Types of Reptiles as pets

Cozmo - Bearded Dragon. Jordan

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Lizards

As a basic rule, only certain lizards are good for beginners. Many species have fairly complex care requirements for their heating, lighting and diet. Some are quite delicate and difficult to care for and others get quite large and aggressive. The are a few species that are quite hardy and easy to tame and these are the best lizards for beginners.

• Leopard Geckos - They have no special ultraviolet lighting required and are relatively easy to tame and handle. Some other geckos are good choices for beginners such as crested geckos, fat tailed geckos, and house geckos (although house geckos are usually too fast to be good for handling).

On the other hand, some lizards are not recommended for beginners based on their more complicated care or size.

Snakes

There are many species of snakes that make good pets for those new to reptiles. As long as you stick to starter species they are generally quite easy to care for, feed, and tame. They do not need to eat often (although you must be prepared to feed other animals to your snake and most of them need whole prey such as mice and rats) and they do not need special ultraviolet lighting. Of course, there are dangerous species of snakes including venomous snakes and large constrictors that are definitely not suitable for beginners. Good beginner snakes include:

Some kinds of snakes that are not good for beginners include:

• Other constrictors are not recommended due to either difficulty in providing the proper care, or danger due to size, strength, and temperament (e.g. reticulated pythons, anacondas).

Turtles are not easy or low maintenance reptiles. Generally, turtles (including the commonly found red eared sliders) are messy, long-lived, get quite large (so they need large housing), and need exposure to ultraviolet light. If you can deal with these factors and commit to caring for a turtle over its long life span, a turtle might be a good pet for you. By far, the most important factor in caring for a turtle is knowing the proper dietary and environmental needs of the species you choose.