Anoles are unique when it comes to the history of keeping them as pets. They have some interesting features and those make them quite appealing as a pet.
Anoles can change their body colour depending upon their mood and the atmosphere, temperature and humidity.
They are pretty much territorial, especially the male ones. They do not like to stay in the same terrarium with others.They especially love to climb the trees, as they live on trees most of the times when they are in the wilderness.
They are seen to drop their tails if they are stressed. If you grab them from the top opening of the terrarium that can make them tensed and they may act this sudden way. Do not worry as they have the ability to grow a new tail soon.
Anoles shed their skin quite frequently and many more times that other reptiles that are kept as pets. This shedding period can be troublesome and you need to clean the terrarium more often at the time of shedding.
Contents
How to prepare the cage of the anole?
The terrarium of the anole can be prepared first by putting a lining at the bottom of the terrarium. This should be done preferably with coconut fibre and it should be 2 to 3 inches thick. In place of coconut fibre, you can use moss or bark also, as all these components can provide moisture to the atmosphere. You need to spot clean the substrate at least once in a week unless it will have mites or bacteria grown in it.
A hiding place is must in the terrarium of the anole, as they love to stay privately for some time in the day. You can use some artificial rock or wooden structure to make it nice.
The terrarium must have some branches, original or artificial, to climb upon. Anoles love to climb on the branches and without this, the terrarium will be incomplete for them.
Heat bulb is needed in the terrarium. Or else you can put a ceramic heat emitter. This will keep the terrarium warm and ready for the anole, a creature from the Mediterranean area, where the weather is humid and warm throughout the year.
A hygrometer and a thermometer are needed to keep a check on the heat and humidity of the terrarium. The anole will not be in good health if these two parameters are not in right condition in the terrarium.
The Best 5 Anole Cage
There are quite a few brands that are selling good quality cages for anole, and here we will help you to decide which one will be suitable for your pet.
1. Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open-Air Screen Cage
The brand is a popular one and the product they have created will be just perfect for your anole. This is a wide sized cage which allows the air and light to pass through the walls. This one is medium-sized terrarium which will be spacious for one matured anole. As it is made of wires you can put artificial or natural plants and foliage easily by tucking them with the wires. That will make the terrarium look luscious and lively. Also, the wires help you to put the crickets inside the terrarium which can be happily eaten by the pet.
The package contains all the hardware and the assembly is pretty easy. Anyone with minimum knowledge of assembling can fix this cage with the help of a screwdriver. This cage allows the owner to access the anole easily. Also cleaning of the cage is easy as there is enough space to put the hand inside the cage. This product comes at a pocket-friendly price so those who are not ready to spend a lot on their first cage should get this cage for their pet anole.
You will be seeing your anole growing happily into it. There is scope to put a backdrop which will make the cage looking interesting. Make it brown or some earthy toned so it gives the feel of natural surroundings and the anole loves its place. Do not try to clean it weekly as too much of washing and cleaning with chemical solutions may make the wires rusted and worn.
Pros:
- Nice and pocket-friendly cage
- Wires let the light and air pass-through
- You can put foliage by using the wires
Cons:
- Not too wide
- Can be torn if washed too often
2. Repti Zoo 10 Gallon Glass Reptile Tank
This is a glass made tank which comes with sliding doors. This is an easy place to keep the anole and you can see its movements through the clear walls. This is rectangular in shape and offers enough space to move around for the matured anole. Also, space can be used to keep various equipment to decorate the cage and make the anole feel at home.
This is a glass made cage which makes it easy to maintain. The glass walls need to be cleaned often so there is no chance of bacterial or fungal growth. The sliding screen top makes it easy to hold the anole, put the food or clean the cage. Though made with glass, this is a sturdy product and will not break off easily. The manufacturer offers well after-sales service and if you have received a defective piece, you can contact them easily for replacement.
This product is not easy on price, but if you manage to buy this, it will last you months. This one is spacious and can accommodate a couple of anoles if you do not put two males together. Most of the users have been happy using this cage so you can safely buy this cage for your pet anole. Sliding the top makes it easy to take the anole out or put food inside. Also, you can keep the furnishings like basking stone or plants inside from the opening.
Pros:
- Nice and sturdy product
- Easy to put things inside or take the pet out
- Simple cleaning process
Cons:
- The door slides hard
3. Zilla 28010 10 Gallon Critter Cage
This is just an ideal location to put the anole or any other tropical creature inside. There is a premium quality sliding door at the top of the cage. The metal frame makes the cage a long-lasting one. The front latch can be locked so you can now have the full safety from your kids to open the door suddenly or from escaping the anole through the door. The space inside the cage is enough to keep one anole. Also, you can keep a pair of them during the mating period.
Silicone is used to keep the walls and the floor adjoined so the substrate does not go out through the open space. This is just an apt home for your anole and it will not be toxic by anyway to your pet. The cage comes with clean glass walls which makes the creature visible from the outside.
So you can keep a check on the well-being of the pet from outside. Safety and comfort of your pet are ensured by the manufacturer of this cage. If you receive a defective piece, the manufacturer will solve the problem by replacing the product, so do not worry about after-sales service.
