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?

These are the best reptile pets for an affectionate home

No type of pet will work well for everyone, and you’ll be surprised how individual these animals can be, but we can give a few recs that will likely fit right into your family.

Bearded dragon

Typically known for being friendly and even enjoying being handled, bearded dragons can become close companions with their humans. As they get to know you, they’ll often learn to climb on your body and even ride around on your shoulders.

Bearded dragons can grow up to 24 inches long and live for up to 15 years. These friendly lizards are most active during the day, and they eat a diet of vegetables, plants, insects, and fruits. They are relatively easy to care for and train, and they are ideal for first-time reptile owners. Bearded dragons are not nocturnal, making them great pets to have around for daytime enjoyment.

Leopard gecko

Leopard geckos are known for their calm nature, which makes them easy to handle. Their small size, ranging from 7 to 10 inches long, adds to their manageability, and many will happily climb all over their owners. They typically live between six and 10 years in captivity.

Like other gecko breeds, leopard geckos can lose their tails if they’re injured and grow them back. They’re relatively easy to care for and often do well in a 10-gallon aquarium. Females of the same size can be housed together, and because leopard geckos don’t have sticky feet, they can’t climb the sides of the tank.

These small pets are a good choice for first-time owners, making them one of the best reptile pets. Kids can handle them as someone supervises the children and warns them of the potential to harm the gecko’s tail.

Argentine black and white tegu

Sometimes called the giant tegu, this lizard can be an excellent pet. With proper socialization, tegus are friendly and social, and they can even be housebroken. Adults tend to be highly docile, and these lizards are smart, too. Keep in mind that if your tegu isn’t socialized, it can show aggressive behavior, so this is a pet to take on only if your schedule allows you to handle it regularly.

Tegus are larger lizards, and they’ll require a cage measuring at least 6 feet long. These reptiles can live for 15 to 20 years and can grow to be up to 3 feet long. They have powerful tails that they can use as weapons in a fight. They eat a diet of meat, vegetables, and fruits, and because of their size, they require significantly more food than a group of smaller reptiles with a shorter life span.

A tegu can be a great pet for a family with older children who are carefully supervised when handling the lizard. A tegu will do best with frequent socialization and interaction. These needs, paired with its increased care requirements, make it suitable only for an owner who is dedicated to the time and financial investment this pet will require.

Chinese water dragon

Chinese water dragons are typically easy to tame, and they can be social and laid-back. They’re a friendlier alternative to the iguana, and when fully grown they measure between two and three feet long. They also have a 10- to 15-year life expectancy, making them a great option for a reptile fan who can commit long-term to a pet’s care.

While Chinese water dragons may be friendly, they aren’t ideal for first-time reptile owners. They have complex care needs, including a minimum 6-foot-tall enclosure, UVB lighting, a precise temperature and humidity range, and a diet that includes some live foods like crickets and mealworms. Chinese water dragons do best when housed alone, since same-sex adults can fight. As a result, they’re perfect for avid, experienced reptile owners who have plenty of space and time to dedicate to their care.

Corn snake

Corn snakes are ideal for new pet owners, thanks to their docile and friendly nature. These snakes grow to be large enough to be handled regularly, even by kids, but because they don’t get over 6 feet long, they won’t overwhelm new snake owners. Their gorgeous colors and availability at most pet shops make them popular, too.

Corn snakes are also relatively easy to care for. Smaller snakes do well in a 20-gallon aquarium, and they can live into their 20s. These snakes don’t require any special lighting, and their diet consists mainly of mice.

Your pet corn snake may be nervous about being approached at first, but careful, quiet, and frequent handling can help them learn to be touched without protest. They’re a good choice for older children who want a snake, or for entire families who want to get their first reptile.

Choosing the right reptile

When choosing the right reptile for your home, do some thorough research into the care requirements. Remember that even if you choose one of these most affectionate reptiles, you’ll still need to socialize your pet so that it learns to be friendly toward people. Reptiles can have very specific care needs when it comes to diet, habitat, and even the temperature and humidity of their enclosure, so be prepared to meet these before you bring home a new pet.

