Iguanas get on roofs to bask in full sun and stay clear of ground threats, and flat South Florida roofs and barrel tile are perfect for it. They climb up an overhanging branch, a trellis, a screen frame, or even a downspout. Once up there they leave droppings, gnaw at soft fascia, and sometimes drop into a pool cage they can't climb out of.
Getting one down safely
Getting one down safely is a job for someone comfortable working at height with the right gear — I'm not going to tell a homeowner to go up a ladder chasing a 5-foot lizard that can bolt and jump. A startled iguana on a roof will run, and either it goes off the edge or you do. If it's up there and won't leave, that's a call to make rather than a solo ladder mission.
Cutting the climbing route
Just as important as getting this one down is removing why it's up there. Iguanas take the same routes up, so closing them keeps the next one on the ground:
- Trim overhanging branches back off the roofline
- Add a piling guard or trellis guard to smooth vertical routes
- Close gaps where a screen frame meets the roof
- Address downspouts and trellises they're using as ladders
Why it's worth dealing with
A roof iguana isn't just cosmetic. Droppings stain and corrode over time, they gnaw soft fascia and can tear at tile edges, and from up there they'll drop straight into a screened pool cage they then can't escape. Handling the animal and the access together is what actually ends it.
Common questions
How does an iguana climb onto a roof?
Usually up an overhanging tree branch, a trellis, a screen enclosure, or a downspout. Cutting that access back off the roofline is what keeps them down — otherwise they just climb the same route again.
Is a roof iguana damaging anything?
It can be — droppings stain and corrode, and they gnaw soft fascia and can tear at tile edges. They also drop into pool cages from up there, turning one problem into two.
Should I go up and chase it off myself?
I'd steer you away from it. A startled iguana on a roof bolts and jumps, and a homeowner on a ladder chasing one is how people get hurt. Get someone with the right gear, and focus your own effort on trimming the access route.
