finding a place to get female anoles

beth2 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 11:34 AM

In the past year we bought a "pair of anoles"...both ended up being males and fought so we returned one. We got another one that was guarenteed female....after a couple months we found that they were both males so we again took one back....got another that was gauranteed female again....by a different petstore. Again we had two males so we are trying again. The new one has not shown a dewlap yet...but is also not acting real happy with the male....stays brown more than the male does and they are never together. The male is almost always bright green. I would like to have two females with my male....but I am tired of tearing the terrarium apart to catch them again to return a male and then being told "I know how to sex them" by petstore workers only to find out that they were wrong again.......what else can we do to get female anoles? Should I order them? And if so, where? Ive never ordered animals before.
Our anoles are in a 20 gallon high tank with a spot light and a plant strip light....the tank is heavily planted with broad leaf plants.

Bamboo Dart Frog · #2 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 12:08 PM

Sounds like you've been haveing a rough time. I'm not an expert with Anoles but I think I can help out. First I need to know what kind of anoles you got. Are they green anoles, bahama, knight, ect. Also, it would be a good idea to ask someone that breeds anoles.

beth2 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 12:23 PM

oops! we have green anoles.

Bamboo Dart Frog · #4 (**permalink**) 06-15-2009, 12:39 PM

I was trying to find out more information to help solve your problem when I found this:

Quote:

Mature females that enter the male’s territory will be chased, caught with a strong bite to the nape of the neck and then maneuvered for breeding.

I dont think this is the case, but this is probably what happened. From what I know, females usually have a distinctive pattern running down their backs. Heres a picture to help you. Male anole (top/left)and female (bottom/right)

Sarahann31190 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-16-2009, 02:28 AM

Males also have a longer snout as where the females do not. You can always pull out the dewlap to check if it's a male. This does not hurt them, as it is just extra skin.

Sarahann31190 · #6 (**permalink**) Yesterday, 04:09 AM

I just found one at my petsmart that I work at. She's quite healthy and very happy. You just need to find someone who truely knows about them..not just someone who says they do.