Best Lizards?

What's your fav lizard?

never owned one before but i have always wanted a big orangey iguana - supremely cool animal - only draw back is that they need Burm level enclosures lol but if i ever got in the lizard game this is what i would get

I like bearded dragons for their big personality & inclination to interact with us, despite being labor-intensive pets- but I should note that of the listed species, I've only kept one other* to which I can make a good comparison. (*a leopard gecko) I very much like tiny desert night lizards as well as Tokay geckos & others- but that doesn't mean I recommend them either.

All have their own appeal as well as drawbacks, so rather than picking a pet based on what others recommend, it's really important to look inward & make sure to choose a good match for your personal "KSA's" as well as your expectations & lifestyle. The best use of a poll like this might be just to point out a creature you've never thought of before- so you can further research it.

I have no plans to add any critters here at this time- but if I "had to pick a lizard pet" to keep now, knowing what I know, it would be another c/b Tokay gecko- I don't go for size in creatures, but I do love a challenge. :D And besides that, they're amazing.

The "best" pet lizard generally is probably a crested gecko. Easiest care of any lizards I've kept, and among the hardest to cause permanent damage to. Interactive and easy to get along with, and cheap to feed and house.

Green iguanas are terrible pet lizards. YR is on the right track with enclosure needs, but add in some of the same sorts of handling issues I suppose some of the giant snakes have, and top it off with nutritional and UVB complications that no giant snakes have and that's an iguana. They should be an animal you have to know a guy who knows a guy to get a hold of one.

My fave lately are viper geckos. Relatively bulletproof, simple care and a lot more personality and handleability than their size lets on.


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Originally Posted by Malum Argenteum

The "best" pet lizard generally is probably a crested gecko. Easiest care of any lizards I've kept, and among the hardest to cause permanent damage to. Interactive and easy to get along with, and cheap to feed and house.

Green iguanas are terrible pet lizards. YR is on the right track with enclosure needs, but add in some of the same sorts of handling issues I suppose some of the giant snakes have, and top it off with nutritional and UVB complications that no giant snakes have and that's an iguana. They should be an animal you have to know a guy who knows a guy to get a hold of one.

My fave lately are viper geckos. Relatively bulletproof, simple care and a lot more personality and handleability than their size lets on.


[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...0194_thumb.jpg[/IMG]

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not to derail but it would depend on the giant! (and one’s definition of what constitutes a “giant”) eg: elephant trunk snakes could be in the “giant” category by virtue of females reaching 7+ feet and are insanely difficult to keep in captivity on all levels (husbandry, prey sourcing, etc) but otherwise yes

Don't forget that we're all individuals too- and most of us, regardless of experience, will take the best care of whatever creature appeals most to us- we'll be more motivated to learn about them, prepare the right accommodations for them, & then be committed to keeping up with their needs.

The most important thing is to do your research, well before you bring any pet home- resist buying any animal on impulse -those acquisitions often do not end well. Never just take the seller's word for what they need, whether it's a private seller or a pet store- listen, but then check multiple sources. All animals do better when we're actually ready for them, & when we're sure that we can afford their care long-term.

to what Bogs said i feel the only real “dodgy” (not bad) lizard choice here imo would be crocodile monitor only insomuch as it’s big and potentially, real dangerous but ultimately it depends on the keeper - not everybody is going to be operating on the same level of others and that’s totally ok - i know i reference arachnids a lot but i legit know some keepers who have been in arachnid keeping for multiple decades who only and exclusively work with “beginner tier” species like the Brachypelma genus just the same as there are other arachnid keepers, such as myself, who exclusively worked with “expert tier” species like the Hottentotta genus - that’s ultimately what makes the hobby so cool is that everyone has a place in this respect

so i think the answer would vary and is like Bogs said “the best choice is what’s best for you individually” - for most people, lizards like beardies would be the best for other people who are more involved maybe it is iguana or water monitor

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Originally Posted by YungRasputin

to what Bogs said i feel the only real “dodgy” (not bad) lizard choice here imo would be crocodile monitor only insomuch as it’s big and potentially, real dangerous but ultimately it depends on the keeper - not everybody is going to be operating on the same level of others and that’s totally ok - i know i reference arachnids a lot but i legit know some keepers who have been in arachnid keeping for multiple decades who only and exclusively work with “beginner tier” species like the Brachypelma genus just the same as there are other arachnid keepers, such as myself, who exclusively worked with “expert tier” species like the Hottentotta genus - that’s ultimately what makes the hobby so cool is that everyone has a place in this respect

so i think the answer would vary and is like Bogs said “the best choice is what’s best for you individually” - for most people, lizards like beardies would be the best for other people who are more involved maybe it is iguana or water monitor

