The green anole has been around for centuries, however they have recently invaded local pet shops. According to David Badger, author of Lizards, the green anole is often mistaken as a chameleon. The fact is anoles are not chameleons at all, but they do have the ability to change color in order to camouflage themselves. The green anole can easily turn brown or a grayish color in order to blend in with the bark on a tree, or even a fence.
If your lucky enough to live in Florida as I do, you can find green anoles in your own back yard. I remember walking into the pet store last year, and seeing this little green lizard in a tank for sale. At first I thought it was some sort of joke, after all you see them all the time here. Green anoles are affordable only costing around $5.00 to $10.00 each depending on where you live. However, if you do happen to live in Florida, you can catch you own. Like most lizards green anoles will drop their tail, so be careful not to grab them by it. Green anoles also will bite, however it does not hurt at all.
Before catching or buying a green anole, you need to have a cage ready for it. Your anole will need space, high humidity, hiding places, proper lighting, substrate. heat source, basking area, food, and water. Your green anole can live several years and grow up to 8 inches long if it is cared for properly.
Cage: You can find small green anole starter kits, however I don’t recommend them. They are very small, and like most lizards, your green anole needs room to roam. Your tank should be at least 10 gallons or more. I have found that a glass aquarium with a screen top works best.
Substrate: There are several items on the market that can be used as substrate. Reptile bark is often used for green anoles, and seems to work fine. I have not personally seen or heard of a green anole becoming impacted. You can also use calcium sand, reptile carpet, or potting soil. Reptile carpet is the easiest to clean. If you use potting soil, place it in a large pan and heat it in the oven first. This will kill parasites, and fungus that may be living in it.
High Humidity: Green anoles enjoy a tropical environment. You should keep the humidity level around 75 – 80%. Doing this will not only keep your anole happy, it will also aid in shedding. Keeping a high humidity level isn’t hard to do. In fact most of it is done by watering your green anole.
Water & Decore: Your green anole will drink his water off from leaves, and the side of the tank. You should provide your green anole with branches to walk, and bast on as well as artifical plants, and greenery. Water should be dripping from the leaves, which can be done in several ways. The easist way is to use a drip or mist system. These systems can be bought at your local pet store. I use the Little Dripper by: Zoo Med which cost around $10.00. You can also mist the leaves, and inside of the cage twice daily, or place an ice cube on top of the screen, allowing in to melt and drip. You can place a small shallow bowl under a drip to catch access water.
Basking light: Your green anole needs UV lighting. His basking area should be around 90 degrees. By using a dome light you can achieve keeping one side of the take cooler then the other. If your green anole gets to hot, he should have a way to escape the heat.
Hiding areas: You can use store bought hides, or make your own. Anything from old small pieces of pipe, to hollowed out logs make great hiding areas. By providing a hiding area, your anole will free safe, and will be less stressed.
Food: Your anole will eat a large range of insects. You can feed your green anole smaller crickets, mealworms, roaches, and even the occasional wax worm. You can also buy green anole dry food, as well as vitamin dust to cover your insects in before feeding.
Green anoles are very fast, and have toe pads in addition to claws. They can easily escape most situations, including climbing up walls. Before you bring a green anole home you should know that you will never tame it. Green anoles are more or less to be looked at, not handled. They will learn to tolerate you, but they are not puppies. However, they are fun to watch, and they do make a great low maintenance pet.
