Reptile Pets are Gaining Popularity in the US
In 2007, reptiles were kept as pets in 2% of US households. As of 2020, that has more than doubled to 4.5% of US households.
We expect the reptile hobby to continue growing, as Gen Zers are embracing these scaly creatures (18% reptile ownership in 2018 to 29% in 2022). You may also want a reptile of your own, but what’s the best reptile for you?
In this post, we’ll discuss 7 excellent reptile pets for beginners (in no particular order) based on temperament, appearance, and required level of care.
7 Best Reptile Pets for Beginners
1. Anoles
Location: North, Central, and South America
Natural Habitat: Warm and humid
Preferred Diet: Insectivorous
Temperament: Calm and docile
Lifespan under proper care: 4-8 years
An anole’s hardy and calm nature makes them great pets for first-time owners.
These lizards are very docile and relatively low-maintenance pets. Plus, their adult size is around 5-7 inches, so they don’t take up much space.
That said, we recommend at least a 20-gallon enclosure for anoles.
Anoles are insectivorous so they eat small flies, crickets, spiders, and beetles in the wild.
Before feeding your anole, you should gut-load these insects, while also supplementing them with multivitamins, calcium powder, and mealworms a few times per week.
2. Leopard Gecko
Location: Southern Asia and the Middle East
Natural Habitat: Arid semi-deserts with a lot of rocks
Preferred Diet: Insectivorous
Temperament: Shy and docile
Lifespan under proper care: 10-20 years
Their small size (7in-11in adult size), hardiness, and ease of care make them excellent reptile pets for beginners.
In fact, Leopard Geckos can live up to 20 years under proper care!
They’re active and entertaining to watch but are also relatively shy, so include hides and reptile rocks to give them some cover.
In the wild, they’re insectivores but will eat smaller lizards, snakes, and juvenile rodents.
In captivity, your pet leopard gecko will enjoy a diet of insects.
Offer your gecko gut-loaded crickets, grasshoppers, and mealworms, while also including a multivitamin and calcium supplement.
3. Bearded Dragon
Location: Across Australia
Natural Habitat: Arid and semi-arid environments
Preferred Diet: Insectivorous
Temperament: Docile and social
Lifespan under proper care: 8-10 years
The Bearded Dragon is arguably the most popular reptile pet in the world.
They are generally easy to take care of, don’t need a significant amount of space, and are very social.
A bearded dragon cage does require some extra accessories, however.
Elevated branches and other surfaces, a dry substrate, and low humidity are some important factors to consider.
Bearded Dragons are also diurnal (awake during the day and resting at night). And as they age, they become more social and accepting of being handled!
Their diet in captivity should consist mainly of crickets and mealworms and remember to always gut-load your feeder insects and add a vitamin supplement.
They don’t need as much water as tropical reptiles, but it’s best to include a water dish that you clean out and refill each day.
4. Blue Tongue Skink
Location: Australia and New Guinea
Natural Habitat: Forests, scrublands, and deserts
Preferred Diet: Omnivorous
Temperament: Calm and docile
Lifespan under proper care: 15-20 years
The blue tongue is one of the most common pet skinks today because of its calm temperament and unique physical features.
Because they’re so relaxed, you can find blue tongues strolling along in suburban areas without any issues.
They are a terrestrial species, so they won’t need additional accessories for climbing, except for an elevated surface or two for a basking spot.
Learn more about their temperature requirements.
Blue tongue skinks are omnivores, open to eating a variety of foods.
You can feed a juvenile skink a 50/50 mix of small insects and fruits and veggies. As an adult, you can offer it larger insects, feeder mice, and a lot of leafy greens once every two days.
5. Chinese Water Dragon
Location: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Southern China
Natural Habitat: Forests with warm temperatures and relatively high humidity
Preferred Diet: Omnivorous
Temperament: Calm and docile
Lifespan under proper care: 10-15 years
Chinese water dragons are much bigger lizards than the others listed here, measuring between 2 and 4 feet as an adult.
Still, they’re very hardy, easy to care for, and have very kind personalities.
However, their enclosure can be quite complex.
Chinese water dragons spend a lot of their time in trees but are also excellent swimmers. So, not only will you have elevated surfaces and branches, but you’ll also have a water feature in the habitat.
Our sister company, Custom Aquariums, builds custom paludariums to easily fit these land and water elements.
As for their diet, Chinese water dragons are omnivores and eat a variety of foods.
Make sure to feed them different types of insects, fruits, and veggies with each meal. If you feed them the same thing every time, they may get bored and refuse to eat.
Here are a few more tips for feeding a Chinese Water Dragon.
6. Ball Python
Location: Across Central Africa
Natural Habitat: Warm grasslands, savannas, and wooded areas
Preferred Diet: Carnivorous
Temperament: Shy and docile
Lifespan under proper care: 20-30 years
Ball Pythons are non-poisonous and known for being docile snakes.
They’re also somewhat shy and secluded, so if you’re looking for a snake that requires little interaction, a ball python is a good choice.
This snake grows to about 5 feet long, so you’ll need an enclosure that lets your python stretch out, climb surfaces, and burrow under a substrate.
Snakes grow fast, so instead of buying multiple enclosures as they grow, you may want to find an enclosure for an adult python, regardless of its current age/size.
Ball Pythons are relatively easy to care for, too. They will generally keep to themselves and only request food and water.
As a juvenile, you can offer pre-killed feeder mice once every 5 days. For adult ball pythons, you can feed them larger pre-killed mice and rats once every week or two. And as usual, supply the snake with fresh water every day.
7. Corn Snake
Location: North to South Eastern United States
Natural Habitat: Moderate temperatures in meadowlands, rocky hillsides, wooded groves
Preferred Diet: Carnivorous
Temperament: Calm and docile
Lifespan under proper care: 15-20 years
These snakes are one of the most popular pet snakes.
They’re recommended for beginners because of their calm temperament and ease of care. Corn snakes also grow to around 5 feet long as adults, so we recommend our Model 433 Cage.
Feeding your corn snake is pretty easy as well.
Feed a juvenile corn snake pre-killed feeder mice once per week. For an adult corn snake, offer larger pre-killed mice or rats once every two weeks.
Conclusion
These are some of the most popular repitles in our Vision Cages, and judging by their temperament, appearance, and level of care, it’s easy to see why.
Based on your preference and experience, maybe you’d prefer a different reptile than the ones listed here.
Just make sure you have the proper accessories and equipment in place for any reptile you have. These include:
- Substrate
- Hides
- Heating
- Humidity
- Lighting
- Natural Decor
These are all essential to the health and comfort of your pet.
We offer an array of reptile cages, accessories, and climate control options.
Check out all of our reptile enclosures and accessories. You might find your reptile’s forever home!