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My ameiva wont eat

How long have you had him? Also was he a wild caught?
 
Ive only had him for 2 days... so I know thats not very long lol. I found the lizard caught in my fence outside. Im guessing hes wild caught, but it could possibly have been someones pet.
 
what kind of ameiva is it (are you sure it is an ameiva)? Can you post a pic?
how do you have it set up?
Since you caught him yourself, if you don't get him feeding soon - I would suggest letting him go where you found him.
 
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again, how are you keeping him? (we can't really help solve the puzzle without having the pieces) cage size & set up, temp, humidity? How big is he? and what have you tried to feed him?
 
well right now I have him in a 20 gal with a hide log thing repti bark and a water dish. I have him outside on my back patio, which is like where I caught him. I cant give an exact size but hes about a foot long not including the huge tail. Today I put some crickets in there with no luck.
 
I've kept both a pair of Chaitzami, and Green Ameivas - Care for them is much the same as the Tegu - He's probably just freaked out right now since he was wild caught, and now feels less secure being held captive.

Seeing how you are in south Fla, I'm sure the temps and humidity are fine with keeping him outside for now, however he will need natural, or un-natural sunlight for his well being - and sticking him out in the sunlight in a glass aquarium will just cook him.

If you keep him, he may turn around eventually, however they can be flighty - although 2 out of the 4 I kept were pretty mellow - give him the temps, lighting, and room to burrow and he may be accustomed to captive lifestyle and start feeding for you, or let him go where you have found him...
 
dont worry, the tank is in shade. This guy is just so cool and I want to keep it. What should I be feeding, and what size cage do I need? And any tips on getting it to eat? Thanx.
 
As you noted, the tank is definitely too small for him. (A foot long without the tail - he's a monster :D)
Unfortunately, a tank in the shade doesn't offer the same potential for cooling than if he was in a wire/screen enclosure (or running loose). You really need to find out what the temps are in the tank. The critter is already at a disadvantage being in a too small cage, not allowing him to thermoregulate won't help. Does the tank get hit by the sun at any point during the day? What is the tank resting on? (remember that concrete patio blocks retain heat and will heat the tank more, but even a bench or table could have the same effect). Even relatively freshly WC green ameivas tend to acclimate fairly well and start feeding quickly, as long as you have the conditions right (at least in my experiences with them). You should have no problems getting him to take a variety of insects, though if he is as large as you say he may turn up his nose at little stuff.
 
ball pythonz said:
dont worry, the tank is in shade. This guy is just so cool and I want to keep it. What should I be feeding, and what size cage do I need? And any tips on getting it to eat? Thanx.
Click to expand...

I understand the tank is in the shade, however he will need uv as well to properly function, both physically and mentally - he needs either natural sunlight or artificial means of uv.

I would give him and enclosure around at least 1.5 the length of the Ameiva - unlike some Tegu's, the Ameiva generally stay slender and more active - such as a hatchling Tegu.

I've primarily fed mine dusted crickets and superworms - I've also fed them lean ground turkey raw "supplemented" as I do my Tegu's - Only one of my Ameiva's would eat pinky mice "dusted" and pinkies really have no nutritional value so I would push the insects - Good luck...
 
ball pythonz said:
So I guess my best shot is to get him a bigger cage with the proper lighting. What lighting does he need, if I move him indoors?
Click to expand...

You will need a heat producing lamp to give him a basking area on the hot side of the tank in the neighborhood of 105, and a good uva/uvb bulb such as the reptisun 10.0, or combine the heat/uv with a good mercury vapor bulb...
 
3 of the 4 that I've kept seemed to prefer crickets/superworms - maybe offer a small dusted pinky and see If he'll go after that...
 
You live in Miami, correct? Ameivas are found there wild. They are a introduced species. Was he easy to catch? If so, there might be something wrong with him. Ameivas are very fast lizards.
 
He was trapped in my fence. We have a fence around our yard, with chicken wire type stuff on the bottom so our puppy cant get out. He was trapped in the chicken wire, because his back legs couldnt fit. There is now a pinky mouse in the enclosure, wish me luck...
 
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