Lizards in a Bottle

Anole Annals posts are constantly pushing the technological limits of herpetological research, from exciting new uses for vacuum cleaners to new caging systems (here and here) to novel methods of visualizing the anole skeleton (here and here). Thanks to Kim Orrell (Shenandoah University) I learned of a new technique of shipping small anoles that may hold promise for the future.

A common challenge I often face is finding best way to ship small anoles, often hatchlings or juveniles, to collaborating labs. While hatchlings are often hardier than they look, they do require some extra protection from getting bumped around so I don’t like using bags. Most Tupperware containers are simply too big and can, at times, be difficult to get the small lizards in and out of. The  package I received today used an ingenious method of packing small lizards in recycled plastic water bottles. Each bottle was loosely packed with paper towels with one or two lizards added. The bottles have a relatively small foot print and little space between bottles when packed tight. Each bottle cap had two small holes drilled for air exchange. Removing the lizards was surprisingly easy. I simply pulled each paper towel out using forceps and gently tapped each bottle until the lizard slid out the hole, usually in two to three taps. While working with these bottles today I could not help but to also think that I was on the verge of the next great Sobe ad!

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Thomas Sanger

Thom Sanger is an Assistant Professor at Loyola University in Chicago. His lab specializes on understanding the developmental bases of Anolis lizard diversity.

Latest posts by Thomas Sanger (see all)

• Short Faces, Two Faces, No Faces: Lizards Heads Are Susceptible to Embryonic Thermal Stress - December 15, 2021
• The Super Sticky Super Power of Lizards: a New Outreach Activity for Grade-Schoolers - April 9, 2018
• Updates on the Development of Anolis as a “Model Clade” of Integrative Analyses of Anatomical Evolution - September 4, 2017