So when wildlife removal specialist Harold Rondon got a call from a Florida resident about a spiny-tailed Mexican iguana on her porcelain throne, he knew what he wanted. He says the spiny-tailed lizard is not your typical iguana. “If I had a choice, I would personally take the green iguana because they don’t really try to bite you,” Rondon told As It Happens guest Robyn Bresnahan. “Never [spiny-tailed iguanas] they bite down, actually clenching so hard that they lock their jaw in place and do a gator roll. So they will definitely tear flesh and you have to go to the hospital.” Iguanas enter Florida homes through roof vents. (Submitted by Iguana Lifestyles) Rondon’s company, Iguana Lifestyles, is getting calls to remove iguanas from people’s homes — and toilets — more often this year. And the lizard hunter has his work cut out for him. This particular lizard can reach speeds of over 33 km/h. But it has an advantage over the speedster. “They’re not the smartest things in the world, so you kind of want to put them in the corner somewhere,” Rondon said. It also has a pole that stretches six meters, with a trap to catch the lizard. And his technique works well – Rondon is a record-breaking iguana conqueror. “I actually hold the record for the biggest caught here in south Florida, at six [feet] half past four [inches]Rondon said.
The toilet is the only way out
Rondon says there are several ways iguanas get into people’s homes in Florida. He says every bathroom has a vent stack in the ceiling, which must be kept open. This is the most common way for creatures to enter. “If these iguanas aren’t in the water, they can sense where the water is. If they’re on a roof, they can smell the water. They end up going to the drain,” Rondon said. “Once they get into that pipeline… the only way [out] it’s through your toilet.” Harold Rondon outwitted the speedy iguana using a six-meter pole with a snare. (Submitted by Iguana Lifestyles) There is a solution to keep iguanas out. Rondon has put mesh in the vents of about 40 homes, but said iguanas still find their way into toilets by other means — for example, through shared sewer lines. Rondon believes more iguanas are finding their way into homes because nothing is being done to reduce their population in Florida. He says that as local parks become overrun with lizards, they are pushed into residential areas. But what to do with all those surprise pets caught? For iguanas, breaking and entering comes with a death penalty, Rondon explained. It is an invasive species in Florida and, once captured, the captor is responsible for its humane death. This makes the toilet the iguana’s last great adventure. Written by Philip Drost. Produced by Arman Agbali.
