male green anole

Question
QUESTION: Hi my green anole is always brown just recently and it started right after I put my beta fish vase next to his tank. Could this be the reason? Also I think the crickets I have are escaping through the metal mesh lid is there anything i can do to stop them?

ANSWER: Hello Karissa,

Well, the fish could be stressing your green anole out some yes.  You should probably go ahead & move the tank away from the beta fish tank/vase.
What type of lighting are you using for him?  Do you have a good thermometer such as a digital probe or a temp gun to measure the temperatures with?  
The only way you can keep the crickets from escaping through the mesh screen is to try & put a thin line of vaseline up at the top of the glass tank so that they don't cross it.  This works for keeping roaches from climbing out of bins so it may work for the crickets too.  
Glass tanks have the silicone on the inside of the tanks when they are put together which allows the crickets to climb up the sides.
Have you tried any mealworms or phoenix worms yet for him?
How big is he?


Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


green anole   QUESTION: The lighting I have for him is a UVB light and a basking light and I have a thermometer and a hydrometer in the tank and no I've only been giving him live crickets I didn't think about giving him those actually I mean it's always a good temperature in there and I spray the tank down often to keep the humidity at a normal level but its just odd how during the day he stays brown but then it appears at nite when hes asleep he turns green but by morning brown again and not like a light brown just a dark brown it worries me all the time I moved the beta away from his tank but still today everytime i checked on him he was always brown and I don't notice him moving around as often anymore eitherhe used to sit under the UVB light for a while and blend in with the lives under the basking light and now he sticks himself to the side of the tank in the corner and sorry that this is so jumbled around and long I sent a picture also its about 2 monthes old I'd like to say that he is maybe 3 to 4 inches long from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail

ANSWER: Hello Karissa,

What brand of UVB light is it, do you know?  It should say on the base of the bulb somewhere.  Is it a tube bulb or a compact/coil light?
The thermometer, is it a stick on type?  If it is a stick on type, it might not be accurate & so the temperatures may not be correct.
I would double check the temperatures because he might not be warm enough or could be too warm.  
Do you use a basking light for him too?  
The brown indicates stress or possible incorrect temperatures for him.
Has he eaten anything today?

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: the brand is Repti Glo and its a coil bulb I used to have a stick on thermometer but I got a new one that doesn't read off the temperature of the glass I use the basking light to heat up that side of the tank because the tank is 10 gallons so I have the basking light on one side and the UVB light on the other I also have a side heater that sticks to the outside of the tank to make that part of the tank a little warmer because my room can get chilly at times I live in PA the temperature usually is between 85 to 95 and at night 70 to 75 I use a night bulb to so he can stay warm for these 2 monthes I've only fed him small live crickets I'd put in 3 to 4 in the morning and debating if he ate them right away or they were gone later on I'd give him a couple more he usually was always sort of energetic he would track them down sneak up on them and catch them and eat them but I've had these same crickets in there for a couple of days so no he hasn't eaten today not to my knowledge atleast however since I moved the beta away he has been more active and he was actually green today for once as soon as it reached over 90 I checked on him and he was green he hasn't been eating which concerns me but when I first got him he wouldn't eat because of stress within a few days I'd like to say about 5 he was eating like normal and had a pretty big appetite a woman in the pet store and someone else that has had green anoles said tha they can go up to a week without eating and then will just start again  

Answer
Hello Karissa,

The Reptiglo coil bulb unfortunately is not a good bulb.  It does not emit the proper wavelength of UVB so your anole is not getting any UVB.  I would recommend either the Reptisun 5 or 10 tube bulb for better UVB exposure.
The stick on types of thermometers are not very accurate.  A better thermometer would be either the digital probe or a temp gun.
The basking light should be mounted directly beside the UVB on one end, with the other end being cooler.
If he does not eat the crickets within a few hours, it is best to take them out.  Crickets can bite a reptile while they are sleeping & will stress them out as well.  
Sometimes, they do have a drop in appetite from time to time.
However, making sure that the temperatures are good may help to ensure that he is digesting properly & is at optimal temperatures for him.

Let me know how he is doing.

Tracie