I love brown anoles. They used to be everywhere where I lived; they’re incredibly fun to watch and occasionally catch. If only they were 12 feet long with a saddle on their backs…
Browniansays
I love brown anoles.
Me too. Which is probably why I’m always so surprised to hear about the popularity of anal bleaching creams and treatments. Don’t give in to the beauty myth, people!
I suppose making any reference to the Incredible Hulk would be too banal, which is why nobody has yet, until now…
Erminesays
Back in the ’70s, when I was 7 years old and living in Irving, Tx., I used to order green anoles from the back of Boy’s Life magazine. “Free Chameleon if you buy 100 Mealworms!” Send them a dollar, and they’d send you a live lizard in the mail. At 7, I thought that was the most fantastic idea in the world, and I worked HARD to make that dollar to buy one!
In the end I think I managed to afford 3 all told over the course of a couple of years. I’d keep them in a terrarium tank while I got them used to handling, then release them in our house, where they’d live in the macrame tassels of the hanging flowerpots and do away with far more flies and roaches than the exterminators ever managed. (We lived in a very cheap apartment complex at that time.. Ugh!) Every day or two I’d check all the tassels til I found the lizard, then put it on my shirt where it’d cling unmoving while I wandered the complex looking for bugs to hand-feed it.
I have got to say that they were fantastic pets for a critter-loving lad like me! How much did I love that sort of creepy critter? Well, my mother called me “Little Arliss” for much of my childhood, for those of you who’ve read Ol’ Yeller and will understand the reference.. ;) I did have to start turning out all my pants pockets before every laundry load after the episode with the frogs and the wringer washer some years later – (They were for my pet snapping turtle!)..
@a3kron: I suppose making any reference to the Incredible Hulk would be too banal, which is why nobody has yet, until now…
That was comment #1. Maybe I was too subtle.
spamamander, hellmart survivorsays
Hmm, “Brown”ian. Say no more.
autumnsays
When I was a kid there was a period of intense lizard-catching among my circle of friends. Although the skinks were considered the most prized catches, the anoles were fun because we could make them bite our earlobes and dangle there.
gekkogeckosays
I first saw these when i was very young. They may be the main reason I took an interest in herpetology. Although I haven’t kept any in years. currently just have tokay geckos, crested geckos and an old blue tongue skink.
These are more like little iguanas and certainly not geckos or chameleons. The green anole’s only real risk is competition from invasive species.
Interesting, but not surprising, these are bred as feeders for some snakes.
Erminesays
Oh yes GG, I know that anoles aren’t chameleons, ore even closely related to them. I knew that even back when I was buying them from Boy’s Life magazine, but THEY advertised them as ‘Chameleons’. Even at 7 I knew the difference between an anole and a chameleon.
Kids are smart, especially about the things that interest them most!
Mal Adaptedsays
My mom, who died Saturday, used to catch spiders to feed my anoles. What a mom!
Ogvorbis: Insert Appropriate Appelation Heresays
I get to see them when I visit the inlaws down in Florida. They are everywhere. And fun to watch.
I guess I was depraved as a kid. All we had were horned lizards and ring-neck lizards and chukkawallas.
Ogvorbis: Insert Appropriate Appelation Heresays
Er, ‘depraved’ was actually an attempt at ‘deprived’.
You wouldn’t LIKE ME when I’m ANGRY.
I know this is just anthropomorphization, but, he sure does look snug there, doesn’t he?
Smug, not snug.
Snug before, smug now–or possibly just relieved.
Glen Davidson
I kept expecting him to sell me insurance.
He’s just saying:”Boy was that was itchy. Now what a relief.”
I love brown anoles. They used to be everywhere where I lived; they’re incredibly fun to watch and occasionally catch. If only they were 12 feet long with a saddle on their backs…
Me too. Which is probably why I’m always so surprised to hear about the popularity of anal bleaching creams and treatments. Don’t give in to the beauty myth, people!
Very cool. I am so itchy I wish I could shed some skin in that fashion!
@7-
Actually, that’s a green anole, not a brown. The browns have a stronger dorsal pattern than the greens.
I had a pair of these as a teenager. I miss my little anoles. I even hand fed the female for 3 months after she went blind.
It’s nude!
“Actually, that’s a green anole, not a brown. The browns have a stronger dorsal pattern than the greens.”
The word “brown anole” has long been used to refer to both species. That’s the problem with common names.
Hunh. I’ve only ever heard ‘anole’ as the common name, and brown, green, cuban brown, cuban green added to distinguish the species.
Is it a nole it doesn’t have, or an ole? In either case, what is it it doesn’t have?
How cute!
Love these little guys. They are legion around my house, flaunting their throat patches and trying to evade the jaws of the local Black Racer.
http://www.generalexotics.com/images/blackracersnake.jpg
So glad humans don’t do that!
I suppose making any reference to the Incredible Hulk would be too banal, which is why nobody has yet, until now…
Back in the ’70s, when I was 7 years old and living in Irving, Tx., I used to order green anoles from the back of Boy’s Life magazine. “Free Chameleon if you buy 100 Mealworms!” Send them a dollar, and they’d send you a live lizard in the mail. At 7, I thought that was the most fantastic idea in the world, and I worked HARD to make that dollar to buy one!
In the end I think I managed to afford 3 all told over the course of a couple of years. I’d keep them in a terrarium tank while I got them used to handling, then release them in our house, where they’d live in the macrame tassels of the hanging flowerpots and do away with far more flies and roaches than the exterminators ever managed. (We lived in a very cheap apartment complex at that time.. Ugh!) Every day or two I’d check all the tassels til I found the lizard, then put it on my shirt where it’d cling unmoving while I wandered the complex looking for bugs to hand-feed it.
I have got to say that they were fantastic pets for a critter-loving lad like me! How much did I love that sort of creepy critter? Well, my mother called me “Little Arliss” for much of my childhood, for those of you who’ve read Ol’ Yeller and will understand the reference.. ;) I did have to start turning out all my pants pockets before every laundry load after the episode with the frogs and the wringer washer some years later – (They were for my pet snapping turtle!)..
Ahh, memories!
@a3kron: I suppose making any reference to the Incredible Hulk would be too banal, which is why nobody has yet, until now…
That was comment #1. Maybe I was too subtle.
Hmm, “Brown”ian. Say no more.
When I was a kid there was a period of intense lizard-catching among my circle of friends. Although the skinks were considered the most prized catches, the anoles were fun because we could make them bite our earlobes and dangle there.
I first saw these when i was very young. They may be the main reason I took an interest in herpetology. Although I haven’t kept any in years. currently just have tokay geckos, crested geckos and an old blue tongue skink.
These are more like little iguanas and certainly not geckos or chameleons. The green anole’s only real risk is competition from invasive species.
Interesting, but not surprising, these are bred as feeders for some snakes.
Oh yes GG, I know that anoles aren’t chameleons, ore even closely related to them. I knew that even back when I was buying them from Boy’s Life magazine, but THEY advertised them as ‘Chameleons’. Even at 7 I knew the difference between an anole and a chameleon.
Kids are smart, especially about the things that interest them most!
My mom, who died Saturday, used to catch spiders to feed my anoles. What a mom!
I get to see them when I visit the inlaws down in Florida. They are everywhere. And fun to watch.
I guess I was depraved as a kid. All we had were horned lizards and ring-neck lizards and chukkawallas.
Er, ‘depraved’ was actually an attempt at ‘deprived’.