Author Topic: Giant Ameiva Lizards  (Read 6349 times)

Alejandro45

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #25 on: May 02, 2019, 08:55:43 PM »
Sea walnut I cannot say with any certainty that the snakeheads are not causing damage to the ecosystem. That is why I say anecdotal, it means my personal observation or unscientific.

But I do know what they eat I cut them open and examine the stomach sometimes, I do eat them from time to time very good tasting fish..frogs, toads, baitfish, water scorpions, baby swamp eels, and once a baby soft shell turtle. But what has surprised me is I have caught many baitfish I can catch the same in canals without snakehead.

Let me ask you are paddelfish like flying carp? I would love to have those in a pond I don’t believe I cannot  acquire flying carp due to them being considered a invasive species much like snakehead.

SeaWalnut

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #26 on: May 02, 2019, 11:31:11 PM »
Flying carps are filter feeders just like the paddlefish but the carps eat while they breathe and filter the water.The paddlefish feeds like the basket sharks.Paddlefish are native to Mississippi basin and they would be invasive outside it.They are also good to prevent eutrophication like the flying carps but carps do a better job because they breed much easyer and they grow in number faster.The paddlefish breeds after 5 years of age and they are a threatened specie in US.In romania we have paddlefish released into a few lakes by the sturgeon farmers.

Alejandro45

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #27 on: May 03, 2019, 07:16:25 AM »
I did a little bit more research. Flying carp are already used in Florida  waterways for phytoplankton reduction. You can even apply for a permit to get sterilized fish. If carp breeds faster and is easier to breed, then they are invasive and pose as a competitor to our native ancient paddle  fish. We should stock lakes and rivers in the USA with native paddlefish not fish from Asia. Especially if they are threatened with habitat loss, Perhaps they lost access to rivers many thousands of years ago. We can order many hundreds of baby paddle fish for pond stocking.

SeaWalnut

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #28 on: May 03, 2019, 08:22:49 AM »
The paddlefish its verry sensitive to low oxigen and its probably the first fish that dies after an algal bloom .Decaying algae its processed by bacteria that takes all the oxigen from the water.Best thing that could happen to paddlefish protection would be to have strong populations of flying carps around them to ensure the paddlefish wont die when water becomes slightly anoxic.The paddlefish i think its the most beautifull freshwater fish in the world but the carps are much better at tackling algal blooms because they have a bony skeleton made of calcium carbonate that traps pgosphorus naturally and verry efficient,they breed readily.Paddlefish are cartilaginous fish and they arent good at binding phosphorus.Nobody should fear that the waters are stripped of plancton because plancton= phosphorus and lake Erie has today 3 times more phosphorus in it than it had when it was declared dead and its still piling( the dead lake that got a massive bloom wich killed it and it led to the creation of EPA in USA).

pvaldes

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #29 on: May 05, 2019, 07:02:09 PM »
Carps are routinely placed in the list of 100 worst alien species year after year by good reasons. They decrease the water quality, increase turbidiy (stirr sediments from the bottom) and outcompete with other native fishes for food and territory. They will gobble eggs from other fishes also if available.

> Best thing that could happen to paddlefish protection would be to have strong populations of flying carps around them

Big mistake
« Last Edit: May 05, 2019, 07:11:46 PM by pvaldes »

SeaWalnut

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #30 on: May 05, 2019, 09:32:54 PM »
Carps are routinely placed in the list of 100 worst alien species year after year by good reasons. They decrease the water quality, increase turbidiy (stirr sediments from the bottom) and outcompete with other native fishes for food and territory. They will gobble eggs from other fishes also if available.

> Best thing that could happen to paddlefish protection would be to have strong populations of flying carps around them

Big mistake
We are talking about the flying carps wich are filter feeders and pelagic fish not bottom.feeders ,not fish egg eaters.They eat just algae thats in excess in manny lakes because people dump organic matter into them wich leads to an acumulation of phosphorus that never leaves the ecosystem.Phosphorus its mainly found on Earth as calcium phosphate and the carps eat the algae and build their bones
 wich are made of calcium phosphate.The paddlefish altough it eats same food as the flying carps it has a cartilaginous skeleton that dissolves and releases back into the enviroment all the phosphates he ate in his life.

johnb51

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #31 on: May 05, 2019, 10:04:47 PM »
Carps are routinely placed in the list of 100 worst alien species year after year by good reasons. They decrease the water quality, increase turbidiy (stirr sediments from the bottom) and outcompete with other native fishes for food and territory. They will gobble eggs from other fishes also if available.

