The Bahaman Anole, also known as the Brown Anole or De La Sagra's Anole, is a moderately small lizard that is native to the Caribbean. While shy towards large animals, including humans, they are less timid than many other species of lizards and can make an excellent pet. A terrestrial species, the Bahaman Anole rarely climbs more than two meters off the ground. But since they do climb a little, rocks or climbing branches should be provided in their enclosure. They are territorial creatures: males will often fight each other if they feel their territory is being invaded. The males will often display aggression towards another male that's in their territory, by displaying their dewlap and doing pushups and head bobs. Similar behavior can be observed when the male is courting a female. Bahaman Anoles generally live in forested areas and, being carnivorous, feed on small insects, although some captive Anoles will feed on plant matter. Many do not drink standing water but will instead lick water drops off leaves. Because the Anoles live in the semi-tropical environment of the Caribbean, they are most comfortable in temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (22-26C) in the day and no lower than 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18C) at night. They enjoy basking in the sun. Bahaman Anoles usually breed in November. Bahaman Anoles are fairly small lizards, averaging between five and nine inches (13-22cm) in length. Their head, with medium-sized brown eyes, is triangular and small. They appear in a great variety of body patterns, including lines and triangles, and an equally large range of colors, from black to pale brown to tan. The dewlap is usually either yellow or bright red. Females often have a white stripe running down the middle of their back, which makes it easy to distinguish females from males. Other ways of sexing the Anoles is by noticing the large crest on the neck and back of the males. Males often fade to a uniform tan color when mature, and their dewlap is larger than that of the females. If properly cared for, the Bahaman Anole can live up to eight years in captivity. They are native to the Caribbean, hence the name "Bahaman Anole," but are quite common in the United States as pets. |