An iguana problem is a property problem
The droppings on the pool deck are the least of it. Given a season, iguanas undermine seawalls, strip landscaping, foul pools, and work their way onto roofs — the kind of damage that costs far more to repair than it ever costs to remove them. Here's what's actually at stake, across Palm Beach and Broward County.
6 ft+
burrows undermine seawalls
20–70
eggs per female, per year
From $125
control vs. a five-figure repair
5.0
123+ Google reviews
Five ways iguanas damage a South Florida property.
Some of it you see the first morning; some of it is happening out of sight until the repair bill arrives. Knowing which is which is how you decide when to act.
Seawalls, foundations & canal banks
This is the expensive one. Iguanas dig burrows six feet or longer into the soft backfill behind seawalls and along canal banks. Those tunnels hollow out the ground that holds the wall up, so the cap cracks, the soil settles, and sidewalks and pool decks above them sink. A collapsed seawall is a five-figure repair — and the burrowing that causes it is invisible until the damage shows.
Landscaping, gardens & greens
Iguanas are grazers with expensive taste. They strip hibiscus, bougainvillea, orchids, and fresh turf to the stem, and they tear up manicured beds, fairways, and greens. For a homeowner it's a ruined garden; for an HOA or golf course it's a recurring landscaping bill that never quite gets ahead of the damage.
Pools, screens & pool cages
Droppings foul pool water and stain decks daily, and the cleanup carries a real salmonella risk. Iguanas also slip through and tear screen enclosures, then can't get out — so you find a panicked animal in the cage and a hole in the screen it made getting there.
Roofs, gutters & soffits
Barrel tile is a favorite basking spot, and the droppings streak and stain it while claws and traffic wear the surface. Worse, a roofline iguana exploits gaps at the soffit and screen frame to reach attics and enclosures. A basking spot today becomes an entry point tomorrow.
They multiply fast
One female lays 20 to 70 eggs a year, and South Florida's climate lets them breed nearly year-round. A stray pair on the seawall becomes an established colony in a single season if nothing's done — which is why early removal is the cheap version of every other problem on this list.
Caught early, it's a clear-out. Caught late, it's a contractor.
Iguana damage isn't linear. For a while a property looks fine — a few iguanas, a bit of grazing, nothing alarming. Then the burrows deepen, the colony grows through a breeding season, and it crosses a line where a manageable nuisance becomes structural damage. The same problem that costs $125 to clear early costs thousands to repair once the seawall or deck gives.
That's the whole argument for acting sooner rather than waiting to see how bad it gets. Removal and prevention are cheap, predictable, and something you control. A seawall repair is none of those things — and, because gradual earth-movement damage is usually excluded from coverage, it's often out of pocket.
Remove the animals, then protect the property.
Stopping iguana damage is two jobs, not one. First we clear the resident animals with humane removal or, on heavy waterfront lots, a monitored trapping program. Then we harden the property so the damage doesn't simply resume with the next arrivals — that's the prevention half, and on a property that's already showing damage it matters as much as the removal.
What protecting the property looks like
- Burrow collapse and bank work — the dens behind the seawall are found, cleared, and packed so the ground stops washing out.
- Tree wraps and climb-route cutting — the branches and pilings feeding the roof and cage are wrapped or guarded, so the roofline stops being reachable.
- Landscaping and feeding fixes — the plants and habits drawing them in get adjusted so the yard is a poorer fit.
- A monitored line where pressure is high — on the water, where new iguanas keep arriving, a light program holds what a one-off can't.
We quote all of it against the repair it prevents, and the property walk that scopes it is free and in writing — so you can see the number before a single burrow gets touched.
We quote the fix against the repair it prevents.
On the walk we'll tell you honestly where you are on the curve — early burrowing a clear-out handles, or damage that needs a contractor looped in. No scare tactics, no manufactured urgency, just a read of the property and a number in writing.
- A mapped read of the burrows, runs, and climb routes
- Honest guidance on removal vs. a monitored program
- A free, written quote before any work starts
Caught before the repair.
Iguana damage questions.
Seeing burrows or cracked hardscape?
Call or text Nick — he'll read the property and tell you where you are on the curve.
Call (561) 735-1975Can iguanas really damage a seawall?
Yes — it's the most serious damage they do. Iguanas burrow into the soft soil behind seawalls and along canal banks, and those tunnels can run six feet or more. They hollow out the ground the wall relies on, which leads to cracking, settling, and eventually collapse. Because the burrowing is hidden behind the wall, the damage is usually well underway before you can see it, so catching it early matters.
How fast does iguana damage happen?
Landscaping damage is immediate — a small group can strip a garden in days. Structural damage is slower but compounds: burrows deepen over weeks and months, and the population grows across a breeding season. The pattern we see is a property that looks fine for a while, then reaches a tipping point where a manageable problem becomes a repair. Caught in the early window it's a clear-out; caught late it's a contractor.
Does homeowners insurance cover iguana damage?
Usually not. Gradual, earth-movement damage like burrow-driven seawall settling and cracked hardscape is the kind of thing most policies exclude, and we're not insurance advisors — check your specific policy. That exclusion is exactly why proactive control is worth it: the removal is a small, predictable cost against a repair you'd likely be paying for out of pocket.
Is it cheaper to remove iguanas or repair the damage?
Removal, by a wide margin. Single visits start at $125 and monitored programs from $99 a month, while a seawall or deck repair runs well into the thousands. Control sits firmly on the inexpensive side of the ledger — especially when it's caught before anything cracks. We quote control against the repair it prevents, not in a vacuum.
What's the first thing I should do if I see damage starting?
Book the free property walk. We map the burrows and runs, tell you honestly whether it's early burrowing that a clear-out handles or damage that needs a contractor looped in, and give you the number before any work starts. There's no charge for the walk and no contract you can't cancel — the point is to catch it while it's still cheap to fix.