Often in our garden, we can find a large number of pests or animals such as green anoles. If you want to get rid of these animals here, we show you some tips that can help you.
What Are The Green Anoles?
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Green anoles are a lizard species that has the characteristic of changing its skin color, which is why it is often mistaken for a chameleon on some occasions, which is why it is also called a “false chameleon.” This peculiar animal has certain peculiarities, which makes it stand out from the rest of its species.
Its scientific name is Anolis carolinensis. Its skin can change between gray, green, or brown colors, depending on factors such as climate or temperature, representing a kind of defense and protection even against other predators present in the area. With their color change, they can hide within the vegetation to not be seen by other species.
They have a small size, which can range between 15 and 20 centimeters. Female anoles will always be smaller than males, and their tail extends to about half the size of their bodies. Also, females have a thin line in their dorsal area, while males have a dewlap to attract females.
Do Green Anoles Bite?
These lizards can bite on rare occasions, mainly when they are held improperly since this creates stress and is not pleasant for them. However, if you hold them correctly, the chance that it can bite as a defense mechanism is very low.
To defend themselves, they warn their prey that they are alert, mainly with the change in skin color. For this reason, trying to hold or manipulate one of them may not be the right thing to do, since they are difficult animals to carry and could make a bite to try to free themselves.
Are Green Anoles Dangerous?
This animal is not dangerous, and even some people choose them as pets, mainly if they want to start in lizard care. Due to their small size, they are easy to maintain and feed and can be kept within a terrarium suited to your requirements. Alone or in groups, this species can become very docile and easy to care for.
For their manipulation, it is recommended not to hold them by their tail since they could eject lashes to defend themselves. With their diet based on insects, they do not represent danger within the space where they are.
For its correct handling, it is essential to take adequate precautions since these lizards carry the Salmonella bacteria, which in humans can cause serious health problems. However, with proper care and hygiene, they can even be kept as pets at home.
Also Read: How to Trap Squirrels in Attic
How To Eliminate Green Anoles Naturally?
While it is true that these animals do not pose a major danger to humans, it is also uncomfortable to have a large number of them in courtyards and urban areas, or even at home. For this, there are specific remedies and tricks that we can apply to create conditions that make these anoles move away from the area and not cause damage or loss to this species.
- Place them inside a container and then remove it from the place to an open space: If you find an anole inside your home, you can wait until the animal is calm and place a wide container on it, and then insert some cardboard in its bottom. Then, you can lift the container to move it to an area away from the house.
- Eliminate or minimize insects that can serve as food in your home: With natural methods, you can significantly minimize ants, insects, flies, and mosquitoes, so that they do not get reasons to enter your spaces in search of food.
- Clean with a strong-smelling product: these lizards do not tolerate some strong or pungent odors, so you can try some of them to scare these animals out of your home.
- Place camphor or mothballs inside your spaces: Some people claim that the strong odors of these two components manage to make these small-sized lizards leave the place, so you can try distributing these balls throughout all areas of your home, mainly corners or places where they frequent.
- Some plants can scare away anoles: Among some varieties of plants such as rue, due to its strong smell, it is ideal for warding off these lizards that can roam inside your patio and home. Other species that emit intense odors can help you investigate which are the best and help ward off these animals and others.
- Include ammonia in your cleaning routines: Without a doubt, the aroma and intense smell of ammonia will prevent this species from entering the home, so you can include it in your cleaning routines and sprinkle a little of it in those corners or places that usually frequent.
How To Keep Green Anoles Away?
If you managed to keep them away and want to keep them in time outside and away from your home and spaces, you could do it with the constant use and application of the recommendations above.
Constantly clean your home with ammonia.
So that you can always keep them away, it is recommended to add ammonia in the spaces and areas once a week, so that you always avoid their presence with that of other animals. This liquid can also ward off insects that serve as prey for the anole, thus reducing their breath and preventing them from approaching your spaces.
Change and renew the camphor and mothballs.
At least once a month, replace old camphor or mothballs with new ones, so that the pungent smell remains at the same level of intensity in the corners of your home. Over the days, these tend to lose their smell, which could be noticed by anoles. The desired effect of removing them around all corners of the home is diminished.
You can place empty eggshells in some places of your spaces.
When the anoles see these shells, they interpret that there is a predator very close, and they will flee the site without problems. You can keep them away with them, although you can combine this method with others for greater security.
Use the strong smell of garlic to keep them away.
Garlic, for its smell, can also be a helper to always keep them away, mainly within the kitchen area or in the bedrooms. Place garlic in some places and change them from time to time so that they always maintain their characteristic smell and manage to scare away this species.
Keep the windows closed in all your rooms.
Undoubtedly, as long as you have these lizards’ presence and once you manage to remove them from the interior of your spaces, always keep the windows closed to prevent them from entering again.
