Many people like to take care of anoles, and some people wind up getting these little lizards when they’re very young. If you’re caring for a baby anole right now, then you likely want to ensure that you’re doing everything right.
It’s going to be problematic when you can’t get the baby anole to eat as it should. If this happens, then you might be worried about whether the baby anole will survive or not.
Read on to learn about why a baby anole would stop eating. You’ll also be able to learn a bit about what you can do to try to remedy the situation.
As long as you read the information below, it should be possible to get the anole to eat. Don’t panic and just try to figure out what’s going on so that you can make the right choices moving forward.
Baby Anoles Aren’t Hunters in the First Two Weeks of Life
If you’ve raised anoles before, then you’re probably used to them hunting crickets that you place in their cages. That is pretty standard behavior for an anole, and you might think that you’ll be able to do that for baby anoles as well.
It’s actually a little bit different for baby anoles because they haven’t developed hunter instincts yet. You’ll likely notice that the baby anole will spend most of its time huddled up in a specific spot.
You can place crickets in the cage with the anole, but it’s generally not going to try to go after them when it’s this young. A baby anole will eat, though, if a cricket happens to come by its location.
Try to make it so that the baby anole is on the cage floor if you can. When the baby anole is on the cage floor, place a cricket in the cage and try to direct it toward the anole if possible.
If all goes as planned, the baby anole is going to eat the cricket when it gets close enough. You can monitor the situation and just try to get it to eat every so often.
After Two Weeks Things Will Change
Things will change substantially after the baby anole is two weeks old. This is when it will start developing the hunter instincts that you’re used to seeing with anoles.
You should be able to place a cricket in the cage with an anole once it is more than two weeks old. The anole will notice the cricket and it will start hunting it so that it can eat.
If the anole seems wary of you, then you should know that this is perfectly normal behavior. Anoles usually look at humans distrustfully, but they will forget about you once they notice the cricket in the cage.
Most people who have difficulties feeding baby anoles will notice a stark difference after the two-week mark. You might have some challenges until the baby anole reaches this age, but it should be smooth sailing from then on.
How Long Can a Baby Anole Go Without Eating?
You don’t want your baby anole to go too long without eating if you can help it, but you shouldn’t have to worry too much if you’re having difficulties. Baby anoles are going to need to eat at least once per week to survive, but you should try to feed them more than that.
If you can get the baby anole to eat crickets using the methods laid out above, then that will be a good thing. Many baby anole owners will try to get them to eat once per day, but it might not always be easy since the anole won’t try to hunt.
It’s good to know that a baby anole can survive for a while without food if things just aren’t going well. You just need it to survive until around week two so that they will develop the right hunting instincts.
The best thing that you can do is try to get the baby anole to eat crickets passively. You don’t want to just leave crickets in the cage with the anole, though, since it’s always possible that the cricket could try to eat the anole.
Keep an eye on things and try to get the anole to eat the cricket each day. If it doesn’t work, then you can try again the next day to see if you get better results.
You Can Ask for a Veterinarian’s Advice Too
If you’re at a loss for what to do, then you might wish to ask a veterinarian’s advice. You’ll want to have a veterinarian who is well-versed in caring for lizards if you’re planning on raising anoles.
Talk to the veterinarian about what you’re experiencing and see if they have any pertinent advice. The veterinarian can examine the anole to see if there is anything else wrong as well.
There is the possibility that there could be other issues, but it’s pretty normal for baby anoles to have difficulties eating in the first few weeks. Even so, it’s good to be a proactive pet owner, and you should reach out for help if you’re concerned that the baby anole won’t survive.
Sometimes veterinarians who are experienced with lizards will be able to help feed the baby anoles. They might have some good ideas to get the anole to eat so that it can survive and develop those hunting instincts.
Just Do Your Best
Just do your best and keep an eye on your baby anole so that you can enjoy good results. It might be frustrating and worrying taking care of a baby anole at first, but it gets so much easier after a few weeks.
Now that you know more about how things are supposed to go, it’ll be easier to try to feed the baby anole. It might not always go right, but you only need to put up with this situation for a little while.
Taking care of anoles is very satisfying, and once the baby anole is a few weeks older, you’re going to have a great time observing it. Hopefully, this information will help you to feel more at ease, and you’ll be able to move forward with greater confidence that things will be okay.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard. I also like photographing wild birds, especially birds of prey.