After finding out about UVB light and chameleons, I am now wondering about Elizabeth Arledge Lizard's UVB requirements. Elizabeth Arledge Lizard or Lizzy for short arrived one day when it was 14 degrees out and I had to replace a threshold she was under. She had been running into the shop all summer but now was so cold that she could hardly move. I put her in a box and in an amazing coincidence brought her home to live in the lizard lounge that we had prepared the week before for my son's lizard, an Anole, that we were going to go purchase that evening at the pet store. She turned out to be an Anole. I sort of feel like she was destined to join our family as I feel we saved her life by taking her home, warming her up, and feeding her crickets. She was just a juvenile. I had watched her grow from tiny to a couple of inches over the summer. After saving her life, I would certainly hate to have her die because she was missing some strange UVB wave length that I could have provided for her. Anybody know the requirements of an Anole (Genus Carolinius)?

I keep my anoles under a reptisun 5.0. It's an 18" tube light available at almost all petstores.

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I don't keep anoles myself, have you checked HCs care sheet CLICK ME

Actually the genus is Anolis, the species you're referring to is Anolis carolinensis, or the green anole, but that's a different topic.

Like nearly all lizards, anoles need UVB. Their requirements are slightly different than that of chams though. Chameleons actually prefer low levels of UVB, but they still need it. As Jay mentioned, a Reptisun 5.0 or a 7.0 will suite an anole nicely.

The trick with UVB is that it can't pass through solids, like glass or plastic, or even through very fine mesh. With a fluorescent light, like the Reptisun, you'll also need to replace the bulb every 6 months, and it needs to be closer than 12 inches from your anole for her to even absorb anything at all. Anoles also require UVA, but fortunately, any light that produces UVB will also automatically produce UVA. Unlike UVB, UVA can pass through solids too.

The caresheet here at HC is good (I made it ), but the one at my site is an updated version of the same info, you might want to check it out:

http://www.freewebs.com/rodents2reptiles/caresheets.htm
Its not a whole lot different than the one here though.

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Yep, Anolis carolinensis is what I meant. I just didn't look it up. Thanks for the info., it's a big help. I'll go print off the care sheet as well.

http://www.reptiforum.com/gallery/da...C00094-med.JPG

Here is a picture of my lizards. I think they are green anoles. They are in the middle of shedding as you can see in the pic. I was wondering, is the UV light able to pass through plexiglass. If not, my anoles haven't been getting any. The light that is on top of my plexiglass enclosure where there is only screen is just for warmth. It's a regular lightbulb. My wide spectrum is the one down the side of the plexiglass. http://www.reptiforum.com/gallery/da...0-med.JPG?6780

UVB does not penetrate Plexiglas, plastic or glass.
If you have a wide spectrum lamp it isn't supplying UVB any way. Only a specific UVB generating bulb will produce it.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Oops. I feel dumb. I guess I'll be returning them to the wild tomarrow. Does lack of UVB cause shedding problems because they have been working on the same shed for three days now. Is there anything that I could possibly do to help them before I let them go?

No. Shedding problems are generally a result of improper humidity.
Misting them with water.
It is illegal to return animals from captivity into the wild. Even natives that have been captured locally.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

UVB cannot pass through glass or plastic, but it is able to pass through fine mesh, although the mesh considerablely reduces the amount of UVB that gets through - our cham cage for example is a Terry Thatcher mesh cage, and we have a reptiglo 8.0 on the outside of the mesh. The mesh cuts out about ?30% of the UVB, so makes it about right for a cham, which requires lower levels of UVB.

As Merlin said, it is illegal to return animals back to the wild. It is dangerous to the wild population, as the animal may have picked up something in captivity that it could then pass on to the other wildlife. Also, the animal may not survive back in the wild - when you chose to take it in, you took away its freedom, and provided it with heat, light, water and regular food. The animal still has its instincts but now it is used to being provided with the things that it needs to live. Its immune system may also not be as strong. Now you have them, you have them for life. How long have you had them for? Check out the care sheet and put the UV light inside the tank so that they get the levels that they require.

Good luck with your anole by the way Hide Clyde, and well done for saving its life. It is a nice coincidence, or fate??, that brought her to you. I hope your son likes her? Go on, post some pics!

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