Best Beginner Reptile
88
PET REPTILES
Reptiles are very popular in today's society. They can be found in thousands upon millions of homes. Different types of people have reptiles as family pets, not just the stereotypical goth or punk kid. Business people, moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas, college students, veterinarians, doctors, teachers, managers, corporate employees, etc. Many people think that only tattoo and pierced "goths" have reptiles as pets. It's just not true. I've researched reptiles for over six years now, and I've had them as pets for over four years now. I'm not the typical "goth;" I won't deny I have several ear piercings and one tattoo. I won't admit that I love piercings and tattoos, but I will admit to sharing the love of reptiles with thousands of other Americans long before I got my second hole in my earlobes.
Many people think reptile think "Ew. I'll never have a scaley creature in my house willingly.' But they're not so bad, but I'm partial. It took my parents two years before allowing me to get a leopard gecko, and then another, and another, and a bearded dragon, and so on till to this day I have 11 leopard geckos, 5 African fat tail geckos, 2 crested geckos, 2 bearded dragons, and 1 ball python, amongst many small. furry animals, and 2 dogs. So, there's my intro, now for the good stuff...
GECKOS
If you want something on the smaller side, you're best bet is a gecko of some sort. Now which to choose? You've got tokay geckos, day geckos, leaf tails, gargoyles, cresteds, fat tails, and leopard geckos amongst many other gecko species that are kept in captivity. Which to choose??
Crested geckos and gargoyle geckos are by far the easiest of the gecko species that I have encountered. They do not need much extra heat or light sources unless your house is kept below 75F, and can be housed in a 15 gallon tall aquarium. They eat a specially formulated Crested Gecko Diet, that you just add water to. Fruit baby foods can be given to them once or twice a week as a treat, and they eat crickets once or twice a week. But, their main source of food is Crested Gecko Diet, and yes that's exactly what it's called.
Leopard geckos and African fat tail geckos are housed nearly the same with slight variations. Leopard geckos are housed at temperatures between 85-90F, and AFT's are housed between 82-88F. AFTs need slightly more humidity, which can be provided with a humid hide (Tupperware container with a hole cut in it with moist moss, vermiculite, etc. to hold humidity). These geckos can be housed in 10 gallon aquariums, but they really need a 20 gallon long aquarium, which can actually house up to two geckos. Fat tails tend to be prone to eating crickets, whereas leopard geckos will eat crickets, mealworms, butterworms, silkworms, etc. You DO NOT want to mix the two species because they do have different requirements.
These four geckos are the best choice for beginner geckos. They all have docile temperaments. Crested geckos are a little more jumpy, but not considered bitey by a long shot.
LIZARDS
Of the lizard pets, the best beginner, in my opinion, is a bearded dragon, for the sole reason of their temperaments. Most bearded dragons are very docile and laid back. Mine are. Although, they do get bigger, up to two feet including tail, they are a better beginner lizard than others, such as the chameleon or iguana. Bearded dragons should be housed singly in a minimal of a 40 gallon breeder aquarium with regular bulbs as well as a UV bulb with temperatures near 100F. Babies should be fed a staple insect several times a week, and have a salad mixture offered daily. Adults should be fed a salad mixture daily and staple feeder insect (crickets, superworms, roaches) at least twice a week. Feeder insects should ALWAYS be sized appropriately, no larger than the width between the eyes at the top of the head.
Some bearded dragons can be temperamental, but for the majority of captive bred bearded dragons, they tend to be very docile, and great beginner lizards.
SNAKES
Of the myriad of snakes in the pet trade, the best three beginner snakes include the ball python, kingsnake, and corn snake. Of course, before purchasing a snake, you need to check your state laws for owning snakes. For example, in Georgia, you cannot own corn snakes because they are native. You really aren't supposed to own kingsnakes, but you can get away with a California kingsnake. Just a heads up to check your state laws before purchasing a snake.
Ball pythons are very docile and laid back, more so than the other two snakes I listed. I have a ball python, he has never tried to bite, snap, or show any signs of aggression. Before, during, or after a shed, he is nothing but polite. Hungry, on the hunt, or killing his prey, he's never struck me. I've picked him up while he coiled around a frozen mouse (he took one for the first time in over a year) and placed him in a different tub. Ball pythons can reach 5-7 feet, females being larger than the males. They tend to be very stocky snakes. The only concern with ball pythons are that they are very finicky eaters; they can go up to 6+ months without eating if they choose too.
