Anoles - Green Anole Courtship

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Green Anole Courtship

Green Anoles – Courtship and eggs!

Social structure

Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) have an interesting social structure. They are not really social animals except during the spring mating season. They live in loose communities dominated by a single male and multiple females. The male has a territory that he defends vigorously and within that territory are the separate territories of 2-6 females. The females establish a “pecking order” with the most dominant getting the best territory in terms of natural resources and food. However, all of the females are subordinate to the male.
The male Anole spends most of his time patrolling his established territory, displaying his dewlap and head-bobbing every foot or so to make sure that any other Anoles in the area (both male and female) will see how big and tough he appears. Except during mating season, even the females will hide from him as soon as he appears on his rounds.
Male Anoles do have one weakness. Although they have a “harem” of females, they prefer non-resident or “novel” females to the ones living in his territory. So, whenever a female that has reached sexual maturity wanders into a male’s territory, mating season has commenced for him regardless of the time of year.

Courtship

Courtship is always initiated by the male. He will extend his dewlap and start a series of head-bobs. If the female is not receptive, she will immediately run away and it is not likely that he will be able to catch her to mate (this might be a problem in a small enclosure). If she is receptive, she will make a half-hearted effort at an escape and the male will catch her. At this point, things will get a bit violent. Anoles are hardly romantic. The male will bite the female on the back of the neck and attempt to hold her still (it might take a bit of effort). He will then maneuver so that he can mate with her. The actual mating usually lasts 10-15 minutes. So, unless you watch your Anoles all day, you are likely to miss them mating. The first time I saw a pair of mine mating, all I could see was their tails sticking out of the foliage in the enclosure.
Female Green Anoles have a structure in their reproductive tract that allows them to store sperm for up to 7 months. Thus, a female could mate in the fall and produce eggs from that mating the following spring. However, once she releases the sperm, the process can’t be stopped and she will produce one or two eggs every 2-3 weeks until a total of 10-12 have been produced. It is not unusual for the last one or two to be infertile. Unless conditions are unfavorable (i.e., unsuitable substrate, for example) the first egg(s) are generally produced about 4 weeks after a successful mating.

Eggs

A female Anole will bury or partially bury a fertile egg. If you see one on the surface of the substrate or in a water dish, on a leaf, etc. it is very likely infertile. Anoles, in captivity, will generally bury their eggs at the base of a plant or in the corner of the enclosure. Once again, unless you watch constantly, you will probably miss the actual burying of the egg. The best indication that she has produced an egg is a sudden weight loss around the middle. Often, though, the first indication that she has laid an egg is when you see a hatchling scampering around the enclosure!
Eggs can be incubated. All that is needed is a large deli dish or other plastic container and some Vermiculite. Fill the deli dish about ¾ full of Vermiculite and add enough water to make it nice and moist (a 1:14 ratio of Vermiculite to water is about right). Make a depression in the Vermiculite with your thumb. Place the egg in the depression taking care NOT to turn it from its original position. Cover it with Vermiculite. At a temperature of 85 degrees at 70% humidity, the egg will hatch in 35-40 days. Oh yes, make sure the deli dish has a cover and punch some small holes in it for ventilation. Make sure that the Vermiculite doesn’t dry out.

06/15/08 10:18am