Welcome to Ameiva Herpetological. This is a site dedicated to the captive care and husbandry of Ameivas. There is very little info out there on Ameivas and it is generally vague at best. Hopefully here we can change the that and have a reliable online source for these interesting lizards.

              Ameivas are fast moving, nervous Teiids that range through central and south America as well as the West Indies. Ameivas require more spacious enclosures than their size would indicate due to their high activity levels, actively searching their enclosures for the scent of prey.. They are terrestrial burrowers but some will climb regularly if branches and logs are provided.   A thermal gradient should be provided with a basking spot of 100-115f with a cooler end approximatly 80f . Luckily, unlike some other lizard species Ameivas will drink from a water dish and one should be available at all times. They are primarily insectivorous eagerly accepting mealworms (larvae,pupua, and beetles) waxworms (larvae,pupua and moths), maggots(larvae,pupua and flies), dermistid beetles and their larvae, roaches and of course crickets. Most will gladly eat an anole or house gecko if the chance arises, and larger species such as the Green Ameiva (Ameiva Ameiva) will accept pinkies and small fuzzies.  Ameivas are interesting captives  and deserve far more attention that the herpetological world gives them .     

There seems to be much confusion in the genus Ameiva, and even greater confusion with regards to subspecies. Here is the most complete list of the genus I have seen, graciously provided by the EMBL Reptile Database:

    Ameiva ameiva
    Ameiva anomala
    Ameiva auberi
    Ameiva bifrontata
    Ameiva bridgesii 
    Ameiva chaitzami
    Ameiva chrysolaema
    Ameiva cineracea *
    Ameiva corax
    Ameiva corvina
    Ameiva dorsalis
    Ameiva edracantha
    Ameiva erythrocephala
    Ameiva exsul
    Ameiva festiva
    Ameiva fuscata
    Ameiva griswoldi 
    Ameiva leberi
    Ameiva leptophrys
    Ameiva lineolata
    Ameiva major *
    Ameiva maynardi
    Ameiva niceforoi
    Ameiva orcesi 
    Ameiva plei
    Ameiva pluvianotata
    Ameiva polops **
    Ameiva quadrilineata
    Ameiva septemlineata
    Ameiva taeniura 
    Ameiva undulata 
    Ameiva vittata
   Ameiva wetmorei
                                                                                    

Note: * Indicates Extinct Species

        ** Indicates Critically Endangered  Species