Both kingsnakes and corn snakes are more finicky than the ball python. They average anywhere from 2-4 feet in length, and stay thinly built. I have seen and held many a calm kingsnake, but I've also seen and been weary of many aggressive ones. The one good thing that I like aboud colubrids, is that they are NOT finicky eaters as compared to the ball pythons. Every colubrid that I've encountered will readily take a thawed mouse.
Reptile Books
 | Amazon Price: $1.74 List Price: $9.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $6.64 List Price: $10.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $8.25 List Price: $14.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $4.75 List Price: $12.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $4.76 List Price: $8.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $0.01 List Price: $7.99 |
Reptile Care Sheets
- Caring for Leopard Geckos
Leopard geckos are one of the best beginner reptiles. They are a more docile reptile that is of a relatively smaller size. - Crested Gecko Care
Crested geckos are relatively new to the pet trade, but from what is known they have fairly simple husbandry. - AFT Care
Being the close cousin to the leopar gecko, African fat tail geckos, are included as a beginner reptile. - Bearded Dragon Diet
Making sure to have the proper diet for a bearded dragon is one of the two most important things to keeping a healthy bearded dragon. - Caring for Bearded Dragons
Being able to provide the proper husbandry for a bearded dragon is the second most important factor in keeping a healthy bearded dragon. - Feeding Habits of Ball Pythons
Ball pythons make great beginner reptiles, but they can be very picky eaters. In fact, their well known for being picky.
Reptile Advice
- Buying Retail Reptiles
When looking at purchasing a reptile, you may want to be aware of a few things associated with pet store reptiles. - Moving with a Reptile
What happens if you have to move? What will you do with the reptile(s)?
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Awesome (3)
- Beautiful (1)
- Interesting (2)
CommentsLoading...
good advice. Wish we'd read before we adopted the world's grumpiest green iguana. lol
Ok I will admit I'm a fan of dogs but I also have an interedt reptiles and alway wanted a reptilian pet. My parent wouldn't let me have one because my mom is terrified of them. Mainly snakes and lizards. However I would like to. Try owning a reptile. The two that have caught my eye are the bearded dragon and the california king snake. But I'm not sure which would be better for a begging reptile pet owner.
hey i was thinking about getting a chinese water dragon. (not sure if my mom would let me) would they be okay for a beginner? if so, how big should their tank be? what should i feed them? thanks
I love my beardy!! He is a goof ball. He is a Lawson's breed, one of the more rare types, and has such an interesting personality. Can't wait to get more lizards. Not a big snake person though...that's my sis!
yes i totaly recamend the bearded dragon. extremely esy
i want a beardie but im not sure if the esy to take care of. Any advice?
would a 21,6 tall leter work because that is the best i can do with my budget at this moment in time
::whew:: was glad to see you advised never to defang a snake.. I'm highly against declawing cats, it's just wrong to take away their defense! But I like going out on my back porch and seeing the wild gecko's all over! Um, I think they think they own my back porch :) I know here in the south they have plenty to eat, but I still put a bit of food out for them. Them along with my other outdoors pets are just my outdoors pets :) great hub!
I bought my bearded dragon as a very docile baby until he turned about 1 year old. I've spent alot of time with my bearded dragon and he's the meanest animal I've ever worked with. Ive had dogs, cats, ball pythons, iguana, corn snake, and a red eared slider turtle.
what would be the best for me? i cant have a snake, the vivarium must be at maximum 2ft?
gecko_boy, yes a tile, paper towel, or some kind of solid substrate will be fine, but you want to put the under tank heater underneath the tank, hence UNDER tank.
(im england!!) so if i put the heat matt inside the tank then put some thing over it and then the substrate would that work?
They are super hard to heat because you can't use appropriate under tank heaters. The only thing that really works are the ceramic heat emitters, but if there isn't an outlet to add the bulb, then there's no real way to properly heat it.
i have seen in shops these new wood vivariums and im gonna get one for my corn snake but just how do i heat it properly? thanks
in england i cant seem to get hold of reptile carpet :S , my local pet store syas if you are going to use any substrate use aspen or cocobark thats it if you cant get hold of tghem then use paper towls or rep carpet
Doesn't matter. Females can sometimes get a little larger as adults, but in general it all varies. I would not use aspen, but a reptile carpet, tile, or paper towels. Use some kind of substrate that the BD can't ingest.
does the size matter is it is male or female?
ok thanks, so does the sex matter size wise?and what is the best substrate you have comeacross that easy to get? aspen?
Yes, I know who you are.
What door? You can easily use a regular 10 or 20 gallon long with a regular aquarium lid and cage clips, and the snake won't be able to escape.
