No federal permit to keep

Green anole

Anolis carolinensis

Also known as American Anole, Carolina Anole, Red-throated Anole, North American Green Anole

Reptiles › Lizards (Lacertilia) › Dactyloidae (Anoles)

Anolis carolinensis or green anole (US: ) (among other names below) is a tree-dwelling species of anole lizard native to the southeastern United States and introduced to islands in the Pacific and Caribbean.

Pet trade

Experience: Easy

FamilyAnoles

Record lifespan10 years

Adult weight2.5 g

Kept byPet trade

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

Minimum enclosure dimensions	length: 24 in; width: 24 in; height: 24 in One animal; larger encouraged.	227
Basking surface temperature	90 °F Probe on basking branch.	227
Cool air temperature	70–77 °F Probe in shaded lower enclosure.	227
Night air temperature	65–75 °F	227
Day relative humidity	60–70 % Night may be more humid; ventilation required.	227
Basking uv index	3–4 UVI Measured at animal height; retreat from exposure.	227
Diet	Varied suitably sized insects, gut-loaded and nutritionally supplemented.	227

Care guide

Group care guide

Anoles

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Warm forests and gardens. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Tall, planted enclosures with branches; UVB and a modest basking spot.
Mist daily; anoles drink droplets.

Sources 113 114 227

Climate & lighting

Starting point only: Use the Anolis carolinensis records without making them genus-wide anole targets. Check the species-specific values for this animal where shown.

Basking spot	88–92°F
Warm side / daytime	80–85°F
Cool side	70–75°F
Humidity	60–70%

UVB: Required.

Sources 113 114 227

Diet

Small insects dusted with calcium.

Sources 113 114 227

Health watch

Dehydration and MBD; males fight, so house one male per enclosure.

Sources 113 114 227

Understanding the animal

About this animal

A small to medium-sized lizard, the green anole is a trunk-crown ecomorph and can change its color to several shades from brown to green. Other names include the Carolina anole, Carolina green anole, American anole, American green anole, North American green anole and red-throated anole.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Anolis carolinensis” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

Researched for this exact species, not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹²³⁴⁵

Where it lives	Native to the southeastern United States, living on trees, shrubs and tall grasses in wooded and edge habitats. It also uses fence posts and buildings, shifting perch height with prey and predator conditions.
Ground it lives on	primarily arboreal; branches, shrubs and tall grass
Active	Diurnal.
Social life	Territorial; males defend areas overlapping smaller female territories rather than forming cooperative groups.
Wild diet	Small insects such as beetles and flies, spiders and other small invertebrates; occasional mollusks and plant foods are reported.
Behavior to plan for	Uses adhesive toe pads to climb vertical surfaces, leaps between perches and can shed its tail during escape.

What this means for care

Provide dense branches at several heights and vegetation for concealment.
Use visual barriers and avoid crowding territorial adults.
Secure the enclosure against climbing escapes.

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 91°F (up to 94°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 39°F (down to 30°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	60–73°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	67–73% on average (driest month about 66%)
Rainfall	about 1278 mm a year, spread fairly evenly
Winters	Cool to cold winters (lows around 39°F) in much of its native range. Seasonal slowdown may be relevant, but species-specific biology determines whether brumation or hibernation occurs.

Measured at 105 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

Profile

Researched for this exact species. Sources are listed under In the wild above.

History

Anolis carolinensis was named by Friedrich Siegmund Voigt in 1832. It has been popular in the pet trade since the 1950s and has become established in several regions outside its native southeastern U.S. range.

Keeper tips

Reptiles Magazine notes that they may enjoy being hand-fed.

Behaviors reported

Changes color from brown to green.
Actively hunts insect prey visually.
Climbs using sticky toe pads.

Unique adaptations

Sticky toe pads aid climbing.
Color-changing ability allows the animal to appear in brown or green shades.
Males possess a large orange-to-pink dewlap under the throat.

