Hello fellow anole enthusiasts!
Last year I marked Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) in my backyard using a permanent marker to chart their population size. I’m looking to do a similar thing this summer and was wondering if anyone has any marking tools they recommend. I’ve heard about methods like toe clipping, or giving them a micro chip, but I’m not qualified for those sorts of methods and I’d rather do something simple.
If you have any recommendations, please email me at millicent.smalley@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Millie
Editor’s Note: This post from 14 years ago might be a place to start, but 2011 was a long time ago and surely new methods have arisen!
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Jesse Taylor
Isn’t the marker poisonous to them?
Millie Smalley
I found that permanent markers didn’t effect the Green Anoles’ behavior, and the marking typically comes off when the lizard sheds.
Millie Smalley
In response to the Editor’s Note: that article is what originally inspired me to mark anoles. I found it really helpful but I’m looking for a bit more detail as to if there are any particular marking tools people are fond of using, such as specific brands.
Heather Clendenin
Colleagues who study birds used nail polish on their toes to mark nestlings. Anole ties seem like they’d be similar enough—? Different color combinations can help with individual ID.