> Best thing that could happen to paddlefish protection would be to have strong populations of flying carps around them

Big mistake
We are talking about the flying carps wich are filter feeders and pelagic fish not bottom.feeders ,not fish egg eaters.They eat just algae thats in excess in manny lakes because people dump organic matter into them wich leads to an acumulation of phosphorus that never leaves the ecosystem.Phosphorus its mainly found on Earth as calcium phosphate and the carps eat the algae and build their bones
 wich are made of calcium phosphate.The paddlefish altough it eats same food as the flying carps it has a cartilaginous skeleton that dissolves and releases back into the enviroment all the phosphates he ate in his life.
No, we are talking about ameiva lizards!  Start your own thread about flying carps and paddlefish.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2019, 10:06:26 PM by johnb51 »
John

pvaldes

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #32 on: May 06, 2019, 05:42:58 AM »
We talk about the same question, If Ameiva lizards would eat the same things as other native species (as silver carp does) and would have an explossive reproduction (as silver carp has), then you can't have both; The endangered Paddlefish will starve and be driven to extinction by silver carps in no time. As soon as  detected that Ameiva is a menace for endangered native animals or plants should be erradicated.

But its effect is unclear at this moment. Ameiva could be replacing a missing piece of the ecosystem, doing a service to native plants and animals. Could be acting as predators watcher or rodent controller. Talking exclusively about fruiting trees, could have a neutral or even benefical overall effect (I bet that having a fast big lizard running around must upset fruit eating birds). I wonder if this lizard could start eating fruits in the future. I'm not familiar with the species.

If you think than digging holes is a problem should see the craters dug by my chickens
« Last Edit: May 06, 2019, 05:53:25 AM by pvaldes »

johnb51

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #33 on: May 06, 2019, 08:36:21 AM »
Ok, here's the deal.  They're not replacing native species of lizards.  That happened a long time ago.  Do they do anything beneficial?  I guess so.  They eat grubs.  Are they needed in the ecosystem?  No.  It was fine before they got here.  If something else preys on them, they would be under control, but that doesn't happen.  THEY DAMAGE FLOWER PLANTS BECAUSE THEY EXPOSE THEIR ROOTS BY THEIR DIGGING, AND THEY MAKE YOUR GARDEN LOOK LIKE HELL (AESTHETICS).  If anyone could suggest an EFFECTIVE means of control, I would be most gratified!
John

pvaldes

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #34 on: May 06, 2019, 08:46:44 AM »
I think that you could use some stones or even better try to protect the roots with a geotextile mesh. Then put some decorative stones over it of appropriate weight covering the mesh and, voilá!... End of the drama. Why are you shouting?. You are smarter than a velocilizard. Aren't you? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
« Last Edit: May 06, 2019, 10:15:08 AM by pvaldes »

Laaz

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #35 on: May 06, 2019, 09:22:13 AM »
You always have the option...   ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7nAAfiCPVg

pvaldes

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #36 on: May 06, 2019, 10:10:57 AM »
Ameibarbecue is another option, yup. Delicious chicken taste with a hint of Salmonella
« Last Edit: May 06, 2019, 10:12:51 AM by pvaldes »

Daintree

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #37 on: May 06, 2019, 10:19:38 AM »
If only it were as simple as eating them...

I totally get your frustration, JohnB. My mother-in-law had the same problem down in Texas with armadillos digging everything up, and we have it here in Idaho with voles. You go outside in the morning, and just want to scream, and tear your hair out.

I think the idea of laying down some sort of barrier would be the best bet.
Or you could try a snake/lizard repellant.  There are several on the market.  I have used serpent-guard, and it works really well.  I would guess that if the lizard has a Jacobsen's Organ, it would be just as effective.
Good luck!

Carolyn

johnb51

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #38 on: May 06, 2019, 11:24:48 AM »
I think that you could use some stones or even better try to protect the roots with a geotextile mesh. Then put some decorative stones over it of appropriate weight covering the mesh and, voilá!... End of the drama. Why are you shouting?. You are smarter than a velocilizard. Aren't you? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm not so sure I'm smarter.  I'm definitely slower!
« Last Edit: May 06, 2019, 11:34:06 AM by johnb51 »
John

johnb51

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #39 on: May 06, 2019, 11:29:34 AM »
You always have the option...   ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7nAAfiCPVg
He doesn't say how they taste!
John

johnb51

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Re: Giant Ameiva Lizards
« Reply #40 on: May 06, 2019, 11:30:25 AM »
If only it were as simple as eating them...

I totally get your frustration, JohnB. My mother-in-law had the same problem down in Texas with armadillos digging everything up, and we have it here in Idaho with voles. You go outside in the morning, and just want to scream, and tear your hair out.

I think the idea of laying down some sort of barrier would be the best bet.
Or you could try a snake/lizard repellant.  There are several on the market.  I have used serpent-guard, and it works really well.  I would guess that if the lizard has a Jacobsen's Organ, it would be just as effective.
Good luck!


Carolyn
Thank you.  Someone finally feels my pain.  My brother lives in Wyoming.  He tells me rabbits, deer, and antelope eat everything in sight, and he's not even a gardener.  He just wants to grow a few trees!
« Last Edit: May 06, 2019, 11:51:19 AM by johnb51 »
John