Remarkable facts

Adults are about 6-8 in (15-20 cm) long according to ReptiFiles.
The species is a trunk-crown ecomorph.
It is commonly called a chameleon in parts of the southeastern United States, although it is not a true chameleon.
It was named by Friedrich Siegmund Voigt in 1832.
Most Florida populations have been replaced by introduced anole species such as Anolis sagrei according to Animal Diversity Web.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Anolis carolinensis or green anole (among other names below) is a tree-dwelling species of anole lizard native to the southeastern United States and introduced to islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. A small to medium-sized lizard, the green anole is a trunk-crown ecomorph and can change its color to several shades from brown to green. Other names include the Carolina anole, Carolina green anole, American anole, American green anole, North American green anole and red-throated anole. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Anolis carolinensis is a primarily arboreal lizard. — Animal Diversity Web
Reproduction	oviparousHybridization: Anolis porcatus appears to hybridize with A. carolinensis in Florida (T. Hagey, Anole Annals 2016, Wegener et al. 2019). — The Reptile Database
Appearance and size	Diagnosis (genus; Anolis s.s.): Support for this genus is provided by 47 apomorphies including seven morphological features and 40 molecular ones. There are two unequivocal morphological features: mental scale completely divided (26: a to z); and supratemporal processes leave supraocciptal exposed above (61: z to a). There are 23 unequivocal molecular apomorphies (see Appendix II, from NICHOLSON et al. 2012: 33). — The Reptile Database
History and naming	Named after the Carolinas where the species was found. A. c. seminolus has been named after the Seminole Indians of Florida. — The Reptile Database

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Maximum recorded lifespan

Highest reported10years

AnAge 1627.2

Myhrvold et al. 16310

Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter. The AnAge record comes from an animal in human care.

Typical adult weight

Average of sources2.5g

AnAge 1622.5

Myhrvold et al. 1632.5

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Adult snout-to-vent length

Reported2in

Myhrvold et al. 1632

Body length without the tail.

Clutch size

Reported1.3eggs

Myhrvold et al. 1631.3

Average per litter or clutch.

Incubation

Average of sources43.5days

AnAge 16242

Myhrvold et al. 16345

Female maturity

Average of sources8.5months

AnAge 1628.5

Myhrvold et al. 1638.5

Basking spot

Reported90°F

ReptiFiles 16990

Species-specific values from keeper care sheets. Basking figures are often surface readings taken with an infrared thermometer, which run hotter than air.

Humidity

Reported60–70 %

ReptiFiles 16960–70

Species-specific values from keeper care sheets. Basking figures are often surface readings taken with an infrared thermometer, which run hotter than air.

Care articles for this species

Green Anole Care Sheet (ReptiFiles)
Green Anole Care Sheet (Reptiles Magazine)

Written by keepers, breeders and vets 168 169

Veterinary & husbandry research

The green anole (Anolis carolinensis): a reptilian model for laboratory studies of reproductive morphology and behavior Lovern MB et al., ILAR journal 2004
Anolis carolinensis as a model to understand the molecular and cellular basis of foveal development Sannan NS et al., Experimental eye research 2018
Ethological Aspects of Stress in a Model Lizard, Anolis carolinensis Greenberg N et al., Integrative and comparative biology 2002

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 7 on PubMed → 170

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Included in our hand-checked list of animals kept as pets, livestock or in zoos
AnAge has a longevity record from an animal in captivity
Reviewed by Clint's Reptiles

Clint's Reptiles review

Clint Laidlaw reviews this animal in his "The Best Pet?" series: Green Anole, The Best Pet Lizard?. He scores handleability, care, hardiness, availability and upfront cost, and explains the reasons behind each score.

Watch Clint's review →

Sources for this sheet

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
ReptiFiles (care guides) Experienced keeper or breederWell-researched reptile care guides that cite herpetological literature and experienced keepers.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management and husbandry of reptiles Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional, metabolic and endocrine diseases of reptiles Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
ReptiFiles: Green anole care sheet Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Clint's Reptiles (YouTube): Green Anole, The Best Pet Lizard? Expert educator & keeperClint Laidlaw, PhD in Biology Education and MS in Evolutionary Ecology; owner of Clint's Reptile Room and a longtime keeper. His "Best Pet?" series reviews each species' care in depth.
The Reptile Database Peer-reviewed researchScientist-curated catalog of every reptile species, with taxonomy and literature.
GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
Reptiles Magazine (care articles) Experienced keeper or breederEstablished reptile and amphibian hobby magazine; care articles are written by breeders, keepers and veterinarians.