The first step in getting a new pet of any species is research. You want to make sure you’re adopting or purchasing your pet from a reputable breeder who uses ethical sourcing techniques to acquire their animals. While veterinarians suggest that all pet parents spay and neuter their companions, some animals can be bred without causing distress to you or your pet.

One of the easiest pets to breed is the bearded dragon. With that being said, we recommend having experience under your belt before you embark on your journey as a breeder. Here’s what you should know about breeding bearded dragons.

Is my beardie male or female?

When they’re babies, it’s really difficult to tell the sex of your lizard. Wait until he or she reaches maturity before making that determination, which is actually a good thing for breeding. You don’t want to start your female reptile before 18 months for health reasons. In order to look at the little beast, you need to get comfortable enough to feel the underbelly, so give it a few days after bringing your beardie home.

Then do a hemipenal check. While your pet rests safely, gently lift up the tail at the base and see if you spot hemipenal bulges in his underbelly. See them? You have a male. If it doesn’t work the first time, grab a flashlight to help you with the process. Don’t forget, your exotic vet can always assist if you find yourself stumped by this method.

What prep and gear do I need?

Most of what you require for breeding, you should already have for successfully keeping beardies in the first place. That means a large cage, substrate, accessories, and heating and UVB lamps. Those are just the absolute basics necessary to maintain good health and happiness in your herps.

Additionally, you’ll want a separate tank to move the female to while she’s gravid, and also a lay box. Once the eggs are laid, you may decide to incubate them in a separate area with its own heating and hydrating system.

Lastly, you must have a place ready to go for any babies that do come around.

How do I breed my female beardie?

• Don’t breed a female unless she’s very healthy with a balanced diet and good habitat.
• It seems counterintuitive, but you actually want to decrease the light and temperature for part of the day for a few months to get her into the groove.
• Introduce the male slowly and ensure they adjust to each other properly; you don’t usually have to worry about either of them becoming too aggressive during the process (even if it looks a bit scary to you).
• After a month or two, she’ll lay the eggs.

It’s extremely normal for them not to take the first time; don’t despair if you wind up with unfertilized eggs. Wait and then try again in the future. 

What do I do with the babies?

While the eggs rest, you still must carefully monitor them and keep conditions optimal. When hatching time comes, leave the new little babies alone and let them do their thing. Have an enclosure prepared and start finding forever homes for your mini lizards. You likely won’t want to keep two dozen more beardies in addition to the male and female you already have. This is where you could recoup some of your costs.

If you have local friends or stores that might help facilitate the sales, that’s a great way to go. Otherwise, look into online postings on reputable websites. You could get up to $50 per animal, though remember that you need to deduct your equipment costs from that. When you add in all the time it takes to care for both parents and babies, you won’t typically make much profit.

While many methods of bearded dragon breeding are ethical, you do want to make sure you don’t contribute to an oversupply of pets. Never hatch more babies than you can sell or give away, and do your own research to confirm they wind up in good homes (as best as you can). You can help assure this by only allowing each individual to purchase a few animals and asking them about their setup and knowledge of herping. And wait to get into it until you’re ready! Most owners become experts in their dragons before jumping into the mating game.

So does that mean you can’t own a turtle unless you meet someone in a trench coat for the exchange? There’s a right way to go about this and we’ll tell you how.

What are the problems with owning a turtle?

Before you jump into any reptile ownership, you should carefully research their needs and behaviors. Because they’re an entirely different class of animals from us, they don’t necessarily act the way you might think. In addition to all the usual worries, like preventing animals from being kept in inhumane conditions, there are three main problems that can occur with irresponsible turtle ownership.

Salmonella

We noted at the top that turtles have been linked to salmonella outbreaks. You need to get your animal from a reputable pet store, preferably in your neighborhood and not online (where shady deals can be harder to spot). On top of that, the CDC recommends that no one keep turtles in a house with any humans under 5 or over 65 or who have a compromised immune system.

Illegal trading

As mentioned, more and more people are bringing home these beasties and as a result, some unethical importers have turned to wild-caught creatures. In many places, this is illegal, but that doesn’t stop people from capturing and then selling them to families. These actions have contributed to dwindling populations and low birth rates among some turtle species around the globe.

