Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Other animals

The best types of reptiles for you

PawTracks
By

Owning a reptile as a pet is a rewarding experience. Whether you just want to admire and care for them without too much commitment, or you specifically prefer reptiles that enjoy being handled as you intend to develop a strong bond and level of devotion to their well-being, introducing one into your life promises an experience full of curiosity, learning, and fun. From the exotic colors of chameleons to the impressive movement of pythons, these scaly friends can fill your time with wonderful observation and with time, bonding. There is a type of reptile for every level of experience. While some of them are super easy to care for, others require time investment, special equipment, and unique feeding habits to fulfill on a regular basis. But don’t worry because we will guide you to find your perfect cold-blooded companion.

Man holding a pet python
MOO PIGXMOO/Shutterstock.com

Reptile basics

Reptiles are a very diverse class of animals including over 8,700 species around the world. They are famous for their unique scale-covered skin featuring beautiful patterns and colors.

Recommended Videos

Science divides them in four major groups: Turtles, lizards, crocodiles, and tuatara. This last one is almost completely wild and rare. They are descendants of an ancient group and not suitable as a pet. So, we will skip it all together. That leaves us with the three major groups of pet reptiles:

  • Turtles
  • Lizards
  • Snakes

Each of these groups have specimens that are suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and expert herpetologists alike. Let’s dive in and find your ideal match.

Related

Turtles

Turtle walking outside on ground
Andre Alexander/Unsplash.com

Turtles are the largest and probably most beloved group of reptiles. Incredibly common in pet stores, a few popular species grow a lot more than expected and end up in rescue shelters. They have an incredibly long lifespan that can go from 50 to 100 years with proper care and in the right habitat. Children enjoy caring for new baby turtles. Unfortunately, since they are not the most entertaining of all, some kids get bored with them, and parents give up on the hard work to keep them happy.

If you are an experienced reptile owner, ready to invest in unique equipment, and have a passion for these beautiful animals, here are the best species to get started with:

Eastern box turtle: A highly adaptable turtle that does not have any aquatic requirements. They are omnivores and live in many different climates. They have a long lifespan but moderate growth. You can feed them both plants and insects.

Red-eared slider: Freshwater turtles that are sold as babies but have tremendous growth. Their adult size is impressive and they require regular tank cleaning. You will have to upgrade their habitat in size several times as they grow. In adulthood, they are the happiest in ponds and not in tanks.

Lizards

Chameleon held by person
Aleh Mikalaichyk/Shutterstock.com

Lizards are the best place to start when owning a pet. They are fun to watch, easy to feed, and they offer the biggest diversity when it comes to domestic species. Many of them need little special care and are very happy in captivity. You will need a tank, heating element, and for some species special lighting requirements. These are our favorite lizard pets:

Leopard gecko: This is the ultimate beginner’s reptile. They are cute, social, and amazing to feed. They eat easily available insects like crickets and mealworms. They are nocturnal so they don’t need any special light to feel at home.

Bearded dragon: A reptile full of personality, beardies are easy to care for and love to interact with their owners. They are bigger than geckos and eat both insects and vegetables. They are awake during the day, making them perfect for the kids to watch in the daytime.

Chameleon: The most exotic of pet lizards, chameleons require a very specific environment to live in and are easily stressed with any level of handling. If you are looking for a display pet and ready to invest in the proper habitat, chameleons are a treat to watch. Their shifting colors are impressive.

Snakes

Corn snake curled up on wood chips
bluedog studio/Shutterstock.com

Snakes are an incredible animal that many love to admire but few venture into owning. They need space, a diet of live animals, and special care. If you are OK with feeding live prey to your snake on a regular basis, you will love the experience of having a pet snake. Here are our recommendations for beginners:

Corn snake: One of the friendliest snakes to handle, this native to the U.S. comes in a range of colors and is easy to feed. Corn snakes eat both live and frozen mice once a week on average.

Ball python: A great snake for beginners because of their small size. They are a bit shy and have a lifespan of 25 years. They don’t have any special tank requirements and come in many colors and patterns.

