The reliable and not-so-reliable methods of telling Male from Female.

In order to house two Green Anoles together, you need to determine the sex of each. The only sure way to find the sex is taking them to the vet and probing. This isnt always possible to do, whether because of the cost of the procedure, or something else. There are a few ways to determine the sex by watching the anoles. The first method is the most reliable, and the others have Pros and Cons.

Males

Male Green Anoles are usually larger bodied and bulkier than most females. Their snout will usually be broader when compared to a females.      The most reliable way to identify a male: Wait for the Anole to climb on the glass sides of the cage. Look at it from the other side of the glass, so its belly is facing towards you. Now, look at the base of the tail (right where the tail meets the body.) On males, you will notice a bulge (called the hemipenile bulge) on either side of the tail. Females lack this. There are also two enlarged scales in the same area, known as postanal scales, which only males have.

The not-so-reliable way: Many people will tell you to look for a flap of skin under the chin of a male. This flap is known as a "dewlap", sometimes called a "throat-fan". The dewlap is used when courting females (See "Breeding" section), and when trying to intimidate another male during territorial disputes. This method, however, has its limitaitons. What alot of people don't realize, is that most females also have a dewlap. Although the female's is usually less colorful, and smaller, its not always the case. I've seen female Anoles with rather colorful dewlaps, sometimes more colorful than a typical male's. And, I've seen male Anoles with very dull dewlaps, and sometimes competely lacking one. Although almost all beginner Anole owners use this method to determine the sex of their Anole(s) (mainly because most petstore employees suggest it), I'd say its only about 55 to 60 percent  reliable.

Females

Females are usually overall smaller-bodied, with a more narrow snout. Females also usually have a smaller, less colorful dewlap.      The most reliable way to identify a female: The exact opposite of the most reliable way to identify a male. The lack of the hemipenile bulge will tell you the Anole is female. Be careful, though, because juvenille males lack the bulge as well.      The not-so-reliable ways: Many people use the "White-stripe Method". Using this method, every Anole with a white, zig-zagged stripe down its back is a female. (Note the white stripe on the Anole's back in the picture to the left.) This method is not completely reliable, however, because juvenille males also have the white stripe, and some males never lose the stripe even after reaching maturity. The "Dewlap Method" is another common way of sexing an Anole. Unfortunately, this method is also pretty unreliable. Using the Dewlap Method, all Anoles with no dewlap are female. This is not true. I've seen many females with dewlaps. The "Modified Dewlap Method" is just slightly different. Using this method, all Anoles with small, pinkish dewlaps are females. Again, this is not true. Some of the most colorful dewlaps I've seen have been on females.

Summary

The only reliable way of sexing other than taking the Anole to a reptile vet is to check for  the hemipenile bulge as described above. Also, look for a combination of the different signs. If your Anole is large, muscular, has a broad snout, colorful dewlap, and the hemipenile bulge, the chances of it being a male are almost 100 percent.

A reminder...

Remember, two male Anoles should never be housed in the same enclosure, unless the enclosure is the size of a coat closet. Territorial disputes between males can break out very easily in even a large enclosure. If these disputes continue, a high stress level is imminent. The weaker male may be harrassed to the point of starvation and death.      Housing two female green anoles in the same enclosure should work just fine. Territorial disputes can occur between females as well, but these are usually a lot less aggressive, and once the females determine their rank amongst eachother, the disputes should occur only rarely.      Housing a male and female Anole in the same enclosure should only be done if you are planning to take on the responsibility of breeding the two.

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