Trying to decide... and so confused

Tango-n-Toads · 06-29-05, 07:22 AM

Hi guys. I need some help making a decision here and I have no received even 1 reply on another forum

I know this is a little long so please bear with me.

I now have an empty tank which I would like to fill. I've been thinking about an anole. I have narrowed my decision down to either a green anole or a big-headed anole (also known as Anolis capito, long-legged anole, or pug-nosed anole).

I really like the green anole because they have the ability to change color, they are apparently active during the day, and I have heard that along with crickets as a staple diet, they can also eat some baby food and small pieces of fruit.

I like the big-headed anole because they are quite a bit bulkier in size, yet the same length, they are very cute, they have neat design and color patterns, and they are unique. Unfortunately this unique factor is why i'm confused about which anole to go with.

I have asked people on another forum if anyone knows anything or has any experience with the big-headed anole. Only 1 person has replied to my post and had never heard of them before. I did a search on the forum and there was no mention of them anywhere. I did a google search and I can only find about 1 picture of that species with a tiny paragraph underneath. While I think it would be very cool to have a species that seems to be so rare and interesting, will I be able to rely on basic anole care sheets to help me supply the proper nutrition and living environment, or will this lack of information cause me problems down the road?

The reptile manager at the pet store where they are selling these lizards happens to be a friend of mine. He has told me that the big-headed anole is priced at $35 and that he will be willing to knock off a few dollars for me. He handles, feeds, and cares for these animals every day and said that they are quite interesting and very cool-looking lizards. He said that he ordered them in because he had never seen them around and thought that they would be cool to have some experience with.

What would you do? Would you go with the commonly known anole or the rarer one? Do any of you know anything about them? I want to get things set up and get my tank filled but I want some advice first.

Thanks.

DragnDrop · 06-29-05, 08:38 AM

If I can't find decent info on a species, I don't keep them, no matter how tempting it might be. It always seems to me that a species that's 'keepable' in captivity will be popular enough to have many fans, some of whom will put up care sheets and pictures. If they're not suitable to captive living, if they're too new to have much info about them, there's going to be little, if any info available. That's my first clue -- if nobody is keeping or talking about them, then there must be a reason. To me, that's a big 'hands off' signal. But then that's just me.
I'd stick with the common anole, they're interesting and easy enough to keep.

Tango-n-Toads · 06-29-05, 09:06 AM

That's a good point DragnDrop. That's kinda what I was thinking. I decided to keep looking though just in case there is some info about the big-headeds around and I did happen to come across a little.

I found a caresheet that says:

Quote:

This care sheet is focused on green anoles, but several other similar small anole species have the same care requirements, so this care sheet may be used for them as well. They are the brown anole (Anolis sagrei), the big-headed anole (Anolis capito), the crested anole (Anolis cristatellus) and the bark anole (Anolis distichus). These anoles have all naturalized in Florida, so can be kept under the same environmental conditions as green anoles.

The caresheet can be found at: http://reptiles.thepsionguild.net/gr...caresheet.html

I have also learned that they can also be found in the rainforests of Costa Rica.

Maybe I will be able to get one now that I at least know that the care is the same. Keep the opinions coming!

Tango-n-Toads · 06-29-05, 07:15 PM

OOOOohhh...... after seeing them in person today and also checking another web site, I have discovered that it is NOT a big-headed anole (anolis capito) after all. It's actually a LARGE-headed anole (anolis cybotes)

http://www.wildherps.com/species/A.cybotes.html

labomb2 · 06-30-05, 04:07 AM

don't anoles have a very short lifespan? I've never known anyone to have them for long.

well I just went back and read the caresheet, lifespan is 4-8 years, but like I said, I have never known anyone to have them for more than a few months.

DragnDrop · 06-30-05, 07:58 AM

The 'regular' anole, green anole can live for 5 years or so, more in captivity. The trouble is that they're sold as disposable pets, people don't set them up properly, don't feed them correctly and they're dead in a few months. If the stores gave the proper advice then the anoles would live long and happy lives. I had a group of 8 which were WC adults when I got them (my very first reptiles). They were set up in arboreal cages, bred up a storm for a few years. I had them for about 3 years before they started dying off over a few month. The last one to die was with me 4 years, so I'm thinking they died of old age. A friend got some the same time I got my first ones, she set them up like the store employee said, hers were dead in less than 6 months. She just wasn't about to do what I'd researched, she knew the store info was correct, after all 'it's the store, they're bound to know the real info' , right?

Tango-n-Toads · 06-30-05, 08:24 AM

That's why i research and check here for the info before i get anything. hehe

peterm15 · 06-30-05, 05:23 PM

Rob the Anole Guy is probably the best person to contact on such stuff.. i havent got any contact info but someone here may..

Tango-n-Toads · 06-30-05, 10:20 PM

I've decided that it's probably best that I don't get any more animals right now. With the menagerie that I have I don't have the space to accomodate any more animals of any type. I also won't be able to afford it. I have other things that I need to spend my money on right now. I will hold off until the future.

Thanks for your help. I'm still interesting in learning more about them though. Heh. I'm going to upgrade my house gecko into the 10g from the 5g that he's in right now and then use his old tank for crix. I think that's a much better decision for all of us.