Should I return my anole?

yes he needs the lights and things, being lizards are cold blooded they have no way to produce heat, which keeps them alive. If they are cold too long their systems shut down. But an anole isnt that complicated, heat lamp crickets water and they are fine. And dont release him, chances are he was breed in captivity so he would't have as much natural instinct as one born in the wild. (he would get eaten for sure)

Just purchase a heat light bulb, they fit most lamps just use one that can be right on the top of the container.

You should either rehome the lizard right away or return it in the next day. The do need special lights and have to have certain humidities, lizards as a whole are not easy to care for, and do require attention, not just to be thrown in a tank and left to be. And no DO NOT release that anole into the desert, they are tropical lizards not desert dwellers and they require humidity which you won't find in the desert. If you were not prepared and did no research before buying your anole, you shouldn't have gotten it. Also, stay away from hamsters, since you don't seem to understand what it means to take care of an animal.

Anoles are, in fact lizards and reptiles, and do need all that additional care and equipment. Apparently, you did not do your research to figure out how to care for your pet. Without any of those special perimeters, your pet would would not prosper or thrive. That said, you should work to find it a better home. Although anoles in captivity are typically from the wild, they should NOT be released into your local environment, regardless of whether they are native or not. Nonnative reptiles do not belong in that specific environment; this is the main thing animal rights and environmental activist complain about. Native reptiles from captivity may introduce a foreign disease they obtained from captivity, and simply may not thrive due to stress or lacking the obtained knowledge in order to survive. Anoles typically sold at pet stores are from tropical and humid environments. I am not aware of any anoles from desert climates. Abandoning your lizard to die is just as cruel as letting it die in your care and you are still responsible for the death of that animal. Please look into finding it a better home, or deal with what it takes to care for it.

Anoles are not commonly recommended as pets for inexperienced reptile keepers. They require a live insect diet, supplemental calcium, proper humidity and constant misting, additional heat, and what the other posters before me failed to mention, Ultraviolet radition lighting. This all must also go with a natural setup that includes perches for climbing with clutter such as leaves for cover and security.

Return the lizard. Without a heat lamp, it will die. Without UV lighting, it will die. If you release a TROPICAL lizard into the desert it will die.

Yes. Return it. You CLEARLY did not do any research. A desert animal needs desert like climate.. you do need all that "special crap" to properly care for this creature..

Yes, a heat lamp is necessary. Do NOT release it into the wild, please. Try contacting wildlife shelters in your area to see if they will take your lizard. And please, do your research before getting a pet.