As you can see, reptiles are great pets to own. They are fascinating to watch, easy to care for, and will bring you hours of enjoyment. With the right equipment and attitude, you can easily create the perfect environment for them to thrive and be your companions for many years.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
PawTracks
PawTracks
Are bubbles in a fish tank a problem? They just might be
5 reasons bubbles in a fish tank might be there (and what to do)
Fish tank with healthy bubbles coming out of filter

Where there's water, there are bubbles. It's unavoidable and you'll be chasing an impossible dream if you try to eliminate them from your aquarium entirely. For starters, the filter produces a continuous stream, and that's a good thing! It means the system works. But some bubbles may reveal underlying problems with your water or with your inhabitants. So, why are there bubbles in your fish tank, and how do you know if those little oxygen sacks indicate an issue or a healthy ecosystem? Here's how to tell where they're coming from and figure out what to do about it.
Why are there bubbles on plants?
Like we said, bubbles are often totally normal — no action required. This will especially hold true if you have live plants, which produce oxygen naturally and sometimes hold on to it in the form of bubbles. Of course, those eventually dissipate, at which point the gas inside seeps into the water. That's good! Fish need to breathe just like the rest of us and do so through their gills by pulling oxygen from the water in the tank. These types of bubbles go on the good to neutral list.

Why are there bubbles covering the surface?
So, what happens when there's not enough oxygen for your fish to function happily? When they can't get it from the water, they'll make their way to the surface and breathe the air. Some fish do this frequently, as do aquatic frogs and other non-fish aquarium dwellers, so don't take that act alone as an immediate cause for concern.

Read more
Best reptile pets: These are the 5 most affectionate reptiles you can welcome into your home
These friendly reptiles will make great additions to your family
Basking Chinese water dragon

When you picture an adorable pet, you probably don't visualize an iguana. Reptiles aren't generally considered the cutest of animals, but that doesn't mean you can't find a cuddly one. Whether you're looking for a new buddy for yourself or for your lizard-obsessed kid, there's a reptilian beast out there that will work great in your home. With proper socialization, these guys can learn to be handled daily, some even by children. If you want a new pet that enjoys human company, consider one of these most affectionate slitherers — they're the best reptile pets for handling.
Are reptiles high maintenance?
Not necessarily. One of the things that makes reptiles tricky is how foreign some of their needs are. Parrots, dogs, and humans often have similar requirements for food, exercise, warmth, and water. Since we're all warm-blooded omnivores (for the most part), it feels natural to care for many of the animals we welcome into our homes.

Reptiles are totally different. You'll have to think carefully about heating lamps, cool spots, gut loading, moisture levels, and skin shedding. So you only want to go down this path if you feel ready. That being said, with the right mindset, many lizards, snakes, and turtles make solid beginner pets (a few species don't and we suggest holding off on those until you turn pro).

Read more
Check these 3 things immediately if you have fish swimming at the top of the tank
Here's what might be causing fish to swim on the top of their home
Fish swim around in a tank with a bubbler

Before you set up your first tank, you likely didn't realize how much work went into maintaining the perfect ecosystem. In nature, we have the checks and balances of evolution to guide the delicate balance, but in an aquarium, it's just you. Learning how to clean, feed, and decorate takes time and research but will certainly benefit you — and your swimmers — in the end. Since fish can't tell you what they feel or even bark to let you know they need something, you'll discover other cues that tell you something's up. If you find your fish swimming at the top of the tank, take action right away. Here's what to do when your fish spend too much time at the surface.
What does it mean when your fish swim to the top?
Usually, your fish go to the surface when they're not getting enough oxygen. Unlike you, fish use their gills to breathe the air that's already in the water. However, in some circumstances, there's not enough oxygen in the tank for all the fish to breathe easily. To combat this, they swim up to the surface, where there is oxygen-rich water. You may notice some gasping or other signs that they're not well while they are up there. 

How do you oxygenate a fish tank?
The basic solution is to keep your tank oxygen rich and also low in CO2. You can do this by moving the water a bit more with an air pump or fan, which exposes the liquid to the air and helps get it ready for easy breathing. Be careful not to negatively impact other factors like temperature (more on that in a bit). Whatever you decide, make sure you have a long-term solution in place or the fish will go right back to the top again.

Read more