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Disease in Wild Green Anoles?

Posted: December 11th, 2020, 4:17 pm
by dthor68
Found a couple of Green Anoles today that looked very sick. The first one was near death with black spots. We thought that maybe someone stepped on it, it was wounded. The wound looked old and necrosis was setting in. Then 25 feet away we found another. He had a greyish/white spot that at first looked like shedding but then turned more normal in color when the lizard slowly moved away. It had difficulty breathing and had several black spots, most notably behind the eyes. This lizard was very sick.

Anyone know what this is?

I miss the days, pre 2000, when all of the wild animals I saw looked healthy. When the only snake I ever saw with skin lesions was a pet that was kept in horrible conditions.

Re: Disease in Wild Green Anoles?

Posted: December 11th, 2020, 5:10 pm
by BillMcGighan
Was the overnight temp below freezing?
The black spot behind the eye was typical in central Florida when they were caught by a sudden, freezing cold snap and died.

Re: Disease in Wild Green Anoles?

Posted: December 11th, 2020, 7:59 pm
by dthor68
I am in SC. Last night, 38. Night before 36, before that 30. So three nights ago it froze at that location.

Re: Disease in Wild Green Anoles?

Posted: December 12th, 2020, 11:09 am
by BillMcGighan
Also, I recieved a comment from a person who has a bit more experience in such things, and he graciously commented:
Yes, this looks like an individual parasitized by sarcophagid fly larvae as well. You can see the small hole with black bordering that is typical of this. They also sometimes have some irregular shapes under the skin which can be larvae (a hint of that in this individual).

Re: Disease in Wild Green Anoles?

Posted: December 12th, 2020, 11:35 am
by Kelly Mc
Ah bummer. Yeah that congregate of melanocytes behind the eye will happen with anoles who are distressed physically and even with fear or social stress. A male vanquished in a fight with a stronger male will develop those dark patches after retreat.

Its really heartbreaking being able to see how miserable and in possible pain the sick anole is. Truly.

Re: Disease in Wild Green Anoles?

Posted: December 13th, 2020, 9:27 am
by Kelly Mc
Not to derail. Please know only as tangetial it makes one think about how pain and suffering are universal capacities.

With the anole we get a visual, because of its chromatophoric features, but what of the other guys with armoured faces, and fixed countenence.

It makes one want to 'go courteously into that good jungle' or with that nervous captive, at all times with all the gifts that we have to do so.