What is an Anole?

The American Anole, scientific name Anolis carolinensis, is actually only one of about 100 species of small New World lizards that all share many common traits and that will henceforth all be referred to simply as Anoles. Anoles resemble tiny alligators or crocodiles, the largest of them (the Knight or Cuban Anole) grow to a total length of about 20 inches. Like all lizards they’re scaly and cold-blooded (meaning that unlike you and me they have no constant internal temperature). Anoles have relatively sharp claws and teeth, and they’re active hunters; being almost strictly carnivorous. If kept healthy and happy, Anoles have a captive lifespan of about 5 years. Anoles are also excellent climbers, being able to literally walk on walls and even up and down the glass sides of their enclosures. Anoles can also change color.

Walk on glass? Change color?

Yes to both questions. Thanks to specialized pads on their feet, Anoles can walk across virtually any surface; even a smooth, vertical sheet of glass! This ability makes a properly fitting cover on an Anole’s enclosure imperative. As far as their color changing ability goes, Anoles can generally vary their color from bright green to dull brown and back again, and the color change is not instantaneous; requiring several minutes to complete. Rumors of Anoles being able to change their coloration into plaids, checks, polka-dots, or a favorite wallpaper pattern are gross exaggerations. The Anole’s skin contains tiny pin-dots of color that will usually change with the Anole’s emotion or health. Anoles that are excited or frightened may be a vibrant green, whereas Anoles that are content or sedate may be brown. Of course they can also be any color in between. Anoles that are sick or listless are usually a sort of brownish-gray.

Enclosure

Anoles are active and robust little creatures, and appreciate some elbow room. The best containers to use as enclosures are the fish tanks or aquariums that are popular with tropical fish owners, and which can be found in just about any local pet shop. These fish tanks come in standard sizes, they’re sturdily made, and some have even already been set up as reptile enclosures and are sold as kits. A good rule of thumb when figuring the amount of room your pet Anole needs is to figure it in the form of one Anole per gallon size. Yes, I know Anoles are land animals, but this is just a way to simply get at the proper size for your Anole’s home.

If you figure it as one Anole per gallon, you’ll know that you can safely place up to five Anoles in an enclosure that could hold five gallons of water. Therefore a five-gallon fish tank can house up to five adult American Anoles—simple. Just remember that male Anoles are territorial and that two similar-sized males may actually fight. One male and four females are okay.

Also, large Anoles will harass smaller ones and keep them from eating, so make sure they’re all about the same size. You can make an Anole’s enclosure as simple or as elaborate as finances, room, and aesthetics permit; the Anoles don’t really seem to mind one way or the other. However, you still may want to make the arrangement more interesting by adding some decorative stones, plants, sticks and/or gravel. Anoles are very active remember so make sure that none of your decorations can shift or fall and hurt your pets.

Environment

Anoles come from the sub-tropical regions of the U.S. and the Caribbean, so their environmental needs must be maintained according to their natural habitat. Sunlight or a reasonable substitute is important. Most pet shops sell inexpensive lights that mimic the sun’s all-important UV rays, as well as supplying necessary heat. Speaking of heat, it’s important that the temperature in your Anole’s enclosure stay between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

At night you can allow it to cool down to 65 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but not much cooler or your pets will suffer and get sick. Anoles also appreciate humidity and actually need it to survive. Anoles get most of their water by lapping it up from leaves, rocks, or even the sides of their containers. Most Anoles would have absolutely no idea what to do with a pan or bowl of water! Anoles also need humidity to help with the occasional shedding of their skin. As Anoles grow, they actually outgrow their topmost layer of skin.

They must molt out of this skin in order to continue the growth process and stay healthy. The skin may come off in patches or in an almost complete single piece that resembles the entire Anole. Sometimes the Anole will even eat its own shed skin! This is entirely natural and will not harm your pet in any way. The best way to keep your Anole’s enclosure humid is with a light misting every morning. Remember, you and your Anole prefer the conditions to be humid but not wet. A consistently wet, enclosed environment will cause problems for your pet like fungus and skin ailments.

Food

Anoles are basically carnivorous and they’re great hunters. Watching them stalk a fly or beetle makes it almost easy to imagine what the dinosaurs must have been like! Anoles, like most other carnivorous reptiles, prefer their food alive and kicking, and even though a particularly large and aggressive individual may try to take on larger prey, it’s best to feed them creatures they can easily overpower.

The best foods to feed your Anole are fruit flies, small crickets and mealworms. These are all available at your local pet shop, are very inexpensive, and can even be propagated in your own home for future feedings almost indefinitely. During the warm months of spring and summer, you can provide your pets with a little variety by placing a ripe piece of fruit in the enclosure to attract flies and other insects.

A moth or two caught on the wing would also be appreciated. Don’t house Anoles of great size disparity in the same container, as the larger Anoles will have no compunction against eating their smaller roommates.

Machismo

As mentioned earlier in this article, male Anoles are territorial and can be quite pugnacious. One way to check if your Anole is a male or female is to place a mirror in front of it. If it is a male Anole, it should begin bobbing its head quickly up and down, and displaying its “dewlap.” The dewlap is an extra fold of skin under its neck that it will extend in order to intimidate other males. The dewlap is quite striking in that when its extended the skin color appears red or pink studded with tiny white scales.

Dos and Don’ts

Do, when buying an Anole, avoid heartache and needless expense by purchasing only those examples that appear clear-eyed and active. Sickly ones will probably die only a few days after you get them home, there’s no such thing as nursing them back to health. Don’t keep Anoles of very different sizes together, as the larger ones will eat or bully the smaller ones. Do mist the enclosure daily. Do keep your pets warm. Don’t feed them a diet made up solely of hard-shelled insects (like large mealworms) as this can cause severe stomach disorders that can lead to an early demise. Do take good care of your Anole pets and do enjoy them.