The anole is a small lizard that belongs to the family of reptiles. They need humidity in order to stay fit and healthy. So the choice of perfect substrate is a must and you should be careful while choosing the right substrate for your anole.
You need a substrate that is able to absorb moisture and also provide proper nourishment and care to your pet lizard. You should also choose a substrate for the anole that is healthy for them and even they do not have any sort of problem with that substrate. In this article, we will discuss the best substrate for the anoles that will have every quality which is needed for the anoles.
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How to choose the best substrate for Anoles?
The best substrate is the substrate for the anole that will have the qualities that are needed by your anole. The substrate should be selected according to the behaviour and the natural habitat of the anole.
You should select the substrate and know your anole properly beforehand so that you can get the best of the substrate that is available in the market for your anole because only then they will be comfortable with the substrate.
It should be soft and gentle on the skin, should not have any sort of smell, non-toxic and non-irritant for the anole. As a responsible owner, you should be careful about choosing the perfect substrate for your anole and keep in mind everything that is best for your anoles.
The Best substrates for anoles
The best 5 substrates that are available for the anoles are the ones that are non-toxic, non-irritant, soft and gentle on the skin, respectively. The list of the best 5 substrates of the anoles are as follows:
1. Moss
One of the best substrates for the anole is the moss you can use the mosses as the substrate for your anole. The main reason behind this is that they can absorb moisture which is helpful in maintaining the humidity inside the enclosure of the anoles.
Also, the moss can be used for decoration purpose and as a substrate too so it serves a double purpose. They are an amazing option for increasing the humidity of the enclosures of the anoles. There are 2 types of mosses that can be used for the terrarium of the anoles i.e. Sphagnum and Spanish. The Sphagnum moss is used as a substrate and the Spanish moss is mostly used for decoration purpose.
There are many companies in the market that will provide the best quality of moss for your anole. You can choose the best one that will suit you. Even the people who are using the moss as a substrate are happy with it and even the anoles are comfortable with the mosses. As mosses are soft and gentle on the skin of the anoles even the mosses are not irritating on the skin of the anoles. So you prefer moss as a substrate for the anole.
Pros:
- Can also be used for decoration
- Absorbs good moisture
- Comfortable for the anole
Cons:
- Not found so easily
2. Paper Liners
The paper liners are another best substrate for your anoles but they are not as appealing as compared to the other substrates. But they are easily available in the market and are also affordable in price. Easy to maintain and you can get it very easily and can also be changed without much hassle. This option of the paper liner as the substrate has been very popular among beginners who are still learning to pet anoles.
These paper liners are also produced commercially as newspapers are not so safe as compared to commercial paper liners. Also, these paper liners are made by keeping in mind the safety of the anoles and made in such a manner in which the anole can stay comfortable on these substrates. Therefore, go for the commercially produced paper liners rather than the newspapers. Many companies produce these paper liners that are also eco-friendly in nature and can are easy to use and maintain. Even they are also good at absorbing moisture which will help to maintain humidity inside the enclosures.
Pros:
- Easy to use and maintain
- Easily available
- Affordable in price
Cons:
- Not so good at absorbing moisture
3. Coconut fibre or husk
Coconut fibre or husk is another substrate that comes under the list of best substrate for the anole. They are usually sold in the form of bricks or chunks of fibre, and many anole owners have used them because these coconut husks are good absorbents of moisture which is quite necessary for the anole. The coconut husks do not even have an odour which is the best thing about this substrate because the substrate that has some sort of odour is not good for the anoles.
So coconut husks are preferred. They also create a natural-looking habitat for the anole due to its appearance. This is also used for decorating the enclosure of the anole by covering the walls and this helps in increasing the humidity of the tank in which the anole is kept. The coconut fibre is also commercially produced where you can get is easy. You can see that your anole loves the substrate and they are comfortable with this substrate and even the owners of the anole love this substrate due to the above-mentioned features.
Pros:
- Good moisture absorbent
- Even used for decoration
- Odour free
- Natural-looking
Cons:
- Not so easy to maintain.
4. Wood
Wood can be used as a substrate for the anole but is very small in size, and not all sort of wood chippings are used there is some specific wood from which the substrate of the anole is made, and those are aspen, pine, cedar, Douglas fir and cypress. You have to use the chippings or shavings of these woods for the anoles as they are suitable for them. The wood chippings are not safe in some cases as they can hurt your anole but the companies who produce these chippings commercially do smooth finishing of these chippings and also colour them to make them look more appealing.
But there is still sometimes the odour issue which is not controlled all the time. So you have to careful while using these chips, but still, it is considered the best substrate for the anole as the anole is arboreal in nature and they do not spend much time on the ground so these wooden chippings can be used for them. The people love these wooden chippings because it is affordable in price and easily available.
Also, be careful while choosing wood as a substrate because not all types of wood can be used as substrate the wood that is mentioned above should only be used for the purpose of the substrate because other types of wood can also be toxic for your anole as they can even ingest the wooden chippings or shavings. So be careful while using the wood chips or shavings.
Pros:
- Easily available
- Affordable in price
- Easy to use and maintain
Cons:
- Low absorbency
- Odour issues
- Can hurt anole if do not have proper finishing
5. Reptile Carpet
The reptile carpet is the last on our list but not the least it is also one of the best substrates for the anole as they are easily available and can be easily maintained just by washing it. They are available in various colours and textures from which you can choose from. You can get the carpet customised according to the tank of your anole. Also, there is no risk of ingestion and by washing them you are disinfecting the reptile carpet.
Even the anole finds it comfortable to lay upon as it is soft and not too harsh on the skin of the anole. They also love this reptile carpet. You can find these carpet easily in the market and they are also easy to clean and maintain. These reptile carpets are considered as convenient substrate as they can also be easily removed, cleaned and even replaced without any hassle.
As these reptile carpets are soft which means they will not even hurt your anole and there is np odour issue for your anole. They enjoy this substrate and do not have any sort of issue with this. Even the owners of the anole are happy with this substrate due to its easy maintenance.
Pros:
- Easy to use and maintain
- Can be easily washed and replaced
- Easily available in the market
- Comes in various colours, size and textures
- High absorbency
- Anole friendly material
Cons:
- Bacterial growth can take place if not washed regularly
These are the best 5 substrates for your anole that are available in the market for your anole. The anoles love these substrates as the reviews regarding these 5 substrates are amazing as they have been already used by the anoles as the substrates and even the owners of the anoles are satisfied with these substrates.
Conclusion:
The anoles are cute little pets that belong to the family of reptiles and are dependent on their owners if they are kept in captivity. So you need to be careful while you are choosing various stuff for the enclosure of the anole. For this, you need to understand the behaviour of them and also make sure that they are happy inside their captivity. You both should enjoy each other’s company.
For this, you should be aware of the things that would make your anole healthy and satisfied only then they will stay comfortably with you and will not have any sort of problem while living with you.
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