Not venomous · Native to Central and South America · Invasive in Florida

Green iguana

Iguana iguana (Linnaeus, 1758)

Also called common iguana
Data updated October 2026

Adult green iguana on a stone wall, green with darker bands, a crest of spines and a large round scale on the cheek
Fig. 1 — Adult basking on a stone wall, showing the spiny crest and the large round scale below the ear.
Close view of a green iguana’s head showing the large round cheek scale, rough scales and a row of spines on the dewlap
Fig. 2 — The large round scale at the back of the jaw is a key feature of green iguanas.

At a glance

A large, mostly plant-eating tree lizard from the American tropics. It is native from Mexico to South America and is now established and spreading in South Florida, where it damages seawalls and landscaping. It is not venomous.

01

Identification

Young green iguanas are bright green. Adults are usually grayish green, with dark bands on the tail, and breeding males can turn orange on the front of the body. Look for the large, round scale below the ear at the back of the jaw, a crest of spines along the back and a large throat fan (dewlap). Males have bigger crests and dewlaps than females.

  1. 01Round cheek scale. A large, smooth, round scale sits at the back of the jaw. Spiny-tailed iguanas lack it.
  2. 02Spiny crest. A row of long spines runs down the neck and back.
  3. 03Banded tail without spiny rings. The long tail has dark bands but no rings of sharp, pointed scales.

Commonly confused with

02

Size

01 ft2 ft3 ft4 ft5 ft6 ft7 ft8 ft Large male · about 6 ft (1.8 m)

Large males can exceed 6 feet (1.8 m) from snout to tail tip, and the tail makes up about half that length. Most mature adults weigh about 9 to 13 pounds (4–6 kg); the heaviest reach about 18 pounds (8 kg).

03

Range & habitat

Gray-green iguana resting on a concrete seawall above water
Fig. 3 — Seawalls and canal banks are favored spots in South Florida, where iguanas dig burrows along the edge.

Green iguanas are native from Mexico through Central America and much of South America, south to Paraguay and southeastern Brazil. In the wild they live in humid tropical forest canopies, and also in dry forest, gallery forest and savanna, usually near water.

In Florida the species was first recorded in Miami-Dade County in 1966. Pets that escaped or were released have built up established populations across South Florida, including the Miami area, Key Biscayne, the Florida Keys, Palm Beach County and Lee County. Freezes keep them limited to the southern half of the peninsula. There they live in towns and suburbs, especially where dense trees grow near canals and other water.

State guide: Florida

04

Diet & predators

Adult green iguanas are mainly herbivores. They eat leaves, flowers and fruit, and occasionally insects, small animals, nestling birds and eggs. Juveniles eat more insects than adults.

Feeds on

  • Leaves and shoots
  • Flowers
  • Fruit
  • Occasionally insects and eggs

Preyed on by

  • Raccoons
  • Snakes
  • Hawks, owls, herons and egrets
  • Cats and dogs (young iguanas)
Fresh collard green leaves
Food — leafy greens.
Dandelion flower and leaves
Food — flowers and leaves.

05

Behavior & seasons

Green iguanas are active by day and spend most of their time in trees. They are strong swimmers. When threatened, one may drop from a branch into water and swim away. The tail can be lashed like a whip, and it can break off and grow back.

Males defend territories in the breeding season with head bobbing, dewlap displays and color changes. In Florida, freezes limit how far north the species can survive.

06

Reproduction

Females breed in the dry season and dig nest burrows. Over about three days a female lays an average of 10 to 30 leathery eggs, and occasionally up to 65. The eggs take about 90 to 120 days to hatch.

07

Conservation

Across its native range the green iguana is considered Least Concern, although it is hunted for food and collected for the pet trade.

In Florida it is an invasive species. Burrows dug next to seawalls can cause erosion and collapse. Since April 29, 2021, the green iguana has been on Florida’s list of prohibited reptiles; pet owners need a state permit to keep one, and releasing iguanas is illegal.

08

In captivity

Green iguanas were long sold as pets, but adults are large, strong animals that need much more space than most homes can give. Keepers use a very large, warm enclosure with climbing branches, high humidity and UVB lighting, and feed a plant-based diet of leafy greens, vegetables and some fruit.

In care they can live more than 20 years. In Florida, keeping one now requires a permit. See our pet care guides for general topics.

Keep reading

Sources

Data updated October 2026 · How we build these pages