General information

Green lizards are the most common of the captive anole lizards. They are regularly exported from Florida and the surrounding states. They are cheap to buy, but contrary to popular belief they are not really ideal for a beginner. Green anole lizards are temperamental to their surroundings and require the correct temperature, humidity, and environment to stay healthy. They are a short-lived lizard, averaging around 4 years of age in captivity, however they have been known to live up to 10 years. Adult males are larger than females, reaching approximately 20 cm, females only 15 cm. Many people call them ‘Chameleon Lizards’, due to their ability to change color. However, unlike chameleons, they cannot actually change their color to match their surroundings. However, they will turn a darker green / brown when stressed or sunbathing. The darker color will increase your body temperature faster when sunbathing; once they reach their optimum temperature, they will turn green again. Most lizards are communal species that live in densely populated areas of perhaps hundreds of individuals. Males are very aggressive towards each other when confined in a small terrarium with several females. However, a larger terrarium with a 1 male to 5 female ratio is ideal.

accommodation

It has been published and said many times that green anoles can live in a small terrarium with minimal requirements. I must emphasize that this is far from the truth and will lead to a short-lived, unhappy, and unhealthy pet lizard. Although they are a small species of lizard, they are incredibly active and curious creatures. They need to regulate their temperature and have access to the UVA and UVB rays that are normally missed by the sun. Moisture is another important factor, this will help in shedding its skin and will generally help the lizard’s health.

It is recommended that one male be kept to a minimum of three females. Alternatively, if you only want two or three animals, buy females. Green anoles are a communal species and must be kept in groups. Keeping a single specimen will deprive you of much-needed stimulation by the surrounding lizards. An ideal group consists of one male to five females. This size group must be housed in a L90cm x H90cm x W45cm terrarium. The bigger the terrarium, the more it will enrich the life of the lizards. A larger group of two males to 10 females should be kept in a L120cm x H90cm x W45cm terrarium.

Many breeders choose to house their green anoles with other species, such as brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) and numerous species of diurnal lizards (Phelsuma sp.). This is not recommended for a number of reasons. Brown anoles, for example, are sturdier than green anoles and will dominate the terrarium. It may not be that obvious, but brown anoles will predominate in the higher ground of the terrarium, will rank first below the basking spot, and may even push green anoles to the side when feeding. Day geckos can be quite aggressive and can nip at green anoles. Several geckos are also nocturnal, which means that at night these geckos can literally walk on sleeping green anoles. This will add a lot of stress to the green anole and should be avoided at all costs. However, there is one animal that I think will add use to a green anole tank; which is an American green tree frog (Hyla cinerea). These are nocturnal frogs that will help eliminate insects that have not been eaten during the night, they coexist with green anoles in nature and require the same fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

Green anoles, when kept in an optimal environment, reproduce easily; and therefore you will need a deep substrate that is easy to dig into. Potting soil is ideal and is completely natural. With this substrate, it is also possible to place live plants directly on the substrate instead of placing them in pots inside the terrarium. It is important to balance planting and decorating with space. Green anoles often like to go outside along sticks and branches and on open leaves to bask in the sun and get a good look at their surroundings. However, it is also a must to be able to crawl into a bush for cover. If you use live plants, be sure not to use anything that is toxic to eat or that releases toxic fumes.

Heating and Lighting

As already mentioned; Green anoles are a diurnal species and will bask in the sun. Therefore, they need a place to bask in the sun to reach their optimum temperature and a light that emits UVA and UVB rays. Ideally, 2 or 3 sunbathing spots should be installed in your enclosure. These should simply be 60W spotlights placed approximately 8 “away from where the lizards will bask in the sun. Placing more than one sunbathing spot in the enclosure will allow the lizards to choose their favorite spot and multiple lizards to take the spot. sun in the At the same time as they would in nature These sunbathing spots should reach approximately 86-94ËšF, allowing for a more general air temperature of 80-84ËšF and further down in the enclosure, a cool area of approximately 74-78ËšF.

It is possible to replace the spot bulbs with UV spot bulbs. However, providing multiple of these is a very expensive ongoing cost that is not required. Instead, place a UV light strip on top of the cabinet. It should be as long as your enclosure, with a reflector behind it so UV rays don’t point in the wrong direction. UV bulbs should be changed every 6 to 8 months, regardless of whether they are still emitting light or not.

Do not use heating mats or hot stones with green anoles. They are completely unnatural and useless. If extra heat is needed during the night hours, an infrared bulb will work perfectly.

Moisture and water

Coming from Florida and the surrounding states, a high humidity range is a must. An ideal range is 60-70%, although fluctuations both ways will rarely harm your lizard. This can be accomplished in a number of ways.

First, a large bowl of water placed as close to a heat source as possible will help in overall humidity. A better step is then to add air bubbles, commonly used in fish tanks. The bubble effect will continuously circulate the water and explode small water vapors in the air. Similarly, a small waterfall will give the same effect.

Offering plants like bromeliads is another way to increase humidity. These plants retain water within pockets at the base of the leaves, allowing more of the water surface to evaporate. They are also a great addition to a display terrarium.

Spraying the terrarium with cold water once a day, preferably in the middle of the morning, will undoubtedly help the humidity, and at the same time allow the lizards to drink the water droplets that accumulate on the leaves or other surfaces. If you are on a larger budget, a timed misting system will be perfect for when you are not around and would like to spray the terrarium at regular intervals. These are getting pretty inexpensive and are a perfect addition to a wonderful anole display tank. However, one tip; Aim the spray nozzles away from the front of the terrarium, as the spray will obstruct your view into the terrarium and the glass will need to be cleaned more frequently.

Feeding and feeding

Green anoles are predominantly insectivorous (they feed on insects). However, I say predominantly because they are also known to eat pollen, nectar, and other tasty liquid-type fruits. They may not eat a banana, for example, but they can lick up the juices. Try offering your anole some of these tasty fruit options, if he eats them, great.

Offering a variety of insects will stimulate the anoles’ natural feeding responses and aid in the overall health of your animal. Just as humans need a balanced and varied diet, so do anole lizards. Don’t just offer the same crickets all the time. Although there is not the best selection of food available in the UK, there is still enough to meet the needs of your anole. Offer a mix of crickets, small lobsters, mealworms, waxworms, small earthworms, small cockroaches, flies, and even moths, butterflies, and spiders that you find in your own home. Giving a variety will not only offer a more balanced and nutritious diet, but will also make the anole adapt its hunting methods for each food. An anole lizard won’t have to chase a wax worm, but will run like crazy to chase a fly or long-legged spider. This will give your anole a chance to exercise and will help its overall health and longevity.

It is important to supplement the food with calcium and mineral powders. This should not be done with every shot, but at least once every two or three shots. An ideal powder is Repton, a powder specially formulated for insectivorous lizards. As long as this is combined with the proper foods and UV rays, your anole should be perfectly healthy.