Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, I have decided that i would like to have a green anole. I have, at the moment,
1 small exoterra porcelain clamp lamp with glow reflector
1 75w exoterra moonlight lamp
1 bottle of mistimize water conditioner.
1 exoterra thermometer
1 exoterra hygrometer
I had this stuff left from my tree frog, as well as a tank/wire lid
I have considered getting an anole for awhile, ever since i was lucky enough to observe them in the wild and see how charming they are, and i also have heard they are good for begginers. I also already have a vet. My questions are..
* I'm really concerned about heating. I know he should have a UVA/UVB bullb in a basking area, which should stay how warm? what other heat sources are needed?
*i know i'll need to mist so he can get water off the leaves, but will this
regulate humidity enough, or do i need a fogger/fountain/humidifier?
* Substrate- I know bark/sand/gravel should be avoided, but im not sure if i should go with sterile organic potting soil or paper towels. Or i there another option that i could get easily?
*what about shedding? what do i have to do? when will i know it's about to shed? any special requirements?
any other info/accurate websites would be helpful

First of all, allow 10 gallons of enclosure per Anole. Don't house more than one male in anything less that a 55-gallon (they are extremely territorial).
A common incandescent light bulb can be used to provide heat. The wattage will depend on the distance from the basking area. The temperature at the basking spot should be 85-90 degrees and there should be a gradient of 75-85 degrees throughout the enclosure to allow the Anole to move from one area to another to thermoregulate. This can be difficult to maintain in a smaller enclosure,
Humidity is more difficult to maintain in the winter months with the heated dry air in most houses. Misting may maintain humidity of 50-70% but you may have to use some sort of fogger or automatic misting device.
You will need a UVA/UVB fluorescent fixture and bulb. They do not provide a great amount of heat. Make sure there are areas where the Anole can bask that are within 12" of the fluorescent fixture since that is about the maximum distance the UV will penetrate.
You will need to get a calcium supplement powder like MINER-ALL and dust the prey items with it once a week (every feeding if you have a pregnant female). Simply put the crickets, roaches, waxworms, etc, in a plastic sandwich bag with a small amount of the powder a shake gently.
Anoles need no help with shedding. When they are ready to shed, they will be dull in color and what appear to be white "blisters" will appear. They may shed all at once, or the head one day, the body a few days later, etc. They will eat the shed skin to recycle the nutrients. It is easier for them to shed if the humidity level is 70% or even a bit higher. The time between sheds depends on how much they are eating and how fast they are growing (mine average 4-6 weeks).
Search with your browser for "The Anole Forest" and "Under The Leaves". Both websites are excellent but the formaer is a bit more straightforward and less "political". I hope this helps!