Anole help please!!

[Tami]

Hi All,

I have 4 Green Anoles..

Boo-boo: baby male (?not sure yet)
Annie: older dominant female
Lizzie: female
Rocky: juvenile male

Everyone was getting along fine until I put them in a bigger cage, 20gal. Then Rocky started displaying extremely aggressive behavior toward Annie, they actually had a scuffle at one point - she displayed a dewlap (I thought that only males had these? Hers was white and not as big as Rocky's which was red) Anyway, they got past that, but then Rocky started fighting with his reflection in the mirror behind the cage - had to put something in front of the mirror...it was really pretty funny but didn't want him to hurt himself.

Anyway, I am interested in feedback on the aggression - do I need to separate the male? Also need lighting help. A pet store had told me that my hood for the UV lighting needed to have the silver reflector around the lighting...I just bought a new hood with room for 4 bulbs and a florescent type light - but the background on it is white, not silver. Is this ok, or do I need to stick with the silver reflector type?

Thanks guys!

 

[hofud]

I think they are like wolves and there are alfa, beta etc anoles even at females. As far as i know females have dewlap too but not as big as males. When you gave them bigger living space they started to take their own territory. Check out surely that you have only one male and others are female. If any of them bothers the others and don't finish after a time separate him or her. I am not sure that is a good idea to keep baby anole with adults Their size is pretty small but they move a lot and they like hiding places so give them as much as you can.
I think for 4 anole 20gallon is not that big. Good care sheet and forum for anoles here

Anoles - Care Sheet (Once again)

good luck with them

 

[Tami]

Thanks - I have since discovered that the baby is also a male...he and the other juvie male kind of got into it yesterday but it was over quickly. They flashed their dews at each other and did the head bob dance but not much more. The baby is getting bigger and I'm sure I'll have to separate the other male soon.

 

[Matt K]

Anoles are my "thing". I have 19 species in my care! You really don't want more than one male ina cage, and only 1 or 2 females with him. The others need to go. 20 gallons is fine for Anolis carolinensis- I have had them breed in even a 10 gallon tank before, so I know 20 is fine. It is important that whatever your population to have plenty of plant life and branches of some sort....many petshops sell grapevine pieces which is great for green anoles. You cannot get too many plants or branches in the tank for that species. Don't worry about your light fixture- any light fixture will work. I would recommend at least one lightbulb with UVB 10.0 and one 'plant' bulb or "grow bulb' for plants. Or two bulbs UVB 10.0.

Lastly- make sure your fighting behavior is not really breeding behavior.... it can look like fighting at first... females that have been breeding with males commonly have bite marks on thier back and neck.