Q&A for How to Set up a Green Anole Tank

You can feed them wax worms or even tiny pieces of banana. Fruit should be fed to anoles as treats only and shouldn't be a staple. If you feed the anole fruit, it has to be soft; they'll have a hard time eating it otherwise.

The UVB in the bulb can expire and the bulb will get weaker, so change it once per year.

Temporarily; heating pads that go under the tank are preferred. But you could use a dome light for additional heat.

No, if it bites you on the finger it will feel like a small pinch, but never try to remove it from your hand, as you may injure its jaw. Just let it sit there until it unhooks itself, and then wash the spot where it bit you with warm water and soap.

Usually you have to feed it live crickets; drop them in the tank and be patient. After one or two hours, take out any leftover crickets and store them for another day. You can try swapping out your crickets for smaller or larger ones if your anole doesn't eat them, but if that doesn't work, take it to a local vet.

Tree frogs and green anoles have different needs. They would not be suitable tank mates.

Usually you should use a heater, but if you need to buy one, you can use a lamp for a day or two or your lizards body may get too cold.

Hide boxes provide your reptile a sense of security. Hides provide reptiles with secure areas for hiding, places to sleep, daytime shelters for nocturnal animals, outlets for digging, places for nesting and egg laying, as well as moisture and humidity they need without having to raise the humidity levels.

For the hot spot, you just need a simple heat lamp. For the cool spot, you don't need any lamp at all, it's there in case you anole wants to stay out of the light and heat. With regard to the wattage, it depends on the size of the cage and how many anoles you have. Give this info to your local pet store, and they will tell you what you need.

If you can't afford a light, then a green anole might not be the right kind of pet for you as it's really a necessary component of their habitat.

It depends on the size of the keeper, but overall, it is not recommended, as anoles need room to climb, run, and hide. The top of a critter keeper cannot hold humidity, so the anole would quickly die.

Green anoles change color for camoflauge. Dont worry, it's a completely normal thing for them to do.

Anoles are insectivores and herbivores, so small crickets, mealworms and fresh veggies will do.

If it is warm enough in the cage, you do not need a lamp on at night. If you really don't want the lamp on, but it is not warm enough, get a heat mat.

They are typically 10 - 30 watts.

Show her how much research you have done, pay for it with your own money, and show her what a good pet they can be.

It is not necessary to boil water that will be provided for reptiles. However you will want to make sure there is no chlorine, or to add a reptile-safe solution that will remove the chlorine or chlorinates. It is easier to buy bottled water that lists the ingredients. It is fine to have natural trace minerals such a zinc, as reptiles rely on these for their health. It is also possible to collect rainwater to give to your reptile, which is chlorine free, but I would recommend 10 minutes at boiling temperature to remove parasites.

No, a ten-gallon is required for one, but bigger is better.

You can either use some tweezers or let the food loose in the tank.

It depends on your lamps maximum watts and on how often it is going to be on. A higher watt lamp would produce more heat and more light, so a lower watt lamp is perfect for if you want the lamp directly over the tank/cage/terrarium.

It depends on the size of the tank. The cubicles need to be tall and wide enough to hold the terrarium and the heating lamp. If it is big enough, then yes.

Pothos are amazing plants. They grow like crazy with practically no effort. Slider plants are also good, and so are wandering Jews.

Their tank should be cleaned once a month (or more often when needed). Take everything out of the tank including substrate as it will need to be changed. Clean tank in warm water in a bathtub. Use Dawn dish soap (because it is animal-friendly) and scrub germs and access substrate off the inside. You can also clean the outside while you're at it. Dry off and your enclosure is squeaky clean!

Green anoles like to hide under rocks, inside and under sticks and logs, under small pieces of cardboard, under substrate, food and water bowls, and under leafy plants that cover them.

You shouldn't really put another animal in the same enclosure, except other anoles (but not two males). Do not keep an Amazon milk frog with the anole as he might eat him! If you really want another animal in the same tank, then you can make a bioactive enclosure and put insects that the anole can eat in there with him (and then you won't have to feed him until there are no more insects in there with him).

You shouldn’t keep any other species in there, because they have different needs and could get stressed and/or fight.

You should, in fact, spray the leaves twice a day! But also keep out a shallow pool of water for the anole.

Your anole has stuck shed on his toes. Make sure the humidity in the tank is high enough. Take your lizard to the vet if the situation is really bad.

An anole may not take to food because of environment or temperature change. If neither of these occurred, take your anole to a vet who specializes in exotic pets to determine the cause.

The best place is at a local reptile breeder or a big box pet store.