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Green AnoleAmerican Chameleon, Carolina Anole, Red-throated Anole, Tree Lion

Family: Iguanidae

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Anolis carolinensis carolinensisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Ken Childs

     Sometimes called the 'American Chameleon', the Green Anole has the amazing ability to change colors!

     The Green Anole is in no way related to the Chameleon lizard family, but they can change color to various shades of green and brown. Many of the males have a strawberry-red dewlap, but some populations from southwest Florida, designated the Southern Green Anole Anolis carolinensis seminolus have a gray or greenish dewlap.

     Though quite common, these little lizards have been a popular pet that is both attractive and intriguing to many enthusiasts. They are relatively hardy, inexpensive, and easy to care for. Their small size makes them suitable for a small aquarium and they can easily fit into a wide variety of lifestyles and home environments.

     Green Anoles are active llizards that are not aggressive, prefering to scamper away rather than bite. In general these lizards are best kept as visual pets rather than handled. They are rather delicate and difficult to hold on to. They can easily be injured and If they are grabbed by the tail it will break. Being very quick, this small lizard can also easily get lost. Anoles that do get regular gentle handling however, can become content to hang on your finger or cling to your shirt, without jumping and running for safety.

For more Information on keeping Lizards see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Herptile

Distribution:      Besides the United States, the Green Anole is native to the Bahamas, Cuba, and Mexico. There are other variations of anoles in the United States, including the Brown Anole, but the Green Anole is the only anole species regarded as native here. It is thought the Green Anole was introduced into the United States, but it was a very, very long time ago. They have also been introduced to Hawaii, Belize, and apparently Japan.      The Green Anole inhabits a large range including almost every Gulf Coast state, up through Virginia, and as far inward as Tennessee and Oklahoma. The Northern Green Anole Anolis c. carolinensis is found throughout the entire range, while the Southern Green Anole Anolis c. seminolus is occurs only in southern Florida.

Description:      The Green Anoles, true to their name, are bright green lizards. They have a wonderful color-changing ability and can go from bright green to dark green to brown.   They reach about 6" to 7" (15 - 18 cm) when fully grown.   The males have a flap of skin under their throats called a 'dewlap'.   This dewlap when flared out for mating display is generally pink, though in the Southern Green Anole it is gray, greenish, or might be white.   Males are larger and the base of their tails is often thicker than that of the female. Their average lifespan is 3 to 5 years, though they can live as long as 7 to 10 years.

Care and Feeding:      Green Anoles are insectivores and have no need of any sort of vegetable. They eat crickets, some mealworms, and even an occasional wax worm.   Crickets should be gut loaded or dusted in a calcium and vitamin powder prior to feeding. Anoles are diurnal (active during the day), so their crickets should be fed during the day rather than at night.      Regularly clean the carpet with an approved reptile cleaner or scoop out the waste from the Nature Zone litter. The litter will need to be changed only once every six months.   Mist the anoles daily.  

Environment:      A single Green Anole can easily be housed in a ten gallon aquarium.   For 2 to 6 anoles, provide at least a twenty gallon ‘tall' aquarium, though if you have mostly males you will want to go larger.   The substrate can be either carpet or a substrate such as crushed walnut shells (Nature Zone Litter).      As anoles are arboreal (tree-dwelling), vertically mounted pieces of driftwood or grapevine are welcome to climb on. Artificial vines attached to the side of the cage with suction cups are also welcome additions.   A water bowl should be provided and filled with decholrinated water daily.

Temperature and Lighting requirements:      Lighting for Green Anoles, though not as extensive as for some lizard species, is still important. They are diurnal and need UVB exposure for proper metabolism and to synthesize Vitamin D3. The best bulbs for this are ones that emit both UVB and UVA, such as Repti-Sun 5.0 (ZooMed) or Repti-Glo 5.0 (Hagen).      Green Anoles, like all lizards, need to thermoregulate their bodies. You can provide the necessary environment with a simple warm 'basking' type area in one spot of the terrarium and a cooler area in another spot. A 50 watt daytime bulb mounted above the basking area will provide any heat these lizards might need. The basking area should be between 85 - 90 º F (29 - 32 º C) and the cooler area should be about 70 - 75 º F (21 - 24  º C). This can be accomplished on a wide terrarium by mounting bulbs on one end and letting the other end be cooler. For tall terrariums the bulbs are mounted at the top and the cooler area is below.

