Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought a Bush Anole and I hear this one is more rare than the green or brown anoles. Where can I find more information on this one I have. Also Do they liked to be picked up? I think mine likes it and and she turns more green when I always touch her. She has abit of brown in her colouring. Oops sorry it's a boy. I have a gecko that's female and I get them mixed up. Their great for pets and My son enjoys them alot. The anole I bought for me. Once you buy one you get hooked! hahaha Any feedback I would appreciate it . I don't know alot about anoles.

First go to http://www.kingsnake.com/westindian/herpetofauna2.html , http://www.anole.net/krugi.html , to read up about the bush anole you have bought. Next, I would find a vet and take your anole to get a check up. Even though you may have bought him from a pet store, he still could be carrying some thing. When at the vet you can ask him/her as many questions as you want to about your anole. Also, ask your vet if they could give you some care sheets on it.

Ok, congrats for getting a new pet, but whatever you do, DON'T HANDLE YOUR ANOLE UNLESS IT'S NECESSARY. Anoles NEVER are pets to be handled. They're just for watching. Just because your anole turns into a bright color when handled, it doesn't mean that they're enjoying it. They do not like to be handled, and never tolerate it. They may "seem" to like it, but no anole "enjoys" being handled. Why do they turn into a bright color when you're handling them? It's because of your heat. Your body heat is an ideal temp. for your anole. I'm guessing that your anole looks comfortable being handled, because he's not running away, but when they're feeling cornered, anoles will try to "play dead". Handling causes stress, and stress causes sicknesses and diseases. Diseases causes death. Again, please, don't handle your anole unless it's absolutely necessary. You might have to remove them to a small cage while you have to replace substrate, clean out the entire cage, etc., but otherwise, just watch them and enjoy.

Tim

Firstly, if your anoles seems to like being handled (or the house gecko, for that matter), it's probably very unhealthy and/or weak. It may turn green because of your warmth, but this is still a stressful thing for any small anole and usually it's only a very weak or sick anole that will tolerate being handled. That's not to say that you can never touch it or hand feed it or anything, but don't touch it a lot and don't expect the animal to like your presense if not for the food aspect.

Information is available online... and I recommend you read as many care sheets as you can and be reasonable because many will have very incorrect information. For example, no anole is fit for a small (10-gallon) enclosure as an adult. No anole should have a heat rock or heat pad, with the exception of, possibly, a heat pad that is only used to keep the entire tank temps warm enough (not provide a warm area), because arboreal lizards do not take heat from the ground. Another example is that many caresheets forget to mention that anoles need UVA and UVB lighting, and that the bulbs must be changed regularly. And, that most anoles are wild caught and will cary various parasites! Here, on kingsnake.com you will find a wonderful care sheet on green anoles, but, of course, it won't be exactly the same for a bush anole I'd suppose.

So, I'd get a fecal done on your anole if it seems whatsoever weak or uninterested in food because anoles are paranoid by nature and should freak at an approaching hand.

Let us know how it goes with your new anole and don't hesitate to ask questions as we're all here to help
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

Thanks for the input. It's funny. I also mist the tank every couple of times a day, it's a 20 gallon tank and I have even taken a little lid off of a vitamin bottle and put water in it and I put it to his face and he starts to drink from it. Iguess I won't handle him no more. I will take him to the vet too! Is it expensive? Thanks Guys!!!

It's expensive the first time you take a pet, since you'd have to go to a reptile or exotic vet for this. However, the good news is that most things like fecal tests and de-wormers aren't expensive, at all... so you get a lot for the price of a vet. It's usually around $35 for the initial visit, and something like $15 for each fecal. You can call various vets and look for the best prices, though, and you might get a much better deal than that.

You shouldn't regularly handle the animal, but you can stick your hand in there or touch it, lightly, regularly so it's used to you... just that picking it up and carrying it around is pretty stressful for such a small animal. Being dropped, tail loss, and other similar things are likely to happen. But, if you need to pick up the animal to move something in its cage or take it to the vet, you can do so.

If it drinks standant water out of a lid, perfect! I always hear they drink pendalous water like many other lizards, but I've seen many drink from a little pool of water before.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame