In Florida, iguanas fall from trees due to the cold.

November 12, 2025, 2:08 pm | Read time: 2 minutes

When you think of Florida, you imagine beaches, palm trees, and sunshine. But beware, it’s currently anything but hot and summery in the U.S. state–at least at night. In some places, temperatures are even dropping below freezing. This cold snap has some bizarre consequences.

Why Are Iguanas Falling from Trees in Florida?

If you’re vacationing in Florida right now, be careful: It might rain iguanas from the trees–no joke! The local weather service has issued a “falling iguana warning” for residents of Central and South Florida. The reason is the low nighttime temperatures. In some areas, temperatures have dropped to as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Iguanas then switch to a kind of defense mechanism against the cold.

Iguanas are cold-blooded animals. They essentially shut down their bodies at low temperatures. In a “CBS News Miami” interview in 2022, a Miami Zoo employee explained that iguanas become sluggish when temperatures drop below 50 degrees. Below 39 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit, they enter a kind of hibernation. Their heartbeat slows, and they essentially freeze. Since iguanas in Florida like to sleep in trees, they can simply fall when temperatures drop and they are in hibernation. They appear dead, but they are just stunned or numbed.

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Also interesting: The Unknown Other Side of Florida

Do Not Take Iguanas Home

However, you should never take the stunned animals home. Once it gets warmer, they recover and wake up from their hibernation. “Never take cold-stunned iguanas home! These are wild animals and can become aggressive once they have warmed up and recovered,” warns the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

There’s no need to worry about iguanas that have simply fallen from the trees. Even if they look helpless, they are not in any life-threatening danger. However, human contact can stress or even injure them.

The local weather service also explains that the cold snap is only temporary and temperatures will rise again.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TRAVELBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@travelbook.de.