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 Pet Central
Q&A
Q: I purchased an
anole lizard for a science project. I wanted know what anole lizards eat,
how large they get and if they make good pets.-- R.B., Cyberspace
A: While we welcome
your concerns, you should have made these inquiries when you bought the
lizard.
Anole lizards
were once all the rage at amusement parks. People would win the little
lizards on the fairgrounds, then wear them as "living jewelry." A harness
with short string was attached to the lizard, and people pinned the string
on their outfits. It was a bizarre and inhumane practice.
Sometimes these
slender lizards are sold as chameleons but they aren't even closely related
to true chameleons. Anoles gained the moniker because they may change
color, though not as brilliantly as most chameleons.
There are 200
species of anole lizards. The green anole is the only anole native to
the U.S. and the species seen most often at pet stores. They usually grow
to be 5-inches. The largest of the anoles is the Cuban or Knight anole,
which can measure an impressive 18-inches.
Marcia Rybak,
former president of the Chicago Herpetological Society, notes that anoles
generally live under 2-1/2 years in the wild but survive three to six
years in captivity. Anoles require lots of plants to climb on and hide
behind. The dinner menu should feature small crickets and/or mealworms.
To stimulate an anole, catch a housefly and toss it in the aquarium. "For
reptiles, they are quite active; really interesting to watch," Rybak says.
Naturally, provide
water. But it's even more important to mist the lizard's environment with
water once or twice daily.
For more tips,
pick up a copy of "The General Care and Maintenance of Green Anoles,"
by Philippe DeVosjoli (Advance Virarium Systems, Lakeside, Calif., 1992,
$6) at your local pet shop or bookstore.
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