Ecological and Wildlife Impacts of the Invasive Iguana and Cane Toad

Florida Climate Fuels Invasive Populations

Florida’s warm climate provides the perfect environment for iguanas and cane toads, but their growing numbers bring serious consequences. These invasive lizards destroy homesteads and create costly repairs to landscaping, while their burrowing behavior disrupts wildlife habitats and erodes coastlines. Their impact is so severe that legal restrictions now limit the transport of live specimens, requiring that they be thoroughly dispatched on-site. Understanding their habits is the first step in keeping them under control.

Cane toads pose an even more immediate threat to homeowners with pets. As a defense mechanism, they secrete a toxin that is potent enough to severely harm or even kill small dogs. Proactive measures are available, and we'll help consult about any apparent infestations on your property to help take the measures needed to protect your home and everyone in it.

Damage Risks from Iguana Infestations

Invasive species can cause damage to gardens and landscaping, outdoor structures like sea walls and property foundations, and creating costly problems for home and business owners all over Cape Coral and Fort Myers. Contact Iguana Tamers today for reliable solutions and expert support.

Secure Your Property from Iguanas

Answers to Common Invasive Species Questions

Knowledge is power in the fight to keep our ecosystems balanced, and to protect our homes and pets. We'll handle the work of identifying burrows and dispatching the creatures, but we compiled a few resources to keep you prepared:

How big is a fully grown Iguana? And how long do they live?

here are three species of Iguanas established in Florida. The Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana and the Mexican Spiny-Tailed Iguanas get up to four feet long. Green Iguanas get up to six feet long. Iguanas can live over 15 years.

Do Iguanas eat our native animals?

I have only seen a few Iguanas, should I be concerned?

How do Iguanas make such a negative Ecological Impact?

Iguanas consume threatened or endangered plant species and expensive ornamental landscape plants and trees. The burrowing habits of Iguanas cause damage to seawalls, canal banks, and roadways. Iguanas have caused severe damage to important infrastructure like water control structures and roadways. When they invade houses and sheds, they do all kinds of damage and raise a health risk to humans. Their droppings can destroy vehicle paint finishes. They also defecate on walkways, docks, and in swimming pools. Iguanas use burrows of other wildlife, including burrowing owls and gopher tortoises competing with native species for resources.

What is Iguana regulatory status?

Can Cane Toads kill my pet dog or cat?

Cane toads can indeed be dangerous and potentially deadly to pets such as cats and dogs. These toads secrete a toxic substance called bufotoxin, which can cause serious harm if ingested or if it comes into contact with a pet's mouth or eyes. Symptoms of poisoning in pets may include excessive drooling, vomiting, disorientation, seizures, and potentially death if not treated promptly.

Pet owners in areas where cane toads are prevalent should take precautions to prevent interactions between their pets and these toads, and seek immediate veterinary care if exposure occurs.

Protecting Local Habitats

The invasive green iguana doesn’t just damage landscapes—it threatens Florida’s native wildlife. In Cape Coral, the burrowing ground owl faces serious risk from these aggressive lizards. Iguanas raid nests, hunt defenseless hatchlings, and outcompete the owls for the same burrows they need for survival.

By disrupting this delicate balance, iguanas reduce owl populations and place an already vulnerable species under further pressure. Protecting local habitats means controlling invasive iguanas before they cause irreversible harm to Florida’s unique ecosystem.