This cage is also easy to clean up and as this is not made from wires, you can clean it quite often. Only use a solution of cleansing chemical and wipe the glass walls with a soft cloth or paper towel. There will be less chance of invading the cage by other unwanted creatures as well as insects. The product offers a good life for your anole which will make you happy too.
Pros:
- Nice and long-lasting product
- Locked door
- Sliding top
Cons:
- Some products get broken during shipping
4. Carolina Custom Cage Terrarium
This is comparatively a new brand in providing pet supply but you can enjoy this product for its great quality and easy assembly. There are hinged doors as well as sliding doors. Key lock security is one of the best features of this terrarium which makes it the safest choice for your anole. The product is manufactured following the bio deep model which offers depth and width in this cage. The anole will be really happy living in this cage and it will also love the wide space offered inside it.
The waterproof base of this cage makes it easy to keep substrates like bark or cork on the base. There will be no chance of water leakage from misting or dropping of water thanks to this kind of base. There are varieties of sizes available so if you think of getting a smaller one for the baby anole and a large one for the matured couples, you can get them from this wide range of products.
The packaging of the product is done with Styrofoam and cardboard which ensures that it will not reach you in a broken form. This is a common issue with the delivery of the glass cage which has been realized and sorted by this particular manufacturer. So you can be assured that your hard-earned money will not be wasted and your pet anole will have a brand new good quality home for it.
The top screen of the cage can be lifted and from there you can put some food when you like to feed your anole by hand. Also cleaning the cage from that opening is easy. Silicone sealant is used to attach the glass panels which makes it safely attached.
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Silicone sealant to attach glass panels
- Top sliding on the screen mesh
Cons:
- Frame not enough sturdy
5. OIIBO 10-Gallon Reptile Tank
This is a glass tank which comes with the full-screen top. There is a feeding hole on the top which allows you to put the food from there and not open the whole top for that purpose. You can easily hand-feed the anole when you feel like bonding with it or passing some nice quality time with your pet. This cage is visible from all four sides so you can keep a check on your pet anole from any corner of your room and make sure that it is safe.
The front panel can be lifted and pulled so you can open and close the screen top through sliding. This is an easy process and you can make good use of this opening for cleaning the inner corner of the cage.
There will be no chance of bacterial accumulation as you can clean every inch of this cage easily from the front screen. The cage is also easy to install and will take a few minutes to get in a useable form. As this one is made from glass, it is always preferable for keeping anoles. The cage will keep the anoles healthy and safe by providing the right amount of humidity and heat.
The PVC tray provided with this cage is also a good and user-friendly item. You can check the droppings or the condition of the substrate from below, as this is also a see-through section of the cage.
The PVC material is also much durable and waterproof so you can be sure that this base will not be damaged by the humidity or the water spilt from the water bowl. You can put any kind of substrate on the base without worrying about damaging the base.
Pros:
- Glass wall to allow heat and light
- Hole on the top to feed the pet
- Waterproof PVC base
Cons:
- Not spacious for multiple anoles.
Does anole need heat at night?
Yes, anoles like any other cold-blooded reptiles need heat to digest their food. For the night time, the temperature should be not less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit. But the light should not be on as that will hamper the sleep cycle of the anole.
Does anole like handling?
Anoles are not very friendly from the beginning. But you can work on the bonding and make it friendly once you win its trust. They are not very aggressive to their owners but you should be more careful while handling them or picking them up from the terrarium. They are shy and can act skittish at the beginning of the interaction though.
Precautions for handling:
You should be careful if there are children in the house, as they may try to hold the anole when it is not ready for human interaction. The stressed reptile can bite back.
Wash your hands before and after holding the anole. There can be bacteria or virus in the body of the pet which may infect you. On the other hand, your hand may carry some bacteria that can affect the pet.
If there are other pets in the house, then you must keep the terrarium of the anole in some other room, at least for the first few weeks. The view of the cat, dog or other pet can stress the anole and it can fall sick.
What size tank anoles need?
Anoles need a large tank as they can live in groups, provided there is only one male in the group. Male anoles are pretty dominant as mentioned earlier, and they show their dominance by several gestures. Their habitat should be 10 gallons to make them comfortable.
There should be UVB lighting with the full-spectrum facility. You should keep the light on for at least 10 hours and a maximum of 12 hours a day.
The temperature should be 75 to 88 degree Fahrenheit and the basking spot will be as hot as 100 degrees Fahrenheit. But the temperature should not be more than 60 degrees at night time. The basking area can be heated up with the help of an incandescent lamp.
A good quality substrate is needed, and for that reason you can use sphagnum moss which can hold the humidity. Reptile bark is another good option for substrate in the terrarium of the anole.
How to take care of the cage of the anole?
The cage of the anole must be kept clean and disinfected. There should not be food waste or any dirt cluttered, which may lead to an infestation of bacteria or mites.
The humidity level of the cage should be maintained and it should have ample humidity during all seasons. The anoles are originally from the humid part of the earth so they will stay healthy when you provide the right kind of humid atmosphere in the terrarium.
You should keep some furnishings in the habitat which will make the cage look filled and also give chance to the anole to play and be active. There are different kinds of equipment that can be used to decorate the interior of the cage.
You need to wash the cage with water and rinse the inner parts of it. Also, you can scrub the tank to make it free from all the dirt and debris that may be accumulated in the corners. A very mild bleach solution will do good to keep the tank smell free and disinfected.
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