Common Names: Green Anole, American Anole, American Chameleon
Scientific Name: Anolis carolinensis
Distribution: Southeastern USA
Size: Large males to about 7 inches, females to about 5 inches.
Temperament: Males can be very territorial. But if sufficient hiding, feeding, and basking sites are available groups with multiple males can be housed together.
Hardiness: Very hardy when properly set up and maintained. Can dehydrate easily.
Sexing: Males larger with larger head and throat dewlap, also males have enlarged post anal scales.
Food: Nutrient fed and vitamin/calcium coated crickets, small butterworms, spiders, mealworms, flies, and other small insects. Feed 3-4 times per week.
Housing: A tall spacious terrarium (minimum 10 gallon size) with either a reptile turf, reptile bedding, orchid bark or soil/sand mixture substrate. Landscape and create basking areas with select driftwood, cork bark slabs, branches, rocks and sturdy live or artificial plants.
Water: Being totally arboreal, Anoles drink by lapping up water as it drips down foliage, therefore a drip system or water covered flat saucers and daily misting are critical in keeping Anoles properly hydrated.
Temperature/Humidity: Day 73F-88F, gradient, night 65F-72F. Moderate to high humidity is provided by daily misting of terrarium.
Lighting: Full spectrum lighting/U.V. radiation is recommended for long term maintenance of Anoles.
Heating: Incandescent light bulbs with reflectors situated above select basking areas will provide the proper daytime heat gradient. Nighttime heat source is not needed for Anoles under normal conditions.
Notes: Another species that's commonly available is the Bahama or Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei) from the West Indies. This species is more aggressive than the Green Anole and also has a slightly higher heat requirement. These Anoles can be set up and maintained under similar conditions in captivity.