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Green
Anole
(Anolis carolinensis.)
Habitat:
Woodland
Diet: Insectivorous
Adult Size: 4-8 inches
Lifespan: 2-3 years,
occasionally longer with proper
care
Native To: Southeastern
US, Texas and Louisiana |
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Did
You Know:
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Green Anoles change their
color from bright green to
dark brown, which has
sometimes led people to
confuse them with
chameleons. They are in fact
a very
different species than
chameleons, which are from a
different part of the world.
The Green Anole is more
closely related to the
iguana.
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When cold, Green Anoles will
turn brown to absorb heat
more efficiently. In
nature, a Green Anole will
turn a lighter shade of
green when it's extremely
hot to
reduce the rate of heat
absorption.
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After two male Green Anoles
fight for dominance, the
winner will turn bright
green, and the loser brown.
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What
You Should Know About The
Green Anole |
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The Basics: |
The ability to change
colors is only one of
the things
that make the Green
Anole a fascinating
lizard. It also has
special adaptations on
its toes that allow it
to climb up smooth
vertical surfaces. Males
also have a pink fan of
skin called a dewlap
hanging from the neck
that they extend during
courtship and
territorial defense
rituals. A diurnal
lizard, the Green Anole
is active during the
day. It is also
arboreal, and likes to
spend much of its time
on low-lying branches.
Males are territorial
and should not share an
enclosure, but can be
housed with females if
enough space is
provided. Green Anoles
should not be confused
with the Brown Anole,
which is a different
species, not a Green
Anole that underwent a
color change. However,
Brown Anoles are closely
related to Green Anoles,
and have very similar
care requirements. |
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Enclosure:
Space
Contributes to Health
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A single Green Anole can
be housed in a 10-
gallon glass tank, but
this is not desirable.
Having more space
reduces stress and
allows a proper thermal
gradient to be provided.
A single Green Anole, or
a male-female pair
should be housed in at
least a 20-gallon tank.
An extra 10-20 gallons
of tank size should be
added for a third and
fourth Green Anole.
Since Green Anoles are
arboreal, vertical
space should be provided
for climbing. Any
enclosure should have a
secure lid that allows
for ventilation. The
enclosure should have
wood for climbing and
basking, as well
as overturned logs for
hiding. In addition to
climbing, the wood will
provide an opportunity
for the Green Anole to
wear down its long
nails, keeping them
trim. |
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Plants Are Essential: |
Every Green Anole's
enclosure should have
plants, either
artificial silk ones, or
safe real foliage. Green
Anoles feel more secure
living among plants.
Acceptable plants for a
Green Anole's enclosure
include Pothos and
Devil's Ivy. |
Substrates:
Supports
Live Plants And Retains
Humidity: |
The substrate used in a
Green Anole's enclosure
should support high
humidity levels without
allowing mold growth,
and promote plant
growth. Sterilized soil
works well as a
substrate as do peat
moss and mulch. Paper
and reptile carpet are
also acceptable. Sand
and aromatic woods such
as pine and cedar should
never be used. |
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Lighting:
UVB Required: |
Green Anoles must be
exposed to UVB rays.
This exposure
is critical in allowing
the animal to synthesize
vitamin D3 and absorb
calcium. If a Green
Anole isn't exposed to
an adequate level of UVB
lighting, it will
develop a metabolic
bone disorder.
Fluorescent tubes
designed for use with
reptile enclosures will
provide UVB light. If
fluorescent lamps are
used, they should be
replaced every six
months.
Glass blocks out UVB
light, so overhead light
sources should be kept
behind a wire mesh
cover, not a glass or
acrylic tank top.
Fluorescent light
sources should be within
12 inches
of the animal. UVB
lighting should be
provided to the Green
Anole on a 12-hour
on/off cycle. A timer
should be used to
regulate these
photoperiods. |
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Temperature:
Moderate
Heat: |
The Green Anole's
enclosure should have an
ambient
temperature in the 75-80
degree Fahrenheit range
during the day, and
65-75 at night. A warmer
daytime basking area in
the 80s or low 90s
should also be provided.
Providing a thermal
gradient allows the
Green Anole to regulate
its body temperature by
moving around the
enclosure. Heat lamps
and heat emitters can be
used to maintain the
desired thermal
gradient, while a lamp
can heat the basking
spot. Non-light
producing heat emitters
can be used to achieve
nighttime temperatures
without disturbing the
on/off light cycle.
