Green Anole Information & Care (Anolis carolinensis)
By Chris M Jones
General Information
Green anoles are the most commonly seen of the anole lizards in captivity. They are regularly exported from Florida and surrounding states. They are cheap to buy, but contradictory to popular belief are actually not ideal for a beginner. Green anole lizards are temperamental to their surroundings, and require the correct temperature, humidity and surroundings to remain healthy. They are a short lived lizard, averaging around 4 years of age in captivity, however have been known to live for up to 10 years. Adult males are larger than females, reaching approximately 20cm, females only 15cm. Many people call these ‘Chameleon Lizards’, due to their ability to change colour. However, unlike chameleons they cannot actually change their colour to match their surroundings. They will however, turn a darker green / brown when either stressed or basking. The darker colour will raise their body temperature quicker when basking; once they reach their optimum temperature they will begin to turn green again. Most anole lizards are communal species, living in highly populated areas of perhaps hundreds of individuals. Males are highly aggressive towards each other when confined in a small terrarium with a number of females. However, a larger terrarium with a ratio of 1 male to 5 females is ideal.
Housing
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