Invasive green iguana removed from chimney in Florida home: ‘End up everywhere’

A Florida homeowner can breathe easy after an iguana was successfully removed from their chimney.

Michael Ronquillo, owner of Humane Iguana Control, responded to the call Sunday to help safely remove “an invasive green iguana” from inside the home.

“A resident in south Florida contacted us about finding an invasive green iguana in their fire pit,” Ronquillo told Fox News Digital.

“Unsure what to do, they contacted Humane Iguana Control to help remove him. [I was]not surprised. Iguanas can end up almost anywhere.”

Young iguanas can be more green or blue, as seen in the video shared by Humane Iguana Control.

“This iguana used a palm from a coconut tree to get into the fire pits of the house,” Ronquillo told Fox News Digital.

“It is important that residents contact professional iguana removal companies to avoid health hazards and possible bodily harm due to iguanas having very sharp teeth and claws.”

Iguanas can have a tail whip of up to 30 mph, and the upper parts of their tails often have spikes.

Reptiles can also carry salmonella and spread the bacteria to the human population.

According to Ronquillo, “if you find an iguana in your home, you should trap it like the homeowners did in this situation.”

“Like all non-native reptile species, green iguanas are not protected in Florida except by anti-cruelty law and may be humanely killed on private property with landowner permission,” according to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida Wildlife Service (FWC).

The reptiles are especially invasive in South Florida, where “extensive man-made canals serve as ideal dispersal corridors to further allow iguanas to colonize new areas,” according to the FWC.

Ronquillo recommends that all homeowners in the region with coconut or palm trees near their homes cut them down, as iguanas can use them as a way to enter properties.

Green iguanas were specifically added to Florida’s prohibited species list in April 2021.

The species may be “humanely killed” throughout the year without a permit or hunting permit.