Sexing and care for brown anoles?

Chicxulub

Hand of the King
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Aug 29, 2009
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Hello all!

Can anyone help me with the aforementioned issue?

I am looking to break back into herps and I would like to start with something small and simple but which requires the same basic requirements as the more advanced animals. I have always been rather partial to brown anoles because I think they look like miniature monitor lizards.

As I've scoured the internet researching the proper husbandry for these guys, I've gotten a lot of mixed results.

For housing, the internet can't seem to make up its mind whether a screen cage is better suited for these guys, an aquarium is best suited for these guys or if a hybrid of the two is ideal. What do you experienced folks say?

I am aware if the fact that they favor drinking from dew and that they don't use heat rocks, they need a sun lamp.

The second issue that I am having is how to sex them. I currently have one who I am fairly convinced is male by virtue of size alone, but I would ljek to acquire a couple of females as well. I do not know how to differentiate a female from a young male, and once again, the internet can't seem to decide which has stripes and which has cheverons. Please help!

Thanks all,

Rob

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Aw3s0m3

Piranha
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May 6, 2012
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Great to hear this Rob! Herps, large pythons and monitors to be exact, are my true animal passion before fish. To answer your questions:

I have had great results using either of the setups you mentioned. They aren't particularly picky. I always just used an aquarium and covered up as much as I could of the screen to help keep the humidity high.

As for sexing, the males are bigger, bulkier, have a larger head and the most distinguishable is the bright reddish/orangish dewlap the extend when looking for a mate or during territorial disputes.

For future reference, I don't recommend ever using heat rocks. Reptiles don't feel pain like we do and if a cage is too cold, they will sit on the heat rock to the point where they burn their bellies. There are many horror stories online of this happening and this personally happened to a baby Nile monitor I had when I was a kid. It is much safer to use a radiant heat bulb over a flat rock and a thermostat is always recommended so that temps don't get too hot. Good luck man!


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