Growing up, I was always fascinated with bugs, lizards, snakes, and everything that a lot of people would consider creepy, scary, or just something that isn’t “normal” to have as a pet. I have owned and taken care of a lot of these types of critters, lizards being one of my favorites. Here is a list of my top five lizards to have as a pet.
5.) Bearded Dragon
These lizards are incredibly beautiful, interesting, but a bit on the larger side. They love to explore, are easily handled, and change color with season, and setting. They are native to desert areas, such as in Arizona, Mexico, New Mexico, and California. They can grow up to 22 inches, and do require a lot of food, more so as infants than as adults. They grow rapidly, and can eat 50-100 crickets every other day, and love to eat mealworms. Live food is best, as this keeps up their hunting skills, and provides a fresher nutrition. A UV light will be required to keep this pet at all times, as it is from the desert and needs heat. It is also good to keep them outside during hot seasons during the day. They come in many different beautiful colors, but can be on the expensive side, around $100 from a good breeder.
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Size: up to 22 inches
Minimum Cage size as adults: 30 gallon tank
4.) Blue Tongue Skink
This is another larger, but beautiful and docile lizard. They also reign from the desert areas, and require a bit more feeding than other smaller lizards, but are great pets. Their names are true to their appearance, having a uniquely blue tongue. They are curious, and interesting to watch. They also require a UV light throughout their lives, and cost around the same as a bearded dragon, from a good breeder.
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Size: 15-20 inches
Minimum Cage size as adults: 25 gallon tank
Lifespan
3.) Crested Gecko
The crested gecko is gaining popularity in the lizard trade, for good reason. “Cresties” are the simplest to take care of. They don’t require any special heating or lighting, unlike the skink and the dragon.
Crested geckos come in a variety of colors and patterns as well. They can be fed simple, packaged, fruit-based powders mixed with water; so you don’t have to buy insects.
They are handle able and can be easily tamed but are small and more delicate than the larger lizards. They are prone to the accidental loss of their tails which can re-grow easily.
Lifespan: 5-15 years
Size: 5-8 inches
Minimum Cage size as adults: 20 gallon tank or equivalent
2.) Red Ackie
This lizard is known as the spiny tailed lizard, for its obvious but not dangerous spiny tail. They look like elegant little dragons, with beautiful ranges of colors. They tame extremely well, are very handle-friendly, and eat crickets and pinky mice. They are a much larger species, but are easy, straightforward, and make great pets.
Lifespan: 10+ years
Size: 16-26 inches
Minimum cage size: 55 gallon tank
1.) Leopard Gecko
Easily the most popular pet-lizard, these are the easiest to care for, are nocturnal requiring no lighting, and are a good medium size, people find these to be wonderful and easy pets. Their tails re-grow like all geckos, and are ideal for a first time lizard pet.
Lifespan: 15-20 years
Size: 7-10 inches
Minimum cage requirements: 20 gallon tank
Now go out and research lizards some more, and always look for local breeders, as their nutrition and handling will be much higher in quality than places like Petco.