Since Green Anoles are
arboreal, under-tank
heat pads are not the
best choice for heating
their enclosure.
Thermometers should be
positioned in the warmer
and cooler areas of the
enclosure as well as in
the basking spot.
Enclosure temperatures
should be monitored at
branch level as well as
ground level. |
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A
NOTE ABOUT WATER: |
All water given to this
pet for drinking, as
well as water used for
misting,
soaking or
bathing must be free of
chlorine and heavy
metals.
We recommend that you
use bottled drinking
water or bottled natural
spring water and never
untreated tap water.
If tap water
is used, you should treat
it with a dechlorinating
treatment or allow
it to stand for at
least 24 hours
before being introduced
to the pet's
enclosure to allow the
chlorine to escape. Do
not use distilled water,
which can cause severe
medical problems, since
it lacks minerals that
are essential to
important body
functions. |
Diet:
A Variety Of
Insects: |
Green Anoles will eat a
wide variety of
commercially available
feeder insects,
including crickets and
silkworms. Mealworms and
earthworms can be given
as an occasional treat,
as can fruit baby food. A
feeder insect given
to a Green Anole should
be no larger than
two-thirds the size of
the lizard's head. (This
would be equivalent to a
small cricket.)
Hatchlings should be
given pinhead crickets.
Common sense and
experience should be
used when determining
the size of a Green
Anole's meal. Adults
will typically be given
3-4 crickets per
feeding. Insects that
are not
eaten should be removed
from the enclosure.
Important -- It is
necessary to provide
calcium and vitamin
supplements as part of
the diet. Please read
the supplement section
below: |
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Supplements: |
Dust
insects with calcium
supplement and vitamin
supplement. As a rule, a
growing juvenile's food
should be dusted more
often than an adult's.
Consult product labels
and outside literature
for specific
instructions on
supplementing. Avoid
over-supplementing.
The following is a
possible supplementing
schedule for this
reptile.
Insects should be
dusted with a
vitamin/calcium powder
every other, or every
third feeding. Adult
Green Anoles should be
fed 3-5 times a week,
juveniles and ovulating
females every day.
However, this
is only a general
suggestion -- the best
specific schedule may
vary depending on the
supplement products used
and other factors.
Please consult product
package directions,
outside literature and a
veterinarian to
determine the optimal
supplementing program.
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Humidity:
Keep It Very
High: |
A Green Anole will do
best in an enclosure
that has a
humidity level between
60 and 70 percent. This
can be maintained by
misting the enclosure
once a day, or 2-3 times
daily depending on local
climatic conditions.
(Humidifiers and foggers
can also be used.) The
humidity level in an
enclosure can be
measured with a
hygrometer. Care should
be taken not to over
humidify an enclosure,
since this can promote
the growth of mold and
compromise the health of
a Green Anole.
A bowl of water should
be kept in the Green
Anole's enclosure.
However, most Green
Anoles will not accept
water from a bowl,
instead they will drink
by lapping up droplets
that form on leaves and
other surfaces. |
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How
To Handle A Green Anole:
Handling should be kept to a
minimum with Green Anoles. Aside
from causing stress,
handling risks injuring the
lizard's delicate toes or skin,
or causing the tail to "break
off."
For those times when a Green
Anole has to be carried, such as
for a trip to the
veterinarian, it is best to
transport the animal in a
carrier, rather than carrying it
by hand.
A Green Anole should never be
picked up by the head or tail.
Grasp the Green Anole by
placing your hand over the body
and restraining the neck area
with your thumb and
forefinger. Always wash your
hands before and after handling
any lizard.
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Look Out For This:
Green anoles are relatively
fragile and will easily lose
their tails or
break a toe if they are not
handled gently.
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Recommended
Flying Gecko Supplies:
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A top-opening glass tank
or other enclosure that
offers height, with a
secure top
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UVB and UVA emitting
light
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Heating element to
maintain enclosure
temperatures
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Three thermometers, so
temperature can be
monitored at both ends
of the enclosure and in
the basking area
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A humidity-retaining
substrate
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Water dish
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Spray bottle, drip
system, humidifier, or
fogger
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Live plants and climbing
branches
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Hiding areas
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Hygrometer to measure
humidity levels
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Thermostat and rheostat
to regulate heat
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