A green anoles is a small lizard that can be found from snout to tail.If you have never owned a reptile before, they are a great first species to keep as a pet.Males should be kept in a tank on their own.To make your lizard feel at home, visit a local pet store and purchase a tank, hides, and substrates.Your anole's home will be ready for its inhabitant if you add a heat lamp and climbing decorations.
Step 1: Purchase a glass tank for a 1-2 adult anoles.
Anole lizards are small and need a lot of space to rest, eat, and use the bathroom.Purchase a glass tank of at least 10 gallons in size at a local pet store.If you want to keep 1-2 anoles, this is a good number.Since they won't fight, it's okay to keep 2 or 3 female anoles in a single tank.Male anoles should have their own tank.
Step 2: In a 20 US gal tank, keep 1 male and 3 or 4 females.
The tank size should be twice as large if you want to keep more lizards in it.You can buy a glass tank of this size at your local pet store.A 20 US gal tank will give the anoles enough room to hide and bask in warm areas.Unless you are an experienced anole breeder, it is not a good idea to keep more than 4-5.Make sure that the male anole doesn't act aggressively towards the females by keeping an eye on him.
Step 3: The tank needs to be off the ground in your home.
Anoles are used to being elevated in their natural climates so try to recreate this in captivity.Set your anoles on a surface that is close to your eyes.The tank can be placed on top of a bookcase or a piece of furniture.If there are children or pets near the cage, the anoles will feel uncomfortable if you set the tank on a low table.
Step 4: Line the bottom of the tank with something.
The material at the bottom of the tank is Substrate.The best way to mimic natural materials is to use the substrate.Try lining the tank bottom with a layer of moss.You can put 2 inches of soil on the bottom of the tank and cover it with bark mulch.All of these materials can be purchased at a pet store or a home improvement store.If you want to feed the babies inside the cage, you can use 6-7 paper towels.Unless you are an experienced lizard owner, buying baby anoles isn't a good idea.
Step 5: Set 2 hides on the opposite side of the tank.
Natural-looking cave-like structures are used in terrariums and lizard tanks.The anoles are given a place to hide or rest.Purchase 2 hides from a pet store and put them at opposite ends of the tank, one under the light for basking and the other with no light.Different anoles like different types of hides.If you notice that your lizard isn't using the hides you bought, try buying a different hide.
Step 6: Plants and vines can be used to decorate the cage.
The anoles will have a place to climb with these items.These climbing obstacles are necessary because Anoles don't spend a lot of time on the ground.Climbable items that stick to the inner tank walls will be sold at local pet stores.Purchase at least 3 plants per anole.Small live plants can be placed at the bottom of the tank if you choose to do so.Plants with broad, sturdy leaves are preferred byoles.Birds of paradise, heliotrope, and ivy are plants that may poison your anoles.
Step 7: There is a tropical background in the tank.
Purchase a background with a brightly colored tropical background at your local pet store if you think the tank looks a little plain.You can position the tank at an angle that allows you to see the colorful background by installing this on one of the long sides.The anoles don't benefit from this type of background, it's just for the aesthetic benefit of their owners.
Step 8: A shallow 3 in (8.6 cm) bowl is what you'll need to set up a water dripper.
Anoles drink from streams and rain-covered leaves.Attach a water leaker to the side of the anole's tank.There is a small plastic or metal bowl under the spout.The anole will learn to drink from the bowl or the dripper.Don't fill the dripper with tap water.You can fill it with bottled water from the supermarket.
Step 9: Plants are sprayed in the tank 2 times a day.
Anoles need a humid, wet environment to survive even if they drink from the water bowl.Twice daily, spray a generous amount of water across the leaves and greenery in the cage from a small spray bottle filled with distilled bottled water.Don't spray water on the anole.
Step 10: 2 times per day, feed the anoles live crickets.
Anoles need to eat frequently and their diet in captivity should mimic their natural diet.Purchase crickets from a pet store and feed them to your anoles once a day.Feed each anole 3 crickets until you know how much your anoles will eat.Different anoles like different types of food.If one of your anoles doesn't like crickets, try adding a few mealworms and see if you can get them to eat them.
Step 11: Attach a reptile heat pad to the glass tank.
Anoles are cold blooded and need a temperature gradient in their tank so they can adjust their temperature.Purchase a reptile heat pad at a pet store and stick it under the anole tank.The pads can be left on for 24 hours a day.Never put reptile heat rocks in an anole tank.These rocks may burn anoles.
Step 12: The tank and heat lamp are on the same side.
A heat lamp with a basking dome over the tank will warm the anole.The reptile heat pad is on the same side as the heat lamp.This will make sure that the side of the tank that is hot is always on.Different heat lamps have different ways of attaching to the tank.Some have a cup that is attached to the side of the glass, while others have small clips that can fit onto the top of a tank.
Step 13: If you put your anoles in the tank, they'll explore their new home.
Anoles dislike being handled.Don't grab your anole with your hands and put it in its tank.Take the small crate that the anole came home from the pet store and put it in the bottom of the tank.Remove the carrying case and close the large tank after the anole crawls out.When your anoles are used to their tanks, you can handle them lightly.