(Captive Care for the Green Anole)
One of the biggest obstacles that a reptile owner faces is obtaining proper care information based on the common name that is given to a reptile by the pet store that sells it. Often times, whether by accident or by design, a pet store will sell a reptile of lesser value for more than its true value by selling it under another common name rather than by the generally accepted common or scientific Latin name, which makes proper identification and a search for the information easier. A good example of this practice of mis-identification is Anoles carolinenisis. The most widely accepted common name for this species is the Green Anole, which is often mis-labeled by the pet stores as an American Chameleon, based on its limited ability to change color unlike true chameleons that have a wider range of color changing ability. It is easy to see why a potential owner would be willing to pay more money for what they think is a true chameleon than for a common anole. To the beginner of novice it would be more impressive to own a "chameleon" and they may be more inclined to pay a higher price for such an animal based solely on the name it is given.
The green anole is a commonly kept imported species that has taken up home in the Southeastern United States were most of the specimens found in pet stores are collected from the wild. They are a terrestrial species that is often found in low lying bushes, rock walls, fences and in and around houses where they consume a variety of insects as the staple of their diet making this species a strict insectivore. There are 36 species of imported anoles that occupy the wilds of Florida that have inter-breed with native species and taken up permanent residents there. This inter-breeding has resulted in a wide range of color variation that is not found in the true wild forms that originates in the tropics.
As mentioned earlier green anoles possess a limited ability to change color from a bright green to colors that range from a dark brown to gray and black. Another interesting trait of this species is its ability to drop their tails when grabbed or attacked, a trait known as autotomy, and regenerate a new tail. The newly regenerated tail is generally less colorful than the original and is not capable of the same degree of color change as the rest of the body or the original tail.
Green anoles should be housed in sex specific groups of three consisting of a 2 to 1 female to male ratio. The males of this species tend to be very territorial and sexually aggressive. They are very unwilling to accept the presence of another male within their territory. For this reason, it is important to understand how to properly sex any new additions to a new or already existing group of anoles.
All male lizards, to include anoles, have a paired set of sexual organs called hemipenes that are located within the base of the tail. It is the presence or absence of these sexual organs that is the basis for sex determination in most lizards with special methods required in locating them. This is known as a primary sexual characteristic and is the most reliable method for determining sex. The size of the green anole may make it difficult for an owner to determine sex based on primary sexual characteristics. As a result most owners find themselves determining sex based on secondary sexual characteristics that may be visible by simply looking at the animal.
Relying on secondary sexual characteristics in some species may not be a reliable method for determining sex, however this is usually not the case with the green anole, which may be considered as a sexually demorphic species, meaning that there are obvious visual differences between the two sexes. The female is noticeably smaller in overall size than the male and while both have a dewlap it is greatly reduced in both color and size in the female when compared to the male. The male may also have a slightly noticeable dorsal crest that is altogether absent in the female. The male may also have two small lumps on the underside of the tail base located just below the vent, depending upon the age and size of the lizard, that usually indicates the presence of hemipenes.
Once the sex of the lizards has been determined they may be easily housed in a natural vivarium that has been set up in a standard 10-gallon glass aquarium with a wire top. The bottom of the aquarium should be lined with a one-inch layer of gravel that has been almost covered with water. A thick layer of chemical free potting soil is then added on top of the gravel. Small non-toxic plants should then be planted in the soil to provide humidity within the enclosure and to provide climbing and hiding sites for the anoles. The live plants will flourish in the rich soil and obtain water from the water table created by the water and gravel. The plants will also provide a food source for prey insects that are not consumed by the anoles right away, thus preventing injuries to the anoles that may be caused by hungry insects that turn to the lizard as a food source. Two to three red worms should be added to the soil layer to help turn the soil and eliminate animal wastes within the enclosure. This will also help to fertilize the soil and help keep the plants healthy while naturally cleaning the enclosure without much effort on the part of the owner. A shallow container of water should be placed within the enclosure at the end with the overhead heat source. A sponge should be placed within the water container to prevent prey insects from falling into the water and drowning. Decaying insects will quickly contaminate the water source with bacteria that may pose a potential health risk to the lizards.
Ambient temperature within the enclosure should be range between 75-80 degrees F. during the day and between 70-75 degrees F. at night. A basking area should be created at one end of the enclosure that will allow for a heat gradient of between 80-90 degrees F. Placing an overhead heat/light source over one end of the enclosure best provides this. This will provide a hot and cool end of the enclosure allowing the lizards to thermoregulate by moving about between the two ends of the enclosure. This heat/light source may be provided by using a 40-watt plant grow light bulb in a standard "clamp" style lamp. The lamp may then be placed 6 inches above one end of the enclosure. This will serve to provide heat and light for the lizards and the plants as well. An additional full-spectrum light should be placed over the enclosure to provide supplemental UVB light for both the lizards and the plants. Both lights should also be placed on a timer to turn on and off every 12-14 hours to provide the anoles with a day and night cycle. Constant light may create unnecessary stress that may have detrimental effects on the health of the lizards and decrease their immune systems ability to fight off infection.
Being insectivorous, anoles need a constant diet consisting of a variety of prey items in the wild. In captivity they are commonly fed crickets and mealworms that are not readily accepted by anoles. The best way to provide them with a well balanced diet is to provide them with a variety of wild insects that have been collected from pesticide free areas and placed within the enclosure and allowed to feed on the plants until the anoles consume them at will. The specialized eco-system that you have created for the anoles will eventually allow for the insects to reproduce at will and eliminate the need for wild collecting altogether. If cricket and mealworms are offered as prey items, they should be supplemented with a vitamin and mineral supplement that does not contain phosphorous. Both of these food items are very high in phosphorous and low in calcium, so a supplement is essential to provide a proper calcium to phosphorous ratio within the diet.
Anoles will eventually become used to human handling over time, but since most are wild caught, they will require a period of time to allow them to acclimate to their new surroundings before they should be handled to help reduce unnecessary stress. If properly housed and maintained at the proper temperatures and fed a variety of dietary items, these lizards will do very nicely in captivity and reproduce on their own by mating from March to September and laying single eggs every 14 days in the rich soil beneath the plants. The eggs will then hatch in about 5-7 weeks producing 2-3 inch long juvenile anoles. This will provide both the beginning and advanced keeper with a healthy, educational and enjoyable vivarium of captive anoles.
