wild/not so wild green and brown anoles

Question

lizards  

"Pheobe"   Dear Mick,

I live in the panhandle of Fl. I have numerous green and brown anoles currently residing in my very large screen enclosed pool/lanai area. I have built in planters small trees and many plants and they all seem to get along just fine. I have at least 12 lizards and 2 of my greens I've had for 4+ years.

It all started innocently enough, I never captured them and "put" them in there, but I thoroughly enjoy them and feed them live mealworms daily. (maybe wasn't the smartest thing to do) They are very tame now, follow me around and crawl on me and aren't afraid. ( I catch and release any new ones or babies when I find them)

My dilemma is that I am moving. I am concerned that perhaps I have become a dependant food source. I know there are other bugs in the enclosure, but I don't see alot of them. My plan is to carry them or lure them out of the enclosure before I leave. I have done this before , but then watched "my" lizard get in a fight with a "yard" lizard...  or they cling on the screen wanting back in. But I guess that's just territory issues and is going to happen. ( we have a large lizard population where I live.)

I hate the thought of all my little buddies thrown into "war" so to speak, but just leaving them inside the enclosure doesn't seem right either. I have entertained bringing my two favorites with me  and of course releasing them in my new yard. ( about two miles away) I am worried about this causing too much stress for them, and suspect it would be less stressful on them to release them here, where even though they wouldn't be IN the enclosure, they would be around it.

Forgive me for being long winded, but I love these little critters. I picked you because you are a straight shooter, any advice about my delimma would be appreciated.
Thank you so much, Jody

Answer
That's no problem. I don't think you are long winded. In the contrary, most people are impatient and don't provide nearly enough information, and consequently they are impatient in reading a decently detailed answer.

Anoles are very intelligent and they pick up things quickly. Males are also quite territorial though.

I suppose this is a rather large enclosure that is not portable or replicable? It incloses an entire pool, patio, etc?  

In this case, it all depends on how accessible water and bugs are going to be if you are not there. Would it be a self sustaining habitat for them in other words? Will the pool be drained and will there be a chance of them falling into an empty pool and not being able to climb out? Is someone else moving in who will take over their care? Is the screen so fine as to prevent food for them getting in if you weren't there supplementing their diet? These are all questions I can't really know without seeing it myself, but you probably have a good idea.

Of course they have become conditioned to come to you for a snack, but they are still wild reptiles, very instinctual by nature, and the question is not whether they can get along without you specifically feeding them, but whether their location provides enough of what they need without you?  

The fact is that if they need to be set free of the enclosure, though they may have some territorial issues to work out with the Anoles outside the wire, if your enclosure residents were born there, then many of those others are going to be related, and this is their home range territory and their clan. To take them even 2 miles down the road may as well be across country as far as they are concerned. They may adjust, but it's less likely that they will, being taken to a territory that they are not familiar with at all and set loose among strangers who are not at all among their lineage. At least being left there, they will know their surroundings even if they don't understand where you went off to. They will adapt though, and reptiles are very very good at that.

I would make an assessment of whether the habitat is likely to be self sustaining if I were gone, or if you will have a chance to meet any new residents and judge their interest in taking over. I would say kids and family pets need not apply though, and they should be turned outside the enclosure if that is the case.

You should curtail your feedings to encourage them to forage more on their own as time nears for you to leave. I know you will want to spend more time with them and treat them, but you will have to be teaching them in this time to go back to reliance on their hunting skills.  

Another possibility, if it's not going to be possible for you to visit them for their upkeep long term, or to convince a nice mature couple who may move in to take over their upkeep (it really does matter whether this house is rental, for sale, etc), to leave the door open and teach them to come and go, and they can still retreat inside the enclosure as they wish before night, until they get more comfortable working out issues with those on the outside so they can stay outside.

If this is a large enclosed area with foliage, water, and plenty of insects to eat, and you can be sure it will reasonably STAY that way, if you have any insight at all...then it may be ok to leave them in there. If you have any doubts though about who may take over the house after you...if they will have a cat...kids...use pesticides...all factors likely to be deadly to these anoles in the long run...then make plans to habituate them to self reliance and conditioning to be outside the enclosure. Even if they fight with others, they may be forced to a different branch or a different tree, but they will find their place in that territory and will do as well as Anoles are always known for doing in good habitat.