ima buy my first anole with setup next month. anything i should get with it? i've been in aquariums for 15 years just not these types of aquariums.
I got my 1st anole a few months ago and at 1st i just had a 10g, but now i have an 18x18x18 which is more designed for arboreals and he likes better. I had a girl with him in the 10g, but after they mated she died, so you can keep 2 in a 10g, but that's even pushing it and don't house 2 males together! uhm, make sure u have a uvb bulb and a basking bulb, u can get a nighttime, but u don't have to(I have one, since it gets cold where I live). You'll need bedding(like bark) and crickets and mealworms for every now and then.A few hiding places, branches, and plants.For crickets, u will need a container to keep them in(like a cricket keeper), calcium powder to dust them sometimes, and "gut-loading"gel for them to eat. You might want to look up a caresheet or get a book on them also, and as a tip, I got the lizard kit(which is only sold at petsmart and comes with some light fixtures(not the bulbs), calcium supplement sample,spray bottle,2 thermometers and a hygromometer(for temperature and humidity), and a pamphlet on how to set up everything. It's cheaper than it would be to buy everything seperate(it's only around $30), but everything together(guessing you already have a tank)would be around $100 probably and it took me about a month to get all the supplies before I could get the anole. I hope I helped!
Welcome to the forums! I'll keep this as brief as I can, sorry if it seems kind of lengthy. Here's a checklist of the basic things you will need with a quick explanation for each item when needed: ___ Anole (Hardy har, I'm so funny...) ___ 20 gallon HIGH tank (Not a 20 gallon LONG; they need the climbing height. Larger is fine, but make sure it is at least as tall as a standard 20g) ___ Ceramic dome light fixture (Make sure it can hold at least up to the wattage of bulb you will be using. Purchase one with a dimmer OR buy a rheostat for it.) ___ Incandescent light bulb (Wattage needed will depend on your house temps and cage size, so you may need to mess around with this before you can get the cage temps right. You may also need a second light if you can't get the right temperature gradient with just one.) ___ 24" fluorescent light fixture ___ 18" fluorescent UVB light 5%/5.0 (Ensure that a basking spot such as a branch can get the anole under this light and within 6-10 inches of the surface of the bulb. For detailed explanation, see the UVB Basics thread.) ___ 3 thermometers OR 1 temp gun (If using thermometers, make sure at least one of your thermometers is a digital thermometer with probe. Put the probe at the basking site. You can move it around to check the temperatures in other areas of the cage. The probe will allow you to get an accurate surface temperature, rather than just air temperature. The round gauge thermometers are highly inaccurate and should not be used at all. Stick-on and mercury thermometers will give you a vague reading of air temps, but as mentioned before, it's the surface temperature that's important.) ___ Spray water bottle ___ Hydrometer ___ Substrate (Sterile, untreated potting soil is a good, cost effective choice. Products like Eco Earth and Bed a Beast are also good. Other choices are peat/sphagnum moss [watch for mold and pack it tightly to prevent feeders from getting lost in it], or bark [I don't recommend it, but if you use it, it must be large enough that it cannot be swallowed by the anole.].) ___ Climbing branches and plants ___ Water bowl (Large enough for the anole to soak in when shedding if it desires. A larger bowl will help keep the humidity in the cage up as well.) ___ Container for housing crickets ___ Food for crickets ___ Calcium with vitamin D3 supplement (Rep Cal is a great brand.) Optional Purchases: ___ Aquarium background (Make the cage look better IMO and can also help instill a sense of security in the reptile if you cover the back and both sides.) ___ Heat pad/heat tape/other night heat source (May be necessary if cage temps are falling below 65F at night.) ___ Care books (The library and used book stores are the first places I would look.) ___ Multivitamin supplement (Herptivite is a great brand.) ___ Supplementary food sources (HIGHLY RECOMMEND at least one additional food for variety. Typically more variety is better. Avoid mealworms and superworms. Waxworms should be very rare treats only. Good foods to use other than crickets include silkworms, small grasshoppers, small roaches [look into Turkistans], and phoenix/repti/calci worms.) I also suggest you read a lot about the care requirements for anoles before purchasing one. Our section of care guides on anoles is a great place to start. I would also locate a reptile vet near you so that you are prepared in case of an emergency. And, of course, feel free to ask any questions if you have them! We're here to help. =) P.S. This list is off the top of my head, but if I realize I've forgotten something I'll be sure to update it.
