Pool cages are a classic iguana headache in Palm Beach County. Iguanas climb the screen framing to bask on top, push in through gaps and torn screen at the base, or drop in from a tree branch overhead — and once inside a cage they often can't climb the smooth screen back out. So they pace the deck, foul the pool and pavers, and get stressed and defensive until someone removes them by hand.
Protecting a cage is about closing the routes in, and there's usually more than one. That means screen guards along the base and lower panels where they climb and chew through, sealing gaps around the door and where the framing meets the deck and house, and cutting back any branch that overhangs the cage so nothing drops in from above.
The common ways in
When we walk a cage that keeps getting iguanas, it's almost always one of a short list of entry points. Finding the actual route beats guessing.
- Torn or chewed lower screen panels
- Gaps at the base where the screen meets the deck
- Gaps around the door or a door left ajar
- A branch overhanging the cage they drop in from
- Where the cage ties into the house or roofline
The trapped-iguana problem
An iguana that falls into a cage and can't get out becomes a daily mess and a stressed, defensive animal — and a large adult in a confined space can be genuinely difficult and unpleasant to remove. Preventing entry is far easier, cheaper, and safer than repeatedly catching one out of the enclosure, which is why the guards-and-sealing approach beats waiting to react.
Common questions
How are iguanas getting into a fully screened cage?
Usually a torn panel, a gap at the base or door, or a branch overhead they drop from. A 'fully screened' cage almost always has one weak point. We walk the whole enclosure to find the actual entry rather than assuming it's one obvious spot.
Will screen guards fix chewed screen?
Guards protect the vulnerable lower panels going forward, but screen they've already torn needs re-screening — the two go together. Adding guards over the section they chew is what stops it happening again after the repair.
Do I need to trim my trees back?
If a branch overhangs the cage, yes — dropping in from above is one of the most common entries, and no amount of base sealing stops it. Cutting back the overhang closes that route and often reduces basking on the cage top too.