Abandonment

When you bring home any animal, you commit to them for life. In the case of a turtle, that could be decades. These pets are occasionally included in wills because they live so long! Because of that, they are often taken to a creek and let loose, sometimes with devastating results.

While all turtles might look the same to you, owners might be introducing a non-native species (and they might not be ready to face the great outdoors) into the wild. If you absolutely must rehome your animal, surrender them to a shelter.

How can I ethically add a turtle pet to my home?

Don’t worry. You can absolutely own a happy turtle for decades (since they’re one of the longest-living pets, though tortoises absolutely have them beat). By following these steps, you’re all but ensuring you’re being a safe, ethical, and legal turtle pet parent.

Research your breeder

We emphasize the importance of this, but it can be tricky, nonetheless. One option, consider adopting a turtle from a rescue or even a friend who can no longer care for them. Remember, you will have this companion for a long time, so it doesn’t matter if they’ve already got some life behind them. Alternatively, seek out a store with information about their breeding program and ask questions! You can also read reviews to confirm that the animals are doing well after they leave the shop.

Set up a good home

It’s best not to buy a pet on a whim. You’ll need to get their house set up in plenty of time before they arrive with all the correct lighting, accessories, and care items. The most important part of this is buying a tank that’s big enough for your animal. Turtles should never go in fish bowls or hamster cages, even if they look similar.

Feed and care for the turtle

All pets need to be taken care of and turtles are no different, which means a proper diet and enough exercise and stimulation plus the TLC you give to any scaly friend. Believe it or not, turtles can become attached to their people and even show affection, learn their names, and memorize a few simple tricks. Show them that you’re in their corner by always providing the best care (and turtle treats).

Plan ahead

Jonathan the tortoise celebrated his 190th birthday in 2022. For context, that’s the year Andrew Jackson was re-elected president (Jonathan’s lived through 40 of them). A turtle (or tortoise) might look appealing when you have elementary-aged kids and then seem like a burden after they leave for college. As soon as you begin the reptile conversation, discuss what your care plan will be if/when your little guy reaches a half-century in age.

Turtles make great pets, but it’s important that you fully commit to bringing home and raising an animal in the most ethical way possible. That means not buying a tiny reptile nor grabbing a little guy from a disreputable source, and also thinking through their care plan for decades to come (in case they outlive you or you wind up unable to keep them long term). And this is not to mention the daily feedings, cage cleanings, and substrate changings you’ll have to go through as part of regular maintenance. As long as you put in a little work beforehand, you can enjoy many Testudine occasions for the next 40 or so years.

But have you ever wondered, “Can snakes swim?” — and which snakes can swim? Well, the answer, interestingly, is all of them.

And no, swimming ability doesn’t depend on whether a snake is venomous or not. Some swim partially submerged with only their heads above the water, and others with practically their entire bodies gliding on the surface.

The next question is,  how do snakes swim without any limbs?

In the article below, we’ll discuss exactly how and why some of these serpents go for a dive and others ride the waves.

Snakes move in four ways

To understand how snakes can swim, you need to know how they move at all. A snake’s entire body is lined with muscle underneath its scales, and it uses those muscles and scales in combination to progress across the landscape. Here are the four ways snakes move.

Concertina method

In tight spaces, one might observe a snake using the concertina method to propel himself forward. It’s a bit like how an inchworm moves, actually. First, the snake anchors the rear of its body by pressing against the ground or an object. It then pushes forward with the rest of its body. Then it drops its head and sort of hangs onto the ground with its chin while skootching the rest of its body forward.

Rectilinear method

In this method, the snake creeps forward in a straight line. It’s a slow crawl, and the snake basically uses the broad scales on its stomach to clutch the earth and push itself forward.

Serpentine method

This is the kind of movement that you normally think of when you picture a snake slithering across the ground —  wavy. The snake pushes off from a resting state from just about anything next it. It then uses momentum to stay in motion, undulating its body and using its belly scales to push itself forward.

Sidewinding

Snakes primarily use this type of motion when they’re on a surface that’s hard for their stomach scales to grip, such as mud or sand. The snake will throw its head forward and wriggle its body in the same direction. As its body moves, the snake throws its head forward yet again, so its motion continues.

How do snakes swim?

