 to 12 cm metal collar can be placed around the trunk of the plant to prevent iguanas from climbing on the plant and eating the flowers.
You can try to trap or catch iguanas. The best place to place traps or loops is at the end of newly constructed fences. The iguana will walk along the fence and directly to the traps while looking for a way around the new fence.