There are quite a number of substrates available in the market for reptiles, it’s only the matter of choosing the right one. Some of the marketed product may specifically be for reptiles; however, not all of them are safe for your reptile’s habitat.
This is due to what might happen to your pet when it ingests some of the substrate’s particles. This is why you should be careful when it comes to choosing the best substrate for green anole.
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Anolis Carolinensis (Green Anole)
Among the species of Anolis, the green anole is the most common reptile that is kept as a pet. Green anoles are indigenous at the southern side of the United States and have been popular in the pet trade ever since in the year 1950’s.
These little lizards make a great starter pet for those who are young and are just beginning to take care of reptiles. Green anoles are an acute visual hunter and an agile climber, they prey for grasshoppers, spiders, flies, and other kinds of insects.
With that said, these reptiles do have their own specialized care requirements, and one of them is by getting the right substrate or bedding.
Top 10 Best Substrates for Green Anoles
There are a lot of substrates that is advertised to be digestible. However, the only substrate that is truly digestible is the alfalfa pellets, but eating too many pellets can still cause an impaction, or even damage the gut of your pet.
Therefore, the purpose of this article is to help green anole owners to choose the best and safest bedding for their reptile.
Here are the best substrates for your humble green anole:
1. Zilla Reptile Substrate Liner
One of the safest, low-maintenance, and most affordable bedding for reptiles are substrate liners. This is safe as your pet anole won’t ingest the product, or smell strongly scented substrates such as wood shavings, scented paper towels, or pine shavings.
This is good alternative bedding for juvenile reptiles. This liner is treated with a biodegradable enzyme to help reduce the build-up of odors and can be used multiple times as it is washable with cold tap water.
Features:
- Washable
- Can be cut to sizes
- Made of non-abrasive material
- Very absorbent
- Treated with a biodegradable enzyme
2. Zoo Med Eco Earth
Eco earth for reptiles works great as bedding for anoles, especially for the females. It keeps humidity well and helps stimulate the digging behavior of your pet anole. The Zoo Med Eco Earth is soft enough for your reptile, which provides your pet an easy time to dig when it’s time to lay eggs.
This product consists of one brick, which is a compressed coconut fiber for portability. If you are aiming for better humidity levels, soak the product with water to expand it. You can also use the product dry if you prefer.
Features:
- Ideal for burrowing reptiles
- Safe to use
- Each pack can expand to 7 to 8 liters
3. Exo Terra Forest Plume Moss
We recommend for anole owners to use forest moss as their pet’s bedding. This tropical terrarium substrate provides a natural environmental look on your pet’s habitat. Not only would it look good in the terrarium, but it is also perfectly safe for your pet’s health.
This product is 100% natural forest moss that is free from any kinds of harmful chemicals and dyes. It also works great in humidifying the reptile’s housing, and for incubation medium and egg-laying.
Features:
- Ideal for reptiles, especially for the females
- 100% natural forest moss
- Excellent for egg laying and incubator
4. Fluker’s Repta-Bark
The Fluker’s Repta bark works perfectly well in preventing excessive moisture, and it also absorbs liquid waste for better comfort. This product is ideal for all reptiles that love high humidity levels.
Anoles need proper humidity in their habitats and this bedding is just the right bedding for them. The bark came from coniferous trees and is 100% natural; expect it to work well for your Anole’s terrarium.
Features:
- Came from Coniferous Trees
- Highly absorbent
- All natural bedding
5. Zilla Beaked Moss
Beaked moss is quite similar with forest moss substrates. And like the other types of moss, this product holds moisture and maintains humidity really well. Aside from maintaining humidity, it also provides a realistic setting in your anole’s terrarium by providing a natural green landscape.
This moss is completely natural, so expect this to be free from harsh chemicals and synthetic dyes. The moss was even harvested in Oregon from their coniferous rain forests, so expect the product to be of high quality.
Features:
- Ideal for chameleons, green anoles, toads, salamanders and more
- Provides a lush green carpet landscape
- 100% natural
- Holds moisture and holds humidity
6. Zoo Med Forest Floor Bedding
Anoles prefer their habitats to have high humidity, which is why you’ll need to use beddings that can hold moisture and able to maintain humidity well. This Zoo Med Bedding can do both, it is capable of holding moisture and maintains humidity that is suitable for anoles.
Every bag of this product consist of 100% natural cypress mulch and is an all green product. Meaning, it is free from chemicals and dyes that can possibly harm your reptile’s health.
Features:
- Ideal for reptiles and amphibians
- Soft enough for easy digging
- Maintains humidity well
- Best for comfort
7. Zoo Med Eco Carpet
Here is another great carpet substrate that you can use for your anole’s habitat. It is soft and absorbent to provide the best comfort, it’s also non-abrasive so it won’t irritate your pet. This carpet is ideal for all kinds of species including anoles, snakes, tortoises, and more.
Also, using this kind of substrate is perfectly safe as it cannot be ingested by your reptile. It is also a “green” product as it is made from recyclable post-consumer bottles.
Features:
- Washable
- Very easy to clean
- Made from recycled materials
- Cannot be ingested accidentally
- Absorbent and non-abrasive
8. Zoo Med Repti Bark
Here is another all natural “green” product that can be safely used as an everyday substrate. One 24 qt. bag of this product can even last to up to one year. This pack is made from the bark of fir trees, it is 100% natural and free from dyes and harsh chemicals.
The barks are hygroscopic meaning that it can absorb moisture and then releases it, which will then create humidity. This makes this product one of the best substrate for green anole and to other kinds of reptiles. For best results, you can mix fir barks and sphagnum moss together to create the ultimate bedding for your pet anole.
Features:
- Creates a natural looking environment
- 100% organic
- Free from dyes and chemicals
- Excellent humidity
- Very absorbent
9. Zoo Med Coconut Fiber Substrate
Substrates that can hold moisture and maintain humidity are the best type of beddings for anoles, as this kind of reptile requires terrariums with high humidity. Coconut fiber is among the substrates that are suitable for the anole’s habitat.
Use this product damp for anoles terrarium, this product is very absorbent and can prevent the build-up of moisture, it also absorbs odor and other waste products. We assure you that this product is 100% organic for your pet’s safety.
Features:
- 100% natural coconut fiber
- Creates a naturalistic terrarium set-up
- Ideal for reptiles, invertebrates, and amphibians
- Absorbs moisture and odor
- Holds humidity well
10. Reptile Prime Coconut Fiber Bedding
Here is another option of coconut fiber bedding for green anoles. Coconut fiber is known for its great moisture absorption and holds humidity pretty well, this is the reason why a lot of reptile owners use this kind of substrate.
Reptile Prime is one of the best substrate products out there as they only provide high-quality, organic materials. Their product is free from all kinds of chemicals and bacteria. if you have a very dry environment, mix this product with sphagnum moss to improve the terrarium’s water-retention.
Features:
- Use it Dry or Damp
- It has great humidity retention
- Naturally absorbs waste products and odor
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the best substrate for anoles, the kind of products that you should avoid using is resinous, oily, or scented substrates. Also, avoid using dry substrates such as sand substrates, green anoles are temperate species and this won’t naturally occur if they live in very dry places.
Therefore, the use of dry substrates such as play sands or clay is not recommended. The listed products above are your best substrate options, and all you have to do now is to choose the best one for your pet.
