saw a VERY cool reptile this weekend

[kosh]

I was checking out a few pet stores in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida this weekend looking for and pricing T's when I came across this wild a$$ and very cool looking reptile for sale. I asked what it was and I was told it was some kind of Cuban Anole (I can't remember the exact name). It was definitely one of the coolest lizards I have ever seen. It reminded me of something straight outta jurassic park. I was wondering if any of you have ever seen or heard of this thing? It was bright green with darker markings on it and had the big flap under it's neck and it almost looked fake because the colors were so vivid green. It was almost as big as a full grown chameleon.
I know this is off topic but I could not find a reptile forum on here and I wanted to ask someone I was familiar with (all you people).

Mods: you can move this thread to wherever would be most appropriate if you like.

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Sounds like you're describing Anolis equestris - the "Cuban Knight Anole". Like many foreign anoles, this species has become in established in some areas of Florida. They are hardy and easy to keep, but are "ill-tempered" and quick to inflict a relatively painful bite. They can only be kept with similar lizards of similar size since they will devour anything that can fit in their mouths. They require a tropical rainforest type of cage with a basking spot in the 90 F range and a thermal gradient of 76-86 F. They will eagerly accept roaches, large crickets, katydids, and pinkie mice.

 

[kosh]

Yeah, thats it!
It was a Cuban Knight Anole.
It was big and very cool looking. I wouldn't mind having one of the males (they look cooler and meaner with the flap under the neck).
I know, I know, terrible grammar....
Any ideas how much they cost and where they can be had?

Here is a link or two to some pics.

link
link

The dark coloring around the eyes made the eyes look bigger and more evil than they really were. I could tell it was aggressive because it would shove out it's neck flap when I got too close to the cage to take a closer look.

 

[Malkavian]

They're cool looking I guess but they have attitudes right up there with tokay geckos and tree pythons...ouch.

 

[kosh]

i dont know jack about reptiles other than they are reptiles....
ive been bitten by the common anoles i find around the house here and they dont hurt.....
how bad could one of these guys possibly hurt you?

 

[Malkavian]

knight anoles get three or four times the size of the ones native to the US, almost 18 inches, that's a much larger mouth and comparatively larger set of jaw muscles.

How big was the one you saw for sale?

 

[John Apple]

well that depends on how bad you want to hold one
anolis equestris has two attitudes that I have seen from collecting them in the wild [I have cought hundreds]one is they will flair and defend the other is they will run.
Captive equestris calm down rather well but the potential for a bite worse than gecko gecko [tokay] could happen.
These guys have a formidable set of teeth and can lacerate you down to the bone. I have cought males that are almost 18" and the bite of these guys can be felt even with gloves on.
The best way to catch them is with a noose pole and gloves. Make sure you don't put two males together...or one will be dead or tailess or cut in a worse case scenerio, sometimes the less dominant one refuses to eat.
As far as a display animal they can not be beat...color changing from almost black-brown to bright green allways with that stripe on the side of the head.
Inquire as to where it came from...I know they are in Naples and from Miami to Stuart beach, also a couple of colonies in Ft Meyers

 

[tabor]

i was in that same petstore this weekend, late satruday afternoon. i saw it too and thought it was the wierdest lookign lizard ive seen in a while

 

[Phillip]

The correct forum would be the Not So Spineless Wonders.

They can bite the snot out of you and usually will. Other than the temper they are a fairly cool lizard that's easy to keep.

Phil

 

[Silver.x]

Yea I was thinking, why is this in here? MODs, Please move it!

Aidan

 

[kosh]

tabor...the one over on mary esther? by the ci-ci's and BAM!
?
I didnt ask how much it was....
not sure how big it was...maybe 10 inches??
i may have to get me one and feed this little local caught anole i keep to my female rosie


MODs perhaps this thread should be moved?

 

[tabor]

yes, the one by cici's in ft. walton beach. this is quite a coincidence. do you live around there?

 

[Lasiodora]

They're cool looking I guess but they have attitudes right up there with tokay geckos and tree pythons...ouch.

I'm gonna have to disagree on the green tree pythons having attitudes. That's a big misconception about them. Their personalities vary and mine can be held in the daytime with no problems (beware nightime feeding responses). They have never struck at me and I've had my male for six yrs and the female for two. Kosh if you want to get the knight anole treat it as a display animal. In general I've found that anoles become stressed when you try to handle them. Keep him the way Michael suggested and it will make a beautiful and impressive display animal. BTW I've been bitten by a knight anole on my index finger and they hold on like pitbulls. It's pretty painful and probably the most painful of all lizard bites I've recieved.
Mike

 

[kosh]

No, I actually live in North AL and my girlfriend lives in South AL and when I go to see her we frequently go to Ft Walton, Destin, Pensacola because they are such a short drive. As a matter of fact, we were in all 3 cities on Friday. We started in P'cola then went shopping in Ft Walton (pet stores, mall) and Destin (outlets) and then we went and got some kick a$$ Hideaway Pizza and then went home.

Are there some better stores for T's and exotic pets around there besides that one? We also went to the pet store over across the street from Sam's where they had a pinktoe (not sure which kind), a zebra knee and a starburst baboon. Sorry I am not sure of the scientific names for these species except for A. seemanni.

 

[kosh]

when they bite, do they break the skin? can you catch diseases from a bite?? I hear that reptiles can be pretty nasty animals...

from looking at the Knight Anole I just cant imagine that guy could really hurt you...i mean how hard can a lizard of that size bite?

 

[Lasiodora]

A bite can break the skin, but that's not always the case. Reptiles should not be generalised as being nasty animals (they don't bite because they're out to get you). Most are just doing what keeps them alive in the wild where everything from a bird, to mammals, and other reptiles are trying to eat it. To most reptiles you are just another predator. You'd be surprised at an animals jaw power, regardless of their size. The "amount of bite" depends on what their natural diets are. Aniamls that need to subdue insects with hard shells or other vertebrates usually have the hardest bite. Some chameleons can deliver a nasty bite. Have you ever seen one just snatch another lizard and crush its skull. In most cases all you need to do is disinfect the area where you were bitten. It's all dependent on what reptile bit you. I wouldn't worry about diseases too much as long as the bite is cleaned out well.

This book can get you started : ANOLES: REPTILE KEEPERS GUIDES
Bartlett, Richard and Patricia Bartlett

Have you ever kept reptiles?
Mike

 

[kosh]

No, the only reptile i have ever kept is the small anole lizard i caught locally (last summer) and he seems to be doing well. He has shed his skin at least twice since i caught him and he eats and drinks regularly. I had originally planned on feeding him to my female rose hair but after keeping him a while, he seems pretty cool and im not sure i could send him to his death in such a way. I assume that a Cuban Knight Anole would be cared for in a similar fasion with just a larger enclosure and larger prey?

 

[tabor]

Kosh - those are the only two petstores in ft. walton beach, the whole area actually. pretty slim pickens for reptiles, and even slimmer for spiders. infact, the only t's ive seen either store have before are a. seemani, and the basic rosehair. im surprised they even have an usumbara.

 

[Longbord1]

im sure my mom used to see them when she was little ill ask her(shes cuban)