Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if anyone had any advice in the capture of this magnificent species, like what type of food they like the most or what technique was used to obtain this magnificent species. I would really like to hear from Manny since he or she seems to be an expert on the species.

Sincerely Greg Ridenour

you live in an area with similis around? Have you made any attempts of your own? Just curious. Doesn't seem as though folks are banging down the door to contribute to this thread.

They are a whole lot harder to catch than everyone thinks. The few people that are successfull in catching them have their own ways of doing so. It's something you have to master and figure out with actual field experience. Thier are many ways of doing it, but you have to find what's best for you. Once they know they are being hunted, you won't see them for quite a while ( months usually ). Thier are a few places that are over populated and thus easy to catch, but the majority of the Similis population is spread out making hunting hard. They usually position their burrows to allow them a far line of sight. The easy way out is cathing hatchlings during the hatching season with either a noose or pitfall traps.
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South Central Herpetological

Thank you for the information, but do you know anything about the population that inhabits Key Biscayne Island, or where the overpopulated areas of this species are? Also how long is their burrow approximatley? Again thank you for all your help so far!

Sincerely Greg

On Key Biscayne the population isn't as large which makes it more difficult to catch them. If you go to Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah you will see alot more animals. The population their is incredible but they are difficult to catch there as well. If you are interested in catching them there, as soon as you enter th park they are all over the rocks and if you take your car on the open land to the left you will see them absolutely everywhere in the bushes around that area. They tend to get spooked very easily and go inside their burrows. The best way to catch them taht I have used is to catch them from your car with a very long catch pool and noose. The younger animals dont have burrows yet so they are much easier to catch than the older animals. This method works VERY well for almost all other lizard and iguana sepcies, but I have had alot of trouble with the similis. I have also been searching for the population of pectinatas in Miami, but have yet to find them. I hope this is helpful

-Mike

This information helps so much, is there anywhere else near Miami where there are populations of Similis, and how deep are their burrows?

http://www.herpbreeder.com/pdf/pdfs/2003 Townsend et al-Iguana.pdf.pdf

Well if this information that was at the link, that was so graciously given to me is true, then the populations at both Key Biscayne and Old Cutler Road should be the most populated areas near Miami with Ctenosaura similis, with Old Cutler Road being the only oe to have a trace amount of the species Ctenosaura pectinata.

I have personally been to Amelia earhart park and can say that they are absolutely everywhere, but have yet to find the pectinatas

Thank you so much for your help, but does anyone actually know how deep a burrow can be? I have looked at tons of care sheets and wildlife research sites, but noone states approximately how deep a burrow can be...... and about Amelia Earhart Park, there is tons of Similis, correct(?), and are they skiddish around humans or are they more relaxed until you get too close to them? thank you for all your help!

Sincerely, Papa G