Q: I have at least four chuckwallas living in my backyard. I have identified them using photos on the Internet. They range in size from 6 to 14 inches. They are eating the leaves of my vegetable garden. How do I make them leave my yard?
A: The chuckwalla (Sauromalus obesus) is a resident lizard in these parts so your yard is also its yard. You can’t stop them; you can only hope to contain them. Your best bet in the case of any four-legged varmints eating your vegetable garden is to exclude them using a barrier so they cannot access your vegetables. Since these are relatively large lizards, hardware cloth and PVC pipe, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, can be used to fashion an enclosure they cannot penetrate that you can lift off when tending your garden.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to plwarren@cals.arizona.edu
