17 hours ago
Video shows large iguana thrashing after crawling up toilet in South Florida home
A South Florida woman faced a startling encounter when she discovered a large Mexican spiny-tailed iguana thrashing inside her toilet, raising new concerns about invasive reptiles making their way into homes through plumbing and roof vents.
Kristy Simpson said she "could clearly see" the dark, oversized iguana in her toilet bowl.
Cellphone video taken by her husband shows her donning heavy gloves before grabbing the reptile and hauling it out of the bathroom.
"I just went in there and I took a deep breath and said, 'I can't let go!'" Simpson recalled, laughing nervously about the frantic moments that followed.
While Simpson managed to remove the iguana, the encounter left her shaken.
"Every time I go to the bathroom … I want to flush it first because I'm scared an iguana's going to come up the toilet," she said.
Wildlife specialists said the incident is part of a growing trend.
Iguanas have been found not only in toilets but also in oven vents and other unexpected places.
Harold Rondan of Iguana Lifestyles, a company that captures invasive reptiles, explained that iguanas often gain access through rooftop vent stacks or open sewage pipe cleanouts.
"Once it's exposed, anything can go in — snakes, iguanas," he said.
Experts recommend capping roof vents with mesh coverings to allow air flow while blocking animal entry. Without such precautions, the reptiles can slip inside homes unnoticed.
Adding to the danger, the Mexican spiny-tailed iguana is known to be more aggressive than other iguana species.
"Those teeth are razor sharp … they can do a lock grip and a death roll like a gator," Rondan warned, noting the risk of serious bites. The reptiles are also carriers of salmonella and other harmful bacteria.