So far so good, but how exactly do snakes move their bodies through water?

The answer is that snakes use nearly the same motions in water as they do on land. When you see a snake essentially bodysurfing across the top of the water, it’s most often using the serpentine method discussed above. That’s true whether on a pond, a lake, or the sea

The snake uses the surface tension of the water combined with its movement to stay afloat. When a snake undulates in the water, drawing what amounts to an “S” with its body, it applies force to the water behind it. That force propels the snake forward through the water.

Not all snakes swim as well as others

Although most snakes move quite well on land, the same cannot be said for moving in or across the water. Of course, certain snake species have adapted to an aquatic environment, such as sea snakes. These guys are expert swimmers. Certain freshwater snake species are also better swimmers than their mostly terrestrial counterparts.

Snakes that have adapted to a life near or in water have bodies that are a little more flattened, and some even have tails that may remind you of a paddle. Of course, this helps them dart forward and move faster and more efficiently than land-based snakes.

Additionally, some sea snakes are known to travel great distances, sometimes from island to island!

So, water is no barrier to snakes. All of them can swim using the same four movements that propel them over land (and trees and mountains) even without limbs. Some snakes skim and some submerge to get through water, but all of them can navigate this challenging part of their environment.

Jackson acquired two of her school guinea pigs with help from The Pet Care Trust’s Pets in the Classroom grant program. These grants provide financial support to teachers for the adoption or purchase and maintenance of small animals in Pre-K through Grade 9 classes. Since its inception in 2010, the program has impacted more than 8.1 million students across the U.S. and Canada.

Caring for classroom pets provides numerous benefits for students

More than a thousand teachers responded to a recent Pets in the Classroom survey on the impact classroom pets have on their students. The results revealed a wide variety of benefits including:

Decreased anxiety

Almost 95 percent of teachers reported a decrease in anxiety among students when around classroom pets.

Greater empathy and compassion

Ninety-eight percent of teachers noticed an increase in empathy and compassion. One respondent said her students acted more calmly to avoid stressing their pet guinea pigs.

Improvement in academic performance

Eighty-four percent of respondents saw an improvement in academic performance with one teacher saying her students greatly improved their reading test scores by reading to the classroom fish.

Increased social skills

Ninety-six percent of teachers saw an increase in social skills with students connecting over a shared love of their classroom pet.

Increase in student engagement

Ninety-eight percent of teachers said caring for classroom pets was an enriching experience for students. One ecology teacher shared that caring for fish in the classroom is a practical way to make learning come alive for her students

Things to consider before adding a pet to the classroom

According to the Pets in the Classroom grant program teachers should ask the following questions before choosing a classroom pet:

• How much experience do I have caring for a pet?
• How long am I willing to care for the pet?
• How noisy is my classroom?
• Does the pet I’m considering enjoy being handled?
• Do any of my students have allergies?
• Can I cover the cost of pet care including any special diet and veterinary expenses?
• Are there local laws making certain pets off-limits?
• Who will take care of the classroom pet during school breaks?

Here are 6 animals that make great classroom pets

1. Coldwater fish

Classroom aquariums are soothing and tranquil as well as visually intriguing for young children. Fish are a great option for teachers who don’t want children handling pets. Students can participate in the care of the fish including feeding and water changes. Aquarists at LiveAquaria say that classroom aquariums can be used to teach students about such topics as fish anatomy, the food chain, the water cycle, or the nitrogen cycle.

2. Guinea pigs

Veterinarian Laurie Hess highly recommends guinea pigs as classroom pets. In a Vetstreet article, Hess describes these cute critters as hardy, fairly long-lived rodents that can be safely handled by most children with adult supervision. Small children are especially drawn to these friendly gentle animals. Students learn responsibility by helping to clean their pet’s cage while also helping to change the food, water, and bedding.

3. Leopard geckos

Young children are attracted to these cute reptiles because of their gorgeous big eyes, smiling faces, and leopard spots. Leopard geckos are quiet and friendly making them a wonderful choice for the classroom. These pets are happy when gently held and will thrill students by walking across their hands. A well-balanced leopard gecko diet consists of crickets, small mealworms, and waxworms along with fresh, clean drinking water. All reptiles carry salmonella bacteria, so students must be taught to wash their hands after handling their gecko.