Girth is the measurement around. It's basically the width around the snake.
npo my pet store said that they could get through the gap in the door and whats the girth?? by the way im raptile man lol
Your local pet store has no clue. A baby cornsnake will NOT escape the holes in the mesh lids of a regular tank. That's just stupid. Punching holes will typically create a larger hole than what is in the mess lid of a glass tank.
Pinkies are the smallest that you can go. You'll want the feeder to be no larger than the widest girth of the snake.
hi i also wondered what food size food you should give a tiny cornsnake because even the pinkys seem big for them :S
hi whit, if im purchasing a viv thats 2 foot sq is that alright? my local pet store says if you just put a baby corn snake into a viv it would escape through the tiny gaps, so they sed to put him into a plastic box and punch holes in it then place him in the viv with hm on for heat. is that right? also would a male be smaller at adult size then the female at adult size? thanks , reptileman
That is odd, as typically BPs are very docile and not aggressive at all. I wouldn't recommend a red tail to a beginner solely based on size, but I do agree they can be quite calm.
I know that balls are great starter snakes. But I strongly disagree that they are the most docile.
I've NEVER held a ball python that has NOT showed agression.
I own a red tail boa and have raised corns, milks, and kings.
By far, out of all these snakes, the red tail has taken the cake for personality.
Put quite simply, red tails seem to enjoy people and being handled.
Their down fall? Size.
i just started to keep tokay recently. so far i have two- both female. now i feed them with coackroaches and seem they love it.
Some reptiles don't need extra heat, unless the enclosure is in a relatively cold location. Depending on the species the heating requirements will vary. As for those the need heat, in a power outage they're generally going to be ok for a few hours or so. I've heard of times when the power has gone out for a few days, and the reptiles will be fine. It all depends on how cool the enclosure gets and what the average temps are that the species needs.
I know that reptiles are cold-blooded and need to be kept in a warm environment. I'm thinking about getting a gecko or other reptile, but I want to know what I should do if there is a power-outage. Should I worry about it staying warm? (My power doesn't go out much, but I'm still concerned).
It depends on the gecko and the lizard species as to what the difference is. You may find difference in lighting, heating, humidity, diet, and of course enclosure size.
hi! i am getting my 1st reptile(a bearded dragon) tomorrow.I have had like every animal under the sun(from a dwarf hamster and frogs to a horse)and i was wondering what the difference was between geckos and lizards besides size?
thanx!
Put them in separate enclosures. There could be bullying, food hogging, or plain stress. Plus, if they came from a pet store you have high chances of parasites or other illness.
I just bought two leopard geckos about a month ago. One of the geckos is not eating much at all and is getting very skinny. The other gecko seems to be eating fine. Why is this happening and what should I do?
Thx very informitive i bought an albino californian king snake and its my first reptile so wish me GL
Tokay geckos are NOT beginner reptiles, and a beginner should not attempt to breed them. You should not house two tokays in the same tank together, so that's a no. They also need height not length. If you stand that 40 gallon on its side, it'd be fine for the one.
hey, i was wondering if yopu know any thing about tokay geckos.
im planning on getting 2,
i was wondering for a breeding pair of tokays would a 36x18x18 be okay?
for two of them year round.???
L=36
W=18
H=18
Gotcha... For the most part BPs are pretty docile, but that doesn't mean that you won't ever get bit. It will also depend per individual. Some individual snakes within even a docile species can be aggressive and temperamental.
lol i know i changed it cuz i didnt feel like typing iwannareptile lol but thanks
iwannareptile/RJ, You should not de-fang a snake (I don't think you even can). In any case NO reputable reptile vet would.
Hello, do you know if you de-fang a snake if it can still eat mice and stuff, because i dont want to even think about being bit if i ever get a snake.
That's not necessarily high for a snake. It's average price for a snake morph that is highly sought after and fairly new to the reptile market. Give it about SEVERAL years and it'll be down to just a few grand. :-) I'm still waiting on the piebalds to go down, as the better quality the snake, the more you're going to pay, and I just can't do 2,000 for a BP right now, although it is in my future plans for goReptiles.
oh wow, that's high for a snake lol i guess im not getting the leucistic cuz that cost more than both of my parents cars put together haha. i guess ill get a normal morph then, thanks alot
A leucistic? A good bit of money. Most morphs are going to be at least $200 and up. It's not uncommon to find albinos at $750+, piebalds (mostly white with the green/brown markings) at $1500+, pastel 500+, etc.
I found one breeder who sells the black eye leucistic, and they're priced at $40,000 because they're highly sought after.
