Anoles are small lizards often mistakenly called Chameleons. If you are looking for a pet, Anoles can be easily distinguished from a Chameleon by their smaller size, more streamlined body, and cheaper price. They are not always green in color.
The correct pronunciation is A-nole-ee. In size they range from 4 to 20 inches long including their tail. They have special toes designed for climbing and clinging to trees. They can change colors and often do so to indicate health or mood.
Buying your Pet Anole
Green Anoles are commonly sold in pet stores, but a person may want to look for a breeder at a reptile show in areas where they have them. Never collect Anoles from the wild as these animals may be infested with parasites, and some areas have laws against the removal of wild animals. Most Green Anoles in pet stores will be males, as they have slightly more color, and the females are often kept for breeding purposes. Never buy Anoles, or any animal, from crowded, or dirty, tanks. Look for an animal that is a healthy green color. Never buy an animal that is brown and particularly never buy one with a black patch behind its eye, this animal is near death. In fact, if you see any animals like this in the tank, it is best not to make a purchase from that location at all. A healthy animal will have eyes that stick out a bit, and only the faintest outline of their hips should show. Animals who are not eating will be stressed and are quick to die.
Mature males will fight and kill each other, so it is best to make sure Anoles are sexed, and a person should not buy more than one male. Individual animals will be fine by themselves, two anoles will need a tank more than 10 gallons.
Housing
Set up a vivarium for your Anole. The minimum size is 7 gallons, ideally 10. Because they enjoy climbing, tall cages are actually preferred over longer ones. The best substrate (flooring) is bark mulch purchased for lizard tanks. Do not layer it too deep or their food, crickets, will hide and be hard for the pet to find. Provide lots of climbing opportunities for your Green Anole, and a shallow bowl for water. Live plants or plastic ones may be used. Plastic ones having the advantage that they do not need care and will not outgrow the tank.
Anoles do not need hot rocks but a ventilated screen cover is a must. A thermometer in the tank can monitor the temperature. A full spectrum florescent light should be used and bought from a pet supply store. An incandescent bulb can be used to provide heat for the tank, which should be kept at 78 – 85 degrees F. For most of the time the lights should be on in combination for about 14 hours a day.
Care and Feeding
Anoles, like most lizards, prefer to eat their food live. While mealworms, cockroaches, and waxworms, can be fed to Anoles, the most common food is crickets. Crickets can be purchased in a variety of sizes depending on the size of your Anole. Where as other insects should be offered in a bowl the crickets will run around the tank and get your Anole to be active. They should be purchased “gut-loaded” or feed a calcium rich food prior to feeding them to your Anole.
If you do not use insecticides in your yard you can also catch wild insects such as flies, small grasshoppers, and a few non-biting ants, and feed them to your Anole. Offer these on a limited basis.
An adult Anole should eat about four or five medium sized crickets every day. You can feed them daily or offer twice as many every two days.
Be sure your Anole gets fresh water every day, and keep the tank misted regularly as well.
General Information
Green Anoles may be handled but should never be picked up by their tail or it will fall off. If this happens it will regrow, but very slowly and will not look the same as it did.
Although some people may tell you different, Lizards, such as Anoles, do not really bond with people, they may enjoy your body warmth though!
Become familiar with your Anoles regular color changes, they will vary in shades of green or brown as they are resting, basking, and hunting. Remember a black patch behind the eye is a very bad sign.
Anoles can bite. If you are bitten, simply return the animal to its tank and allow it to relax its hold on you and leave you alone. Many people do not handle their Anole, rather they enjoy viewing it only. Some animals do not like being handled, this causes them stress, and stress often manifests in a poor appetite. Do not allow a child to handle and Anole without adult supervision.
Like all lizards, Green Anoles shed their skin as they grow.
Most veterinarians are not familiar with care for lizards, and particularly the smaller ones like Anoles. If you are planning on getting into keeping a lot of animals, or breeding them, be sure to find a veterinarian that is familiar with Anoles.
Do not rush into breeding until you are familiar with care. Youngsters require special feeding not covered in this link
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