4. Rats

Rats are clean, friendly, affectionate, and entertaining making them a popular choice for the classroom. In a PetMD article, veterinarian, Clark Fobian says rats make great school pets because they are intelligent and easy to care for. These rodents enjoy performing tricks and students can offer stimulation by providing a variety of toys and strategically arranging climbing robes inside their pet’s enclosure.

5. Hermit crabs

Hermit crabs make unusual and interesting classroom pets for children of all ages. In nature, they travel in packs of up to 100 so it’s best to keep at least two together in a classroom environment. Caring for these little crabs is a science lesson for students who learn how to keep their school pets healthy by creating a humid environment. Young students are intrigued that hermit crabs live in shells. They also love discovering that their pets have different personalities with some being more outgoing and curious than others.

6. Gerbils

Gerbils are energetic and friendly and are active during the day which makes them great classroom companions. They enjoy living in pairs and teachers should make sure they are of the same sex to avoid breeding. They do well in 10-gallon aquariums with a secure wire-mesh cover.  Decorating the enclosure with exercise wheels, toys and bedding makes for a fun class project. These rodents will provide lots of entertainment as they tunnel their way through the substrate in their enclosure.

Finally, experts at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals say that introducing a classroom pet should always start with a lesson on responsible care and commitment to animal guardianship. The nonprofit encourages teachers to turn to shelters and rescues when looking for a school pet. In addition to saving a life, educators will be teaching students a valuable lesson about compassion for animals.

The class Reptilia is a diverse group of animals that range from the tiniest lizards to the largest turtles. They’re the distant evolutionary cousin of birds defined by a few unique characteristics, including the internal fertilization of their young and scales covering at least part of their bodies (via Britannica). Apart from these essential traits, reptiles are incredibly variable and can only be classified into a few large groups.

There are four major groups — called “orders” in biology — of reptiles. Crocodilia includes (you guessed it) crocodiles, as well as alligators, caimans, and gharials. The order Sphenodontia includes tuataras, a New Zealand–native species closely related to lizards (which, along with snakes, make up the order Squamata). The fourth and final order of reptiles is Testudines, which includes turtles, tortoises, and terrapins.

Sound like a lot! Don’t worry! While each order of reptile has its own unique characteristics and life journeys, they all follow the same basic life cycle. We’ll break it down for you here, so you’ll be a reptile expert in no time.

What are the four stages of the reptile life cycle? Is it the same for all reptiles?

Although the specifics of a reptile’s life stages vary from species to species (and even by individual!), there are four main steps in the life cycle of most of these animals.

Egg

Typically, a reptile spends time developing as an egg at the beginning of its life, though a few species do give live birth. As an egg, an animal might be the only child at the time or might be part of a group, or “clutch,” of up to 100 eggs (via Brittanica). A fairly accurate theory is that smaller lizards tend to have smaller clutches, but body size isn’t the only factor in the number of eggs or neonates per litter.

Hatchling

As a hatchling, most reptiles are already abandoned by their parents. Of all reptiles, only crocodiles and their relatives care for their young. Some lizards and snakes guard their eggs (pythons even incubate them), but as soon as the eggs hatch, the mother moves on and the young are left to fend for themselves in the wild. This is one large reason why mortality rates are so high for most reptile young.

Juvenile

Juvenile reptiles are still easy targets for many predators, though the danger declines significantly as the babies grow. Britannica notes that research on reptile growth is limited, but most smaller species tend to do most of their maturing in the juvenile stage.

Adulthood

By the time they reach adulthood, they will have attained their full size. A few larger species, however, have indeterminate growth, which means that growth can occur in adulthood. While most of the animal’s energy will go toward reproduction, periods with bountiful food or a lack of mates might redirect energy and nutrition to further growth instead.

How long do reptiles live? What determines a reptile’s average life expectancy?

Once they reach adulthood, most reptiles have a much higher chance of survival in the wild. In fact, reptiles are known for being some of the longest-living species in the animal kingdom! Some species of Testudines have especially long lives; Guinness World Records awarded Jonathan the tortoise with the title of Oldest Living Land Animal (187 years!) in February 2019.

