Anoles-Breeding - Sexing Anoles

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Atrax27407 Atrax27407 Atrax27407 Idreamofreptiles Josephina Atrax27407 Atrax27407 Leezard__luver3 Atrax27407 Josephina Atrax27407

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#812683

Atrax27407
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Sexing Anoles

Green Anoles

Since this seems to be a popular topic (with numerous misconceptions), here is a listing of the methods to use going from least to most reliable.
1) White stripe test. This one is about 50% reliable. Both males and females may have a white or gray mid-dorsal line or stripe. A large percentage of juveniles of both sexes have a stripe but most males lose it when they mature. However, this is not always the case and to complicate things further a large percentage of females never exhibit a white stripe.

2) Head shape test. This one is only slightly more reliable. Males will have a proportionately larger head as they grow older. That doesn’t help with immature specimens, though. Head shape is generally variable between the sexes and is unreliable.

3) Dewlap test. This is another unreliable sex determinator. Both sexes may have dewlaps. A male usually (but not always) has a larger and more flamboyant dewlap. However, some females have dewlaps that rival a male’s in both size and color. To complicate things, females may display their dewlap in conflicts with other females to establish and maintain a pecking order.

4) Post-anal scale test. This is a very reliable test. Viewed from the underside, look for a pair of enlarged post-anal scales. You might need slight magnification for this. Quite simply, males have them, females don’t.

5) Hemipenile bulge test. Mature males have paired bulges at the base of the tail to accomodate the hemipenes (male sex organs). Females don’t have any bulges there.

6) Veternarian test. This one is 100% accurate. Have a vet probe your Anole to determine sex.

If, when you examine your Anole, it has both post-anal scales and a hemipenile bulge, it is certainly a male. If it has one or the other, it is 90% chance of being a male (the 10% failure is due to inaccurate observation). If it has neither, it is a female.

Brown Anoles

Brown Anoles are easy to sex. While Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) sexes are similar in appearance and are differentiated largely by secondary sexual characteristics, Brown Anoles (AKA Bahamian Anoles, Anolis sagrei) are dimorphic. That is, the two sexes are colored differently. Males are variously colored in some shade of brown to almost black. They may even have irregular splotches or patterns over much of their body. Females, on the other hand have a regular, mid-dorsal diamond shaped pattern that goes from the back of the head to the tail.
In both species, a mature male is generally larger and more robust than the female but not always. Males usually have a larger and more prominent dewlap as well. However, NEITHER of these these characteristics are definitive for determining sex. Thus, overall size and size of the dewlap in both species is inaccurate. They should NOT be considered in determining sex. The result of using inaccurate tests is invariably a clutch of eggs.

05/31/06 05:18pm

#832055

Atrax27407
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Message To: Atrax27407 In reference to Message Id: 812683

Sexing Anoles

Bump

06/13/06 07:03pm

#880856

Atrax27407
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Message To: Atrax27407 In reference to Message Id: 832055

Sexing Anoles

Bump

07/12/06 07:43pm

#880974

Idreamofreptiles
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Message To: Atrax27407 In reference to Message Id: 880856

Sexing Anoles

You seem to know a ton about anoles, which is AWESOME! Anyways, I was wondering if you had any tips for handling anoles... I don’t want to gawk and play with them (and therefore stress them out), but I do need to put them in a holding tank so that I can thoroughly clean their cage. It’s always a fiasco when I try because they (2 browns) are VERY jumpy and shy...I try to be calm and careful, but sometimes one ends up getting loose... they’re so darned quick! I also heard that they can bite or lose their tails if frightened, and I would really prefer to avoid these situations...any suggestions?

P.S. I just realized this should probably have been posted in the general anole forum, but hopefully you dont mind!

07/12/06 08:52pm

#914618

Josephina
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Message To: Atrax27407 In reference to Message Id: 812683

Sexing Anoles

can brown anoles change different shades of brown? cause mine does!!

07/31/06 10:52am

#915025

Atrax27407
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Message To: Josephina In reference to Message Id: 914618

Sexing Anoles

First, remove as much of the "furniture" from the enclosure as you can to make capture easier. Remember to nove slowly to avoid startling the Anoles. Use a large deli dish (with a lid) to capture the Anoles. Approach very slowly from above a behind and trap the Anole in the deli dish against the wall of the enclosure. Then, slide the lid underneath and transfer the Anole to the holding tank. You can reverse the process to put them back or, if the holding tank is small enough, simply put the holding tank in the larger main enclosure and let them escape into it naturally.

07/31/06 03:33pm

#915029

Atrax27407
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Message To: Josephina In reference to Message Id: 914618

Sexing Anoles

You answered your own question. Brown Anoles can vary the shade of brown to thermoregulate and express emotion.

07/31/06 03:35pm

#915118

Leezard__luver3
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Message To: Atrax27407 In reference to Message Id: 915029

Sexing Anoles

is it bad to play with your anoles? because my green anole leo, i play with him all the time and he dosent seem to mind because when ever i get him out he will find a spot on my hand and just lay there he dosent try to get away or anything unless someone else trys to pick him up then he goes nuts!!! lol its kind of funny. but can anoles remember there owner and not want anyone else to handle them? i know it may sound stupid but i see him start running if someone other then me handels him.

07/31/06 04:21pm