An Overview of Pet Reptiles for Beginners

Reptiles can be excellent pets, yet inexperienced owners may find the cost and care requirements challenging. Many leave pet stores with incorrect care information, leading to surprise and unpreparedness. Such unmet expectations can sour the experience and even harm the reptile.

Best Reptiles for Beginners

Some reptiles aren’t suited for beginners because of their diet, environment, or adult size. However, several beginner-friendly reptiles are available. These reptiles require less maintenance, but a significant initial investment in equipment is necessary. Research thoroughly and prepare your enclosure before bringing home your new pet.

Lizards 

Iguanas, though common, aren’t ideal for beginners due to their size, aggressive behavior at maturity, and specific dietary and environmental needs. Other lizards, like Chinese water dragons, also have stringent requirements for heat, humidity, lighting, and diet. Nonetheless, there are a few lizards that are suitable for beginners.

• Leopard Geckos: These are ideal for beginners due to their small size and easy care. An adult requires a 15–20 gallon tank. Although nocturnal and not requiring specialized UVA/UVB lighting, a low-level UVB light is recommended for health benefits. They are insectivores who need a varied diet and are docile and easy to handle.
• Bearded Dragons: Challenging for beginners mainly due to equipment needs, these Australian reptiles grow to 18–24 inches and need a 50-gallon tank for adults. Frill-necked lizards, a similar species, are also suitable for beginners. Both are desert dwellers requiring high temperatures and UVA/UVB light, with bulbs being costly and lasting about six months. Although the required enclosure is a financial investment, these lizards are entertaining and tame easily. They need a diet of insects when young and a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit as adults.

Snakes

The primary challenge for snake owners is their dietary needs. Most pet snakes require whole prey, like mice or rats, with pre-killed options being preferred. However, snakes generally need feeding only once a week or less, allowing them to be left alone for days without a sitter. Additionally, they do not require UVA/UVB lighting.

• Corn Snakes: These beautiful snakes are docile and easy to care for. They reach an adult length of only three to five feet or so and can be expected to live 10 years or more. Corn snakes are excellent escape artists and need an enclosure with a tight-fitting lid, though!
• Ball Pythons: A small constricting snake, ball pythons are usually quite docile and easy to care for. They do have a reputation for refusing to eat so potential owners should be persistent in finding a healthy captive bred ball python (you may even want to ask for a feeding demonstration to ensure the snake will readily take killed mice). Ball pythons can be expected to live a long life (20-30 years) and are possibly the most common kind of pet snake.

Turtles

Thankfully, the trend of marketing turtles, particularly red-eared sliders, as ideal pets for kids has diminished. Aquatic turtles can grow large and become messy, often becoming less interesting to children. Meeting the housing and environmental needs of most turtles and tortoises is challenging. Getting a turtle requires significant preparation and commitment.

• Eastern Box Turtles: Long-lived and smaller than many tortoises, these turtles lack the aquatic needs of red-eared sliders, making for less maintenance. Eastern box turtles can adapt to varied climates and are omnivores, consuming both plants and insects.