Social Behavior/Activities:      Green Anoles do very well when kept singly. Other than when they mate, they typically do not like the company of other anoles. If you are keeping several together you will want to be sure you have at least one or more females for every male. Though generally not aggressive, male anoles are often territorial with other males. When in this mood, they can also be bossy towards females and are more likely to bite.      They are typically shy and will quickly run away when they perceive a threat. With a bit of handling they become more social with humans, but are still prone to jumping.

Handling:      Green Anoles are nervous and jumpy, and being handled is stressful to them. They will be most content if kept as visual pets, but you will have to move them occasionally for cage maintenance.   Also, anoles that do get regular handling can become content to hang on your finger or cling to your shirt, without jumping and running for safety.      Approach them in a gentle calm manner, don't make any sudden moves. Rather than approaching them from above, place your hands on each side and cup them, supporting the belly. You can then lightly hold the anole's head between your thumb and first finger just enough to keep the jaw from opening. NEVER grab an anole by the tail, as it will separate.   Be sure to always wash your hands before and after touching your anole(s).   

Breeding/Reproduction:      Green Anoles typically breed in the spring and early summer. Females can store the sperm from the males for as long as eight months.   She will lay one egg every fortnight in a moist area, so if you are hoping for some breeding, it would be wise to keep a dish with moist peat moss in the cage.   She will scarcely care to cover the egg.   The eggs incubate on average for about 2 months.   Hatchlings are rather large, often at around 2 inches.

Ailments:      Many ailments and illness can be avoided with proper care and a good, clean environment. The two most commonly found problems in anoles are fighting, due to too many males in one cage, and vitamin deficiencies. Vitamin deficiencies can be reduced with a good herp vitamin, such as Herpetivite.

Availability:      Green Anoles are very common and are readily available.

Author: Clarice Brough, CRS.
Additional Information: Monica Rearick

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I live in northwest Indiana, while working on a machine in our fab shop a small lizard ran out from under the machine. I quickly caught it and have him at home. I didn't think Green Anole's were from this area. Reply Cary H. 2009-12-05
I had 4 green anoles, but one that I had for 5 years past away today. Their names are mothra (the one that died), nubby (his taill fell off), scrawny (shes so tiny), and scabbers(a little fellow who likes to bite). Nubbys real name was godzilla but one day when I took him out of the tank to put him in the feeding cage his tail fell off. He now has an inch long tail but he's so cute, he always manages to get out of the tank and sit in the window. Reply joleen 2009-12-03
My cat, Buddy-Boy, went out this morning and some way smuggled a Green Anole into the house and I found it this afternoon, between my two cats minus a tale barely breathing. I took it outside, but it grabbed onto my finger and wouldn't let go. I sat on the steps and held my finger on a plant leaf. I attempted to give it (he or she) H2O and finely it opened it's mouth wide, enabling me to give it a drop and let go of my finger, and put it on a leaf. Well, it was still having great difficulty breathing, but at least it was trying. It finally fell off the plant leaf onto my front steps, so I have put it in a plastic container with grass, some H2O and other outdoor things - out of harms way. I hope it will make it. Reply Noel 2009-04-19
I used to catch anoles and keep them as as pets. They were always docile and easy to handle. My favorite one would ride everywhere on my shoulder. I was riding my bike and he fell off of my shoulder. I freaked out when I realized he was gone. When I returned home from looking for him, he was sitting on my front porch. Also he was so still and so green people always thought he a decorative piece of jewelry like a broach or a pin. Since I moved north where they are not available in the wild, I've been into a few a pet stores to check into buying another one. But the ones in the pet stores are spastic and I could not tame them like the wild ones. So I probably will not own another one until I move back south and just catch them in the wild!! Reply Valencia 2009-01-18
I had a green anole and he was scared of me in a weird way. I was cleaning the tank and picked him up the way it old me to, and he jus grabbed my finger and bit me, am I gonna get poisoned or something, besides that he was a cutie. Reply DJ 2008-11-20
I have a green anole that we caught. He is very tame and was easy to catch. We were on a field trip when we caught them. A lot of students caught them. Reply Anonymous 2008-11-07
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Questions - Answers
I have several Green Anole Geckos around our pool area. They have been there for several years. Fun to watch. I live in the north Texas area. Today, for the first time, I noticed one that seemed to be shedding it's skin. Is this common? It ate the white thin coating as it became loose. How may I insure they get the proper feeding? Reply Rod Williams 2008-08-01
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