Missing iguana on Milwaukee's east side captured: 'He knew his time in the wilderness was up'

MILWAUKEE -- Great news! A missing iguana on Milwaukee's east side, named "Nail," was found on Monday, Sept. 3 and captured on Tuesday. He is now safe. FOX6 first told you about Nail after he jumped from the window of an east side home.

Nail was spotted a few times in the neighborhood -- with everyone on the lookout, but he wasn't captured until Tuesday afternoon, when his adventure of a lifetime came to an end on the roof of an east side garage.

Bernadette Gerdeen

"I was just looking up in the tree, wondering if I'd ever spot Nail again," said Bernadette Gerdeen.

Nail had been on the run for about three months.

"I noticed his tail just sticking out of the branches, just up above the garage again," said Gerdeen.

Gerdeen first spotted the iguana a couple months ago, lounging behind her home. The 9-year-old iguana escaped from an apartment above The Turning Page comic book store just down the street.

Hole that Nail the iguana escaped through

Zach Hauser

"There's a hole that he burst through," said Zach Hauser, Nail's owner.

Hauser had been trying to get him back as he roamed the neighborhood.

Ian Marrero

"He wants a mate. He doesn't care about me," said Hauser.

On Monday night, Gerdeen and her fiance didn't let Nail out of sight.

"She came running into the studio and she was like 'Ian, the iguana's back!'" said Ian Marrero.

With Hauser, they watched and waited as night turned to morning.

"About 1 p.m., he came down the tree -- kind of hungry I'm guessing," said Marrero.

They worked quickly, using two nets -- capturing Nail, who put up a little bit of a fight, but eventually gave in.

"It sort of seemed like he knew his time out in the wilderness was up!" said Gerdeen.

Nail's great escape, which captivated the neighborhood, was over.

"The myth is finally coming to a close I guess," said Marrero.

Nail's owner said the iguana was staying overnight at the vet Tuesday, and was surprisingly in good health. He said Nail was a little malnourished and dehydrated. He said he was waiting on blood work to make sure everything is OK.