My ameiva wont eat

[ball pythonz]

well I posted this here because ameivas are close to tegus... does anyone have any info on how I could get my ameiva to eat? I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

[varnyard]

How long have you had him? Also was he a wild caught?

[ball pythonz]

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.

[hhmoore]

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.

[ball pythonz]

Its definentaly an ameiva. Ill try to get pics posted here soon. And yes, if it doesnt eat soon, I will release it back to a safe place.

[hhmoore]

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?

[ball pythonz]

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.

[ball pythonz]

actually its a bit smaller than a 20... its too small for the lizard. If im going to keep it, (if I can keep it) i'll get it a much bigger cage.

[Mike P.]

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...

[ball pythonz]

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.

[hhmoore]

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.

[Mike P.]

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.

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]

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?

[Mike P.]

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?

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...

[ball pythonz]

thanks, i'll try feeding again today. I guess my best chance is with crickets or mealworms... anything else I could try?

[Mike P.]

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...

[ball pythonz]

I put a few crickets in there now, and he doesnt even seem to notice them. Today i'll go and get some mealworms and a pinky.

[varnyard]

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.

[ball pythonz]

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...

[ball pythonz]

I dont know if it means anything but ive seen it drink from its water bowl a few times.

[The BoidSmith]

Have you tried egg? Both tegus and ameivas love it. Also if I were you I would put a branch/log in a 45 degree angle inside the enclosure (I'm assuming you have a mesh cover on the top). That will allow for the animal to choose different spots/temperature gradients and will provide hide spots. One thing that both tegus and ameivas love in the wild are spiders, it usually triggers an immediate feeding response.

Regards

[ball pythonz]

Thanks for all the help, but im pretty much positive he ate. When I left for dinner tonight, I put a pinky in, and now when I got back, its gone. I cant see the pinky got out, and I dug through all the substrate... so tommorow im going to go and get him a proper sized cage and lighting.

[varnyard]

Sounds great Mark!! :)

[ball pythonz]

Thanks. As I said tommorow im going to get a much bigger cage with the right lighting. Also what substrate should I use? He seems to dig around a lot, and the wood chips just dont seem to fit.

[Mike P.]

Thanks. As I said tommorow im going to get a much bigger cage with the right lighting. Also what substrate should I use? He seems to dig around a lot, and the wood chips just dont seem to fit.

Cypress Mulch would be best for him, and seeing how you are in Fla, it's cheap down there...

[ball pythonz]

I guess they would sell that at home depot, is there anything else?

[ball pythonz]

also about cage size... I was thinking a 20 gal long but that seems a little small...

[varnyard]

They do sell it at Home depot. As for the size of the tank, a 40 breeder would be a lot better. :)

[ball pythonz]

I know it sounds dumb, but what exactley is the difference in a breeder cage?

[clarinet45]

It's wider for more floor space than height.

[ball pythonz]

well I just went to the pet store and got a 40 gal breeder, bedding, and uv and heat lamps. Hopefully the lizard will be happy and healthy

[The BoidSmith]

Mark,

You are really going to go far in this hobby. Well done! :)

Regards.

[Mike P.]

Good luck with him :)

[ball pythonz]

Well I love reptiles, and its so awesome that I got one of these. Now for my other problem... it wont touch crickets. It ate another pinky today, so thats 2 pinkys. But pinkys are a pain for me to get right now, and I always have a lot of crickets for my other animals. Any ways I could get it to eat crickets? Hopefuly i'll keep trying and it will eat crickets... I dont leave the crickets in there to long because my friend had the bad experience of his tegus eyes gitten eaten by crickets. I also might take it to a vet just since its wc.

[ball pythonz]

also... do you think it would be ok at night in my room? It gets kinda cold in there... but my ball python and pac man frog are both ok.

[varnyard]

It sounds like you are doing a great job setting him up!! :)

Does you room get below 70*? If not it will be fine.

Also, have you tried roaches, or super worms? He should take them.

[The BoidSmith]

Can you get any roaches? They will eat them too. No, I don't think the temperatures in your room will be too low at night for the ameiva.

[ball pythonz]

lol we had roaches actually but my dad got rid of that... yea I have super worms but they bury under the bedding and he doesnt see them. Ill try putting a plate or something in there.

[ball pythonz]

I'll get pics also, but for now if you go on google images and search for green ameiva, he looks exactley like the first picture but his colors are even brighter.(or she, I dont know yet)

[varnyard]

Any updates? How is he doing?