Does anyone own/used to own a chameleon?

[gizmolax13]

i just got one for free. and was just wondering a few things
anything special other then crickets i should feed it?
am i sposed to dust the crickets with a vitamin or sumthin and pull off the legs(heard that somewhere)
the light on the cage....should i keep that on 24/7 or shut it off at night?

also i wouldn't mind some name suggestions...it's a boy
and it's not a picture perfect cham...it looks like those little quick lizards you see at disney world (if anybody knows what i'm talkin about) kinda like a the one from the gecko commercial...small lizard usually brown or green.

thanks

[kenndogg]

Re: Does anyone own/used to own a chameleon?

Originally posted by gizmolax13
kinda like a the one from the gecko commercial...small lizard usually brown or green.

If its what I think it is then those are called anoles;

Green anole
Anoles carolinensis

Description
Body length: 5-8 in..

The green anole is a relative common lizard, slight in build, with a narrow head and a long, slender tail that can be twice as long as the rest of the animal. Color can vary from gray-brown, to brown, to bright green; each animal can change its color to blend with surroundings. Males can have a noticeable dewlap that is pink when displayed. Commonly referred to as a "chameleon" due to its ability to change color, but not a true chameleon.

Life History
Anoles eat small insects and spiders.

Breeds from late March through early October. Lays a single white egg, which it buries in loose, moist leaf litter. Young hatch after 5-7 weeks.

Commonly preyed upon by domestic cats, as well as children seeking pets. Fairly common in the pet trade and can do well in captivity, if cared for well. Will eat crickets, but seldomly adapts to being handled.

Habitat and Distribution
Found through out the eastern third of Texas, and common in the southeastern U.S. Requires greenery, occassional shade and a moist environment. Prefers to be in trees or shrubs, but can also be found on walls and fences.

[gizmolax13]

wow i looked all day and couldn't find what mine was...
that's it...and it's a male...thanks alot

now does anyone know what i should do about the light...at night the is a pretty shady area in the tank if the light is left on....i got there this morning and he was clung to the wall sleeping...so i guess i could leave it on...unless i'm told otherwise

[-=Squid=-]

I assume you leave the light on, because thats what I did with my python and my iguanas. I had an anole once, and I caught another in florida I let it go before we left though.

[gizmolax13]

yea...he's cool...
also though...i just fed him the cricket for today (sposed to get 10 a week) and he ate it right away....so i put another in there and again he ate it almost instantly...
is it possible to over feed him?
should i always drop a cricket in there when i see he ate one to always have food for him? or just one or two a day?

[-=Squid=-]

I really wouldnt keep feeding them. If he ate up 2 instantly, mabe try another, and if he swallows it right up, I would keep it down to the recomended amount. Also, you would have some good luck calling a pet store and asking them.

[rehme]

man i have been wanting to get some type of lizard but the 2 gold fish i bought at walmart for 35 cents have lived about a year and a half. they are probably about 4 inches long. well i guess they are living preaty good considering the water is filtered and there is a heater. i had oscures but they died.

[kenndogg]

Originally posted by rehme
i had oscures but they died.

With Oscars you must constantly do water changes since they tend to dirty the water quickly with their feces.

[gamarada717]

Wow...I catch anoles around my house in the summer time like 5 or 6 times a day, didn't know they were that special. I used to have a Chinese Water Dragon, he was about 2 and a half feet long. He didn't really change colors though, just stayed the same turquoise green all the time. He died one night because he wouldn't eat anything. Stupid lizard....I paid like 40 bucks for him too.

[MantisMag]

i had a pair of anoles a while back. had them for a couple years until a power outage caused us to lose our heat and they died. i always dumped the whole bag of crickets in. they eat a whole lot of them right away. it's fun watching them jump around. but eventually they would stop. i wouldn't get them any more until they ate all of the crickets in their. i didn't pull off the legs either. it was more fun watching the legs kick as the anoles swallowed them. even had a few babies. the first couple got eaten before we realized what was going on. then we put some more fake plants in there so the babies would have somewhere to hide. the only really important thing that i can remember is to get a spray bottle and fill it with water. give em a spritz or two every day. they need a humid environment and it's easier for them to drink the water droplets than it is for them to drink out of a bowl.

[WicKeD_WaYz]

i dont think you can over feed them. They will most likely loose interest when not hungry any more. My bearded dragon will eat 15 super worms and a couple of pinkies before hes not hungry. Mayb the person before you didnt feed him very well and hes just hungry.

[rehme]

Originally posted by kenndogg


With Oscars you must constantly do water changes since they tend to dirty the water quickly with their feces.

i had the filter so it cleaned the water pretty good but maybe the tank got to small for them.

[ChucktheMAGician]

Dusting the crickets is a good idea. I always fed mine, dogfood and veggies, to make them more nutritious for your anole. You can buy Gut load also from most pet stores. Hopefully you aren't keeping the anole in a drafty place, near a window or air conditioning vent. I would turn the light off at night unless your house gets fairly cold. I'm not sure of any animal that isn't use to sleeping/resting at night. Misting them w/ a plant mister can be good to, like rain! Good luck

[kenndogg]

Originally posted by rehme


i had the filter so it cleaned the water pretty good but maybe the tank got to small for them.

Well filters can only do so much. Fish crap accumulate beneath the gravel can continue to pollute the water. It causes the water's pH level to drop which in turns cause the ammonia in the water to become deadly to any fish. The general rule for aquariums is to change out 20% of the water every two weeks to maintain optimum water quality. Before you ask, this kind of stuff is huge hobby of mine and I'm majoring in Aquaculture Technology at my college.

gizmolax 13, go to www.DrsFosterSmith.com for all of your pet needs.