How and where they nest
Green iguana nesting concentrates in the spring. Females dig burrows into soft ground — canal and lake banks, seawall backfill, and beds against foundations and pool decks — and lay a clutch of roughly 20 to 70 eggs. Those same nesting burrows are what undermine seawalls, slopes, and hardscape.
Not every egg survives, but in Palm Beach County's climate enough do that an unmanaged waterfront or community property can go from a couple of visible iguanas to a colony in a single season.
Why the burrows matter beyond the eggs
A nesting female doesn't dig one tidy hole — she may dig several test burrows before committing, and on a soft canal or lake bank that adds up to a honeycombed slope.
- Clutches run roughly 20–70 eggs per female
- Nests go into canal banks, seawall backfill, and beds by foundations
- Multiple test burrows per female weaken the bank
- A viable clutch left in place refills the property in weeks
Timing is everything
This is why timing matters so much here. Clearing a property before spring nesting — and collapsing the burrows where females lay — breaks the cycle before the numbers jump. On heavy properties we do intensive nest and egg removal as part of the clear-out, because leaving a viable clutch in the bank means the whole job refills in a few weeks. If you can only tackle the problem once a year, doing it ahead of nesting gives you far more return than reacting in midsummer.
Common questions
When do iguanas lay eggs in Florida?
Nesting concentrates in spring. Females dig burrows to lay their clutches, and hatchlings appear weeks later, which is why spring is the leverage point for the whole population.
Do you remove the eggs too?
On heavy properties, yes. We do nest and egg removal as part of the clear-out, because leaving a viable clutch in the bank means the job refills within weeks.
How many eggs does one iguana lay?
Roughly 20 to 70 in a clutch. Not all survive, but enough do in this climate that a single unmanaged female can seed a colony on a waterfront lot.