For your first BP and first reptile, that's a good chunk of change considering the minimal knowledge that you currently have. I'd say purchase a normal morph and when you have the extra several grand purchase a higher quality morph.
hey, thank you so much this site was very helpful in choosing the right pet. I'm new with reptiles but i think i may start with a ball python. but do you know about how much the all white ball python with the black eyes would cost?
I wouldn't necessarily pick a blue tongue skink as a beginner reptile.
No, you should not breed a leopard gecko to an AFT. They are from different origins, and it can't be done. A few people have tried, but have failed from my understandings. If you are successful, the offspring will be infertile. Plus, it would be near impossible to determine the proper housing for the gecko since the parents have different housing requirements and are from different locations of the world.
hiya would like to say the blue toungue skink is a good starter herp aswell :)
and does anyone no weather or not i would be able 2 cross breed a leopard gecko with a fat tail ?
When candled, they should have a bullseye or appear pink. Just leave them both in the incubator and see how it goes. Just make sure that you have the holes in the deli cup covered, as Hatchrite will dry out quickly if there are any cracks or holes for ventilation. You just need to open the lid once a week. When I used Hatchrite, I only did it every other week or so.
Help! My leopard gecko laid her eggs but she didnt lay them in the moist lay box i put in there for her...she laid them on the floor of the tank....i found them and put them in the incubator in some hatchrite in a deli cup and the incubator is at 82 degrees.....but when i found them they were both soft and kinda dented....and i heard that that is a bad thing....now one is starting to get harder and is kinda pinkish with a red circle in it and the other is still squishy and yellowish......how can i tell if they are fertile??
You may actually end up with an extra 4-10 depending on if the eggs are fertile and if they all hatch. Make sure that you have the appropriate housing for them all.
Hi, Ive just recently got into reptiles and after a ton of research i purchased my first leopard gecko. I bought her from a small local pet store and she is still doing well and gaining weight. Just a few months ago i bought another female leopard gecko from a breeder. My problem is that soon after that a friend of mine contacted me and said that he had just recieved 2 leopard geckos from someone who wasnt taking care of them very well and he asked if i would take them because I had the stuff to be able to take care of them....One was a male and one was a female and I seperated them right away because I dont have the resources at the moment to breed them but.. the female was already pregnant....I have bought an incubator and what not but im a little worried because i am still fairly new to this..and now instead of 2 leopard geckos I am now trying to look after 4 with 2 on the way!!!! any advice would be helpful
If I will send this hub to my husband he will faint...
but it is a great one. very informative!
Thanks
I posted a link for bearded dragon diets on the leopard gecko article that you posted the diet question on. But, here it is again: http://hubpages.com/_reptiles/hub/Bearded-Dragon-D
(Please post bearded dragon questions there or on Bearded dragon Care)
and also i forgot to ask you is that um.............. with bearded dragons, should i feed different feeder incects???? i am feeding them crikets
My bearded dragons? I got one at 6 weeks and one at 8 weeks The first one was around $100; I don't really remember, but I want to say around or slightly over that. The second one was $85 from a breeder which will be cheaper on average than a pet store, all depending on the morph. And, with a breeder, you're just about always guaranteed a healthy reptile.
if you dont mind me asking how much were they and how old did you get them???
thanks!!!!!!!!!
Bearded dragons need a minimum of a 40 gallon breeder tank. Bearded dragons involve more to properly house and take care of than a leopard gecko. UV light, basking spots, much higher temperatures, and a more complex diet. They are about the same temperament, at least mine are when compared to my leopard geckos. They require more socialization when younger, and can turn rather nasty if not handled regularly when young.
eventually i will want to get a bearded drgon so are they easy,what size tank do i need, and are they nicer and can they be docil???
Yes. milksnakes are a great beginner reptile. I can't believe I forgot them, as they have similar husbandry and care lof the corn and king snake. King and corn snakes both come in bright colors, of yellows, reds, and oranges.
Leopard geckos, African fat tail, and crested geckos can all loose their tails , but crested geckos do not reginerate a new one. Baby and juvenile geckos are moreprone to dropping their tail than adults, but it's certainly not impossible.
I found this site to be very accurate, and a good resource for anyone looking to own a new repile. I'd like to add milknakes to the list of good beguinners. My first snake was a milkey, and the are just like kings and corns, but with georgious coloration. I have heard of colored kings, but in my experience, i've only seen the black and white ones. Something else you might want to mention about leopard geckos to the new herp lover is the risk of tail dropping in hatchlings, and even in stressed adults. A gecko with a droped tail is not easy to care for, as I'm learning now...
animalsare#1 4 months ago
I don't know what pet to get. I am not fond of snakes, and I don't like big things, but I have a huge 72 gallon tank on my hands I am thinking of getting a crested gecko.