A Florida homeowner breathed a sigh of relief after an iguana was successfully removed from his home's chimney.
Michael Ronquillo, owner of Humane Iguana Control, responded to a call on Sunday to help safely remove “an aggressive green iguana” from inside a home.
“A South Florida resident contacted us about finding an aggressive green iguana in his fire pit,” Ronquillo told Fox News Digital.
“It was uncertain what to do, so they contacted Humane Iguana Control for help in removing it. [I was]I am not surprised. Iguanas can be found anywhere.”
Young iguanas can be bright green or blue in color, as seen in a video shared by Humane Iguana Control.
“This iguana used the coconut tree's palm to reach the home's fire pit,” Ronquillo told Fox News Digital.
“It is important for residents to contact professional iguana removal companies to avoid the health risks and potential physical harm that can be caused by iguanas having very sharp teeth and nails.”
Iguanas' tail speeds can reach up to 30 miles per hour, and their tails often have barbs on top.
These reptiles can also carry the Salmonella virus and spread this bacteria among the human population.
According to Ronquillo, “If you see an iguana in your home, you should stop it, as the homeowners in this situation did.”
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), “Like all non-native reptile species, green iguanas are not protected by any laws in Florida other than the anti-cruelty law, and may be killed humanely on private property with the permission of the landowner.”
According to the FWC, the reptiles are particularly invasive in South Florida, where “wide man-made canals serve as ideal dispersal corridors, allowing the iguanas to colonize new areas.”
Ronquillo recommends that all homeowners in the area who have coconut or palm trees near their homes “cut them down,” because iguanas can use them as passageways to enter homes.
Green iguanas were specifically added to Florida's prohibited species list in April 2021.
This species may be “humanely killed” year-round without a hunting license or permit.
