WATCH NOW: Anoles Are Tiny Little Lizards
With their sticky feet and busy personalities, anoles make better pets to watch than to handle. Anoles, or anolis, are arboreal lizards, and like to climb walls, glass, branches- anything they can get those little feet on! They can provide hours of entertainment, especially because they change colors, making them entrancing pets for kids and families.
But before you bring an anole home, it's important to understand their care needs. Like all lizards, they need to live in a specific environment and have certain dietary needs. If you're prepared to learn how to properly care for these tiny lizards, they might be a great new pet for your family.
Understanding the Anole
The green anole, or Carolina anole, is the only breed native to the United States and can be found in Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, and Texas; other types of anoles are native to Cuba, Jamaica, and other Caribbean Islands. The green anole is roughly nine inches in size. Other types of anoles range in size from 5 to 20 inches, and hatchlings are as tiny as 1.25 to 2 inches! In captivity, anoles have been known to live for three to six years with proper care.
Habitat Requirements
These tiny lizards have extensive habitat requirements as far as heating, lights, and humidity. They need a basking & UVB light, a heat gradient and a humidity level of 60- 70%. If you're looking to try your hand at bio active vivariums, anoles do well with live plants. While they have a smaller price tag than other reptiles, the equipment needed for a proper setup does not.
Dietary Requirements
Anoles use their little tongue to lap water off of leaves, rather than drinking from a water dish. Misting their terrarium or tank with a bottle or setting up a misting system is the best way to ensure they're getting the necessary hydration.
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These lizards are diurnal, meaning they are active during daytime hours. They are insectivores and eat only small insects such as crickets, mealworms, grasshoppers, waxworms, and roaches on a daily basis. Handling these lizards can be stressful for them, so it is best to keep the handling to a minimum and observe these reptilian companions from outside the confines of their enclosure.
The American Chameolon
Anoles change color with stress and surroundings, which is why they are known as the American chameleon. Male anoles use their throat fan, or dewlap, in mating displays during breeding season and when they feel threatened.
Other common names for the anole species include the American green anole, American anole, and red-throated anole. The anole is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon. It has the ability to change color from several brown hues to bright green. It is not a true chameleon though and the nickname is misleading although it can camouflage.
These little lizards are also known as Anolis carolinensis.
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