In general, Britannica claims, the larger the reptile the longer the life span. Compared with Jonathan the tortoise, box turtles don’t seem especially hardy, clocking in at around 30 years at their oldest. Large lizards, snakes, and crocodiles can live for over 20 years. Although these numbers have been recorded in captivity, these animals are larger than most people are willing to keep as a pet. The corn snake, a popular pet for a beginner reptile keeper, tends to live for an average of 10 years, for example. Here are the expected life spans for a few common pet reptiles, compliments of Merck Veterinary Manual:

• Ball python: 15 to 20 years
• Bearded dragon: 5 to 10 years
• Eastern box turtle: 25 to 50 years
• Green iguana: 5 to 15 years
• King snake: 10 to 15 years
• Leopard gecko: 20+ years
• Leopard tortoise: 50+ years
• Old World chameleons: 3 to 8 years

Whether you’re on the verge of choosing reptiles as pets or you’d rather learn about them from a distance, they are fascinating creatures to research and observe. They’ll interact with you in ways other animals cannot, and, with some TLC throughout their lives, they’re sure to be around for a long time.

Painted turtles are also omnivores and like a wide variety of foods. While many of these can be placed in their housing, you should also have a separate feeding tank, which will massively cut down on the mess. All food from the main tank will have to be scooped out daily; otherwise, it rots. Nevertheless, feeding your turtle can be fun, and occasionally they can even eat what you do.

What do painted turtles eat?

When she’s a baby, you should give her food every day, but an adult eats only every two to three days. Also, females get bigger than males and may require slightly more food to accommodate their extra size. Large meals will hopefully take place in a separate tank to cut down on any mess, but you can include some snacks, like leafy greens, for her to nibble on in her main home.

You might even clip these to the side of the housing so that she can access her food anytime, and you’ll spot her happily heading over for a midday munching as she desires. As mentioned, the most important thing is variety. Even if she likes a certain morsel best, you need to give her other food items. These things should be the staple of her diet:

• Aquatic turtle pellets from the pet store
• Proteins, such as hard-boiled egg, chicken, and beef
• Leafy greens like romaine, parsley, and kale
• Veggies, such as peppers, green beans, peas, and corn
• Flowers, including roses and dandelions

What don’t painted turtles eat?

Even though you want to mix things up for her, there are still some foods that should always be avoided. Many things will fill her up, but lack enough nutrients, and others will provide too much of a bad thing. A little salt is fine, but a lot will harm her, just as it would you. Specifically, you can never give certain types of human sustenance that, while great for our bellies, will not be good for hers. Keep these out of your turtle tank:

• Veggies that don’t include calories, like celery and iceberg lettuce
• Pet foo,d such as dog and cat kibble, because it’s too salty
• Dessert, including chocolate and sugary snacks
• Dairy, since turtles can’t break it down in their digestive system

What foods make good occasional treats?

You should stick with about 45% greens, 45% pellets and proteins, and 10% treats. That means delivering a special snack only once a week or so. Lots of delicacies contain too much fat or salt to serve as staples but will allow your turtle an extra-delicious dinner. (Think of it as a night out for your pet and pamper her accordingly.)

Put together a calendar system, like a whiteboard, to track how often you put an extra into her meal. Alternatively, pick a “treat day” and stay consistent. This reptile enjoys hunting, so live fish and insects will keep her stimulated and full (this will make a mess, though). As part of her food rotation, you should stick with:

• Feeder fish like guppies and goldfish
• Dried brine shrimp made for turtles
• Fruit, such as blueberries, apples, and strawberries
• Bugs, including crickets and worms

We can’t stress this enough: Your little pet needs a variety of textures, nutrients, and flavors to stay healthy and happy. Keep other parts of the schedule consistent, though, as that will help her stick to a good routine. Even with the perfect diet, you’ll probably want to add supplements — mainly calcium powder or a little calcium block. Dusting food with vitamins and nutrients makes it easy to incorporate them into her meal. Work closely with a reptile vet to establish a really solid feeding plan and update it as your turtle ages. Remember, these little guys live for decades, so you want to ensure you have not just a good meal plan but a solid life plan as well.