Whiteman's anole (Anolis whitemani)

Short answers

Whiteman's anole: How big does the enclosure need to be?

80×60×60 cm for a pair, in a wide format — rock structures, roots and vertical cork surfaces in the lower levels, open floor area for hunting, a bright basking spot.

Whiteman's anole: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–30 °C, basking spot Basking spot up to 35 °C, at night 19–22 °C.

Whiteman's anole: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0).

Whiteman's anole: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 4–8 years.

Whiteman's anole: Is it suitable for beginners?

Partly – manageable with some prior knowledge (difficulty: Beginner with some knowledge).

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–30 °C

Night temperature

19–22 °C

Basking spot

Basking spot up to 35 °C

Humidity

45–65 % during the day, rising to 70–80 % at night; mist briefly in the morning, the enclosure must dry out again in between

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×60×60 cm for a pair, in a wide format — rock structures, roots and vertical cork surfaces in the lower levels, open floor area for hunting, a bright basking spot

Substrate

Diggable sand-clay mix with a little coco fibre, 8–10 cm deep and mostly dry; plus stone slabs, roots, vertical cork surfaces and drought-tolerant plants. One corner kept lightly moist as an egg-laying site

Feeding

Food

Crickets, house crickets, flies, firebrats and wax moths, dusted regularly with calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

adults 3–4×/week

Key facts

Adult size

13–22 cm total length; males, with a snout–vent length of up to 6.7 cm and over 20 cm total length, noticeably larger than females (snout–vent length up to 5.4 cm)

Life expectancy

4–8 years

Origin

Hispaniola: the Cul-de-Sac/Valle de Neiba plain in Haiti and in the southwest of the Dominican Republic, from sea level to around 520 m; acacia scrub, cactus stands and open semi-desert

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

No winter rest; somewhat cooler in winter with a shorter photoperiod

Cohabitation

Pairs (1.1) are the safest option; never keep males together — they fight until seriously injured. Females also defend their own, smaller territories: a second female is often harassed so much by the dominant one that she eats less and hides. One male with two females only works, if at all, in a considerably larger, densely structured enclosure and only with a spare enclosure ready.

Notes

A dry-forest species — mist more sparingly than with the rainforest forms.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Whiteman's anole (Anolis whitemani) in the marketplace →

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 Whiteman's anole (Anolis whitemani) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×60×60 cm for a pair, in a wide format — rock structures, roots and vertical cork surfaces in the lower levels, open floor area for hunting, a bright basking spot), substrate (Diggable sand-clay mix with a little coco fibre, 8–10 cm deep and mostly dry; plus stone slabs, roots, vertical cork surfaces and drought-tolerant plants. One corner kept lightly moist as an egg-laying site), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.