VERY OLD anole questions. *long*

[marisa]

Hi!

My roomates have a Green Anole named Zippy.

Zippy lives in a 20 gallon tank on *sand* he has no UV light and never has.

My roomates got Zippy at the same size *exactly* 8 years ago this year. They had no interest in reptiles at the time, but Zippy was going to be fed to a snake and that upset them I guess so they "saved" him. Since they have lived here I have been trying to teach them about proper anole care but I can't force anyone to do anything and Zippy still has no UV and still is on sand.

My question is how can this anole be doing so good in these conditions? I asked on the "other" forum but people wouldn't even belive he was a green anole! They said no Green anole could live 8 years without UV. But I am starting to think they are all idiots over there because they just won't believe me without a "photo to prove" One person even suggested my roomates are switching Zippy with new young anoles!!! Its totally ridiculous.

Anyways what I want to know is A. Why has their anole done fine without UV light for 8 years (8 years is far longer than most people get anoles to live) and B. Would anything *bad* happen if they were to get a UV light now?

My roomate is somwhat worried about changing his conditions now that he is 8, this is part of the reason he has no UV. I haven't been able to give them the answer as to what will happen so I am hoping someone here will. thanks.

Marisa

[ReptileHQ]

Hi Marisa,

There are always exceptions to every rule. Some old men smoke and drink heavily for 60 years and still seem in fairly decent health at 80, other non-smoker, non-drinkers die of a heart attack at 45 years old.

There are other questions to be asked, does the anole get vitamin supplements? Do they tend to leave him alone? Are there live plants in his enclosure? Is he by a window? Temp. they keep him at? Has he been alone the whole time? What do they feed him?.....any other info might prove useful.

I would keep all the conditions in which they have kept him identical, a change could stress him at this stage in his life. Zippy is a survivor.

Remember that Green Anoles are diurnal and do, indeed need UVB. This one example should not give everyone the okay to go out and keep anoles in this manner.

Chris

[marisa]

For your reply.

At this time I believe they do dust his crickets every other time and have done so this entire 8 years. Sometimes twice in a row, sometimes not at all for month.

Zippy lives somewhat near a window that sunlight comes through, and is left alone 100% He is never handled and for cage cleaning he is left in the cage and kinda cleaned "around him"

He has lots of fake plants and lots of branches. He has never had live plants.

Another interesing fact about Zippy is that between his 4th and 6th year he had a somewhat massive tumour on his neck. Knowing nothing about reptiles, or pets for that matter...they took the advice of a friend and cut it open and drained it. They did this twice. Just two years ago, in his 6th year, the tumour disapeered and has never come back. This was SUCH a risky situation I am surprised he lived through it.

But thank you very much for your reply. My roomates (a couple) have both said that when Zippy goes and they do get a new anole they certainly will have UV.

marisa

[marisa]

His temp is room temp. They did have a heat light for him last year but now they don't. So basically 7 out of 8 years has been 70-85 degrees based on house temp. (no air conditioner in the summer for us! yikes!!!)

I try and pass on the information as I have a reptile collection myself and I follow all rules of husbandry strictly but I can only do so much. *shrug*

marisa

[ReptileHQ]

The fact they left him alone and dusted crickets(probably with D3) and had him in a well lit area probably contributed to his longevity. I have been doing research on lumens flux(light intensity) and phsycological effects in reptiles, and have found so far that light intensity is very important to the way reptiles act in captivity. Remember that the light from a close by window(never keep a herp directly in front of a window) is many times brighter than the brightest fluorescent. With a UVB bulb added, I beleive this to be one of the better ways to keep and propigate captive reptiles. I'll keep everyone posted on any more findings.

May Zippy live long and prosper!

[ReptileHQ]

Sorry I meant " to keep and propigate DIURNAL captive reptiles"

[marisa]

haha thanks!

marisa

[Canadaherp]

well i've been keeping some in semi-ideal conditions (i've never changed their uv lite) in a 70 gallon and well theyre all 5-9 years old now and still goign strong but i do supplement heavily

[Dom]

Marissa - best of luck with the anoles .. i wish her the best!

ReptileHQ - Great post by the way .. Its nie to see informative post were you actually learn something .. Keep us up dated and keep working a it!

Dom

[ReptileHQ]

Thanks for the kind words Dom.

[Jeff_Favelle]

If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. You have all the answers in the world, because the lizard is alive and well past an age where most would have gone through 10 anoles. Who cares what the books say? I like what the animal says, and it apparently says its just fine.

If you were to see an anole in Florida, S. America, Cuba, Dominican, etc etc, you would see that they live in a TON of habitats. I know. I've caught hundreds.