Crowned giant anole (Anolis insignis)

Short answers

Crowned giant anole: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×100×130 cm for a pair (enclosure formula 6 x 6 x 8 times the snout–vent length at 16 cm), sturdy horizontal and angled branches up to just below the ceiling.

Crowned giant anole: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 18–25 °C ambient temperature, basking spot only about 35 °C, basking spot 28–30 °C, at night 16–20 °C.

Crowned giant anole: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 1–2, canopy and shade zone, UV index 2–3).

Crowned giant anole: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: uncertain, probably ~6–10 years.

Crowned giant anole: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

18–25 °C ambient temperature, basking spot only about 35 °C

Night temperature

16–20 °C

Basking spot

28–30 °C

Humidity

75–90 %

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 1–2, canopy and shade zone, UV index 2–3)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×100×130 cm for a pair (enclosure formula 6 x 6 x 8 times the snout–vent length at 16 cm), sturdy horizontal and angled branches up to just below the ceiling

Substrate

Damp tropical or bioactive substrate, leaf litter, dense planting

Feeding

Food

Insects (crickets, roaches, locusts), larger invertebrates

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

A giant anole: SVL over 10 cm, total length estimated at ~35–40 cm

Life expectancy

uncertain, probably ~6–10 years

Origin

Costa Rica and Panama; a canopy dweller of primary (montane) forest, diurnal

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; no German registration duty as a non-native species; prefer captive-bred animals

Brumation

No real winter rest (tropical); montane, with cooler nights

Cohabitation

Keep singly, the species is territorial. NEVER house males together; at most 1 male + 1 female in a very large enclosure, with the drawback that the female may be under constant pressure there

Notes

UNCERTAIN: barely in captivity, with very little published keeper data. A giant canopy anole (the Dactyloa clade), cooler and airier than the lowland anoles because of its montane cloud-forest origin. All the figures are derived conservatively from related giant anoles – check the specialist literature before keeping it.

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Related species

• Ghost anole (Anolis lemurinus) – Intermediate
• Ahl's anole (Anolis ahli) – Intermediate
• Aliniger anole (Anolis aliniger) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Allogus anole (Anolis allogus) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Bahaman green anole (Anolis smaragdinus) – Beginner
• Bahoruco anole (Anolis bahorucoensis) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Baleatus giant anole (Anolis baleatus) – Intermediate
• Baracoa giant anole (Anolis baracoae) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Crowned giant anole (Anolis insignis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×100×130 cm for a pair (enclosure formula 6 x 6 x 8 times the snout–vent length at 16 cm), sturdy horizontal and angled branches up to just below the ceiling), substrate (Damp tropical or bioactive substrate, leaf litter, dense planting), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.