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Does Garlic Repel Iguanas?

Does Garlic Repel Iguanas?

Iguanas hate the smell that the enzymes in garlic emit, so leave some cloves around if you have an Iguana problem in the kitchen. But what about Iguanas? Does Garlic Repel Iguanas?. Here’s what you need to know

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Does Garlic Repel Iguanas?

Does Garlic Repel Iguanas
Does Garlic Repel Iguanas

Hanging garlic cloves around the doors and windows of your house will repel small lizards but not iguanas. There are ways to keep iguanas out of the home and prevent them from entering. However, garlic is not as effective as the other ways listed below.

11 Ways to prevent Iguanas from entering your house

11 Ways to prevent Iguanas from entering your house
11 Ways to prevent Iguanas from entering your house

Mosquito repellent liquid

The fewer mozzies are in your house, the fewer Iguanas you’ll find. Look around your home, Urbanites. Maybe you still have a can or two of mosquito repellent. If you do, use it to expel disturbing geckos. Just spray or apply the liquid to the place where it often passes.

Or, if you already know where they’re hiding, pour the drink there. Why will the Iguana run away? Partly because it doesn’t like the scent of the chemicals. But it’s also because Iguanas feed on mosquitoes (see, we told you they’re the good guys) – so the fewer mozzies are in your house, the fewer Iguanas you’ll find.

Clean the cabinets under the sink

Check the cabinets under sinks regularly and keep them dry (use newspapers to line the base and change them often). This is a favorite place for Iguanas to hang out and lay their eggs, and they like that it’s damp and usually warm. Also, if you have pipes that leak a bit, it provides them with a great water source. Check the cabinets under sinks regularly and keep them dry (use newspapers to line the base and change them often). As an upside, this will also prevent wood rot and help your cabinets last longer.

Lower the room temperature

Remember your biology lessons in Secondary school? Iguanas, unlike us mammals, cannot regulate their body temperature. And while Iguanas still survive everywhere in the world (except Antarctica), they are fewer in cold climates. Unfortunately, using a fan or opening a window won’t cut it.

To make Iguanas uncomfortable, you’ll need to turn up the air-conditioning and keep the room chilly, around 22 degrees centigrade. This ramps up your air-conditioning bill, though – if you have to do it, maybe do it for the night when you’re turning in. And I wouldn’t say I like hearing their chirping)

Eggshells

Iguanas dislike the smell of eggs and will keep clear of any spaces with that eggy aroma. The next time you have eggs, don’t throw away the shells. Instead, wipe the surfaces dry with a piece of tissue, leaving them close to where the Iguanas frequent.

Iguanas dislike the smell of eggs (actually, come to think of it, many of us do too), and they’ll keep clear of any spaces with that eggy aroma. Do note that you need to throw away the eggshells by the next day for hygiene reasons! Bacteria is way more dangerous than Iguanas.

Coffee powder

Like spices, coffee’s pungent aroma is despised by Iguanas. Iguanas have an aversion to the pungent smell of coffee too. Like the spices, you can mix the coffee powder in water and spray it in places you often spot. You can also sprinkle only the powder. It is sure to chase them out of your home.

Cut garlic

Cutting garlic will let out a scent that Iguanas don’t like. Cut a clove of garlic, and leave it where you don’t want Iguanas. The smell will drive them away. You can also put it near a small table fan to blow it across the room. Note that leaving a clove of garlic there won’t work – you need to cut into it to get the scent out.

Interesting Further Reading

Remove fruits and potted plants.

If you leave fruit bowls on the table, you can expect to hear Iguanas chirping come nighttime. Yeah, so you know what we said about Iguanas eating mosquitoes? What won’t make you happy is that they also eat fruits and your potted plants. Sorry.

If you leave fruit bowls on the table, you can expect to hear their chirping come nighttime (although there is no proven harm in eating a fruit that an Iguana has taken a small nibble from). As for your potted plants, well – maybe now you know why there are minor rips and holes in those leaves. In any case, having fewer of these out in the open will draw more occasional Iguanas.

Naphthalene balls

Mothballs are a great deterrent to Iguanas. Naphthalene balls will drive away Iguanas and many other kinds of bugs. But be careful using them if you have young children or pets – you don’t want to play with the naphthalene balls or, worse, eat them (it can cause nausea and vomiting if ingested, even if a child puts her finger in her mouth after touching them).

Dispose of the leftovers

Iguanas and other pests lurk inside our houses for something to feed on. So, it is advised not to keep food out in the open; store all your food in closed containers. If you have any leftover food that you can’t consume, make sure to throw it out.

Air out dark spaces and corners

The cabinet under the sink is one of the places that Iguanas live in. Iguanas like dark places such as inside cabinets, behind wardrobes, and furniture. So, make sure you clean and air out these places regularly.

Magnetic window net

Window nets can keep out Iguanas and other pests. Fixing a window net is a practical long-term solution. With a trap, you don’t have to keep your windows closed all the time and let in all that natural light.

Pick a white net rather than a colored one to allow more brightness. We hope we answered your query on how to get rid of Iguanas with our tips and tricks. Remember to make regular cleaning your top priority to keep Iguanas or pests away.