Good update, bb. Thanks.
Are you near the hurricane?
Hap
iguana control
Thanks, Hap. It looks as though the hurricane has passed us by. The rain was fierce the past few days but today the sky is clear and the sun is shining. Even better, we've entered the fall/winter season and the temperature is only in the high 80sF. After months of days around 110F, this temperature which is tempered by a soft breeze is a sheer delight.
Wonderful
It's on its way here!!
Hap
Pickle with another confirmed kill!
Anybody out there need a visit from the wiener patrol? We're hiring him out now...
Lol, happyisland!!!
you must be proud.....
isaac
ER, that critter doesn't look dead.. Is he?
Hap
As of this writing, that particular iguana is no longer with us. They sustain a pretty serious amount of damage during the hunt, and then there's the inevitable tug-of-war our smaller dog tries to get involved.
That's amazing. Are they normally hunters? That iggy looks as big as he. What a dog!
Hap
Yeah, dachshunds are bred to go underground into badger's dens to kill them. Very tough little dogs. It's funny because Pickle is about the laziest puppy I've ever had, but as soon as there's any prey about he turns into a pint-sized assassin.
dachsuhunds are definitely very tough little dogs. I know that some of them can be quite a bit arrogant too....
they are one of the most common pets people have in South Africa.
I have the same situation as happyisland. I'm starting a veggies garden and the GREEN LARGE IGUANAS are coming around. I live in Puerto Rico, we have a very serious problem with these creatures. They eat flowers, leaves and anything they want.
I need to keep them away from my garden, the only answer I have seen that makes sense is the dogs one. Is there any other way, like spraying with something really effective, or anything besides the dogs?
I remember a DG member living in Weston, FL who owned dachshunds and they were great at catching iguanas and lizards. Living in Aruba or Puerto Rico, you would have quite an iguana problem. I certainly saw some shining examples there, and elsewhere in the Caribbean. I fondly remember a bar in Aruba called The Blue Iguana and a circle in downtown George Town (Grand Cayman) decorated with painted concrete iguanas. Pictures included.
Sylvain
The problem with feeding them is that it attracts more and more. The easier the meal is the more will congregate. The green iguana population in South Florida has really exploded recently and they are becoming a problem. They are an invasive species here and are screwing up the natural order of things. Dogs and cats work well to keep them out of yards. They recently started selling a iguana repellent spray at the garden centers, but I have no idea if it actually works or not.
If you are so inclined, a pellet rifle works. If you don't like to get your hands dirty, then I found that one of those good rubber band gun works great! He he. Works better on the smaller ones though. I also turn the garden hose on them.
In my experience, "if you feed them, they will come".... and stay. If you chase them every time you see them they will eventually learn that it's not worth the effort. It takes some work though. The ones near my house learned that if they enter my fence, it's war! Lol
For what it's worth, Harbor Freight sells a very good slingshot (surgical rubber bands, metal frame, good handle, leather ammunition holder) that can also be used to traumatize squirrels. It costs less than $8 and mine is put to good use on a regular basis. I keep a jar of pebbles near my picnic table in the carport and I am deadly accurate with my slingshot. The squirrels step gingerly and have started avoiding my house. I saw one iguana, who never dared come back, 3 months go.
Dragunov79, where in South Florida are you? If I may ask.
Sylvain.
I live just below you in the greater Fort Lauderdale area. The iguana population is booming down here. Mostly near waterways.
I live even further south in Miami just shy of the Kendall area and have a canal in my backyard. I just caught 2 baby iguanans chomping on my sweet potato vines. I'm relatively new to gardening so I have no clue what I'm doing short of plant it in the ground and it will grow so this whole iguana situation is something I never even considered and hope it doesn't turn into an Elmer Fudd chasing Bugs Bunny situation.
Iguanas aren't very bright, but they do learn. If you make your garden an unpleasant experience for them, they will eventually get the picture. A blast of water from the hose every time you see them or the old rubber band gun. It takes a little work, but they will get the picture and move on to easier food