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I hate to say this, but those green iguanas can hurt you too, & they get quite large (if they're properly kept so they live long enough). They've got claws & can bite, but bear in mind they can also whip their tail & have been known to cut people's flesh right down to the bone with it. Just saying. The male iguanas have been known to react badly & territorially to adult women also- it's weird but it happens.

I'm not really familiar with crocodile monitors, but from what I've heard (or read) from monitor keepers, most monitors are a challenge anyway- & the bigger they get, the truer that is. One thing many people may not think about is that monitors DIG. I mean, there's just many different ways that animals can be "challenging", lol.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I hate to say this, but those green iguanas can hurt you too, & they get quite large (if they're properly kept so they live long enough). They've got claws & can bite, but bear in mind they can also whip their tail & have been known to cut people's flesh right down to the bone with it. Just saying. The male iguanas have been known to react badly & territorially to adult women also- it's weird but it happens.

I'm not really familiar with crocodile monitors, but from what I've heard (or read) from monitor keepers, most monitors are a challenge anyway- & the bigger they get, the truer that is. One thing many people may not think about is that monitors DIG. I mean, there's just many different ways that animals can be "challenging", lol.

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re: crocodile monitors - they are comparable to water monitors except they more reliable reach 8+ feet in length, and also, have bigger teeth and claws which are super duper sharp (eg: see Crutchfield’s injuries pertaining to his crocs) - my point was mainly just that yes iguanas and the like are probably not suited *for most* lizard keepers just the same as mainland Burms, Afrocks, mainland Retics, green/yellow anacondas, and other “giants” are probably not suitable *for most* snake keepers - i would say that it takes a huge level of commitment that people should be ready to make when getting into keeping those sorts of animals much the same as you would say, farm animals (eg: most pet owners don’t have the experience or means to keep cows - cow attacks outrank both large snake, large lizard, and dog attacks - 75% of those cow attacks being from cows with past aggressive behaviors [CDC])

reference: per year in the US there are 0.43 large snake fatalities (10 fatalities in the last 30 years), 5 venomous snake fatalities, 16 dog fatalities and 22 cow fatalities

crocodile monitors are probably from what i know the closest you can get to legally owning a Komodo dragon in the states lol so probably not the average species for your everyday lizard wrangler lol but still!

I've successfully kept a bearded dragon for his life span, leopard geckos (have on currently), and blue tongue skinks (have one currently).

I advise against any large monitor unless you have a ton of space and experience. Same with Iguanas, but although they can really hurt you, probably aren't as difficult to work with as monitors. Monitors are super intelligent and need to learn to trust you. This takes a lot of time and work and not making too many mistakes. Smaller monitors can be cool, but also like space (relative to their size as they are very active), and take a ton of work as well. None of the above are easily handleable either. They don't enjoy it AND tell you (often).

Anyway, not what you asked and I digressed.

If you have the space, bearded dragons are great as are blue tongue skinks.

If morphs is what you are into, bearded dragons come in many colors and textures. There are much fewer options for BTS. Bearded dragons like to climb and need a good size tank with height. BTS like to burrow and don't need as much height, but do use all the space given to them. They also like a big heat gradient, so a larger tank will help with this.

Beardies eat often and need protein in their diet and (usually) includes live insects. I imagine someone has gotten them to eat something like reptilinks and I know they have bearded dragon pellets etc. (with a similar formulation to what BTS each and I feed Frank - my BTS - them frequently). However, many people feed live food and it's probably good to so for stimulation and nutrition, at least as part of a bearded dragon's diet.

BTS are scavengers. I offered Frank a Dubai once. He chased it and ate it. I put another in and he looked at me like I had 3 heads. Scavengers do not enjoy working for their food. Now I put freeze dried or canned insects in his food, or a F/T pinkie, for added protein, or as a treat for him. The scavenger thing can be a plus though. No live food needed. Additionally, adult BTS eat about 2x a week while bearded dragons get greens pretty much daily, and insects about 2X a week. Babies eat more and with bearded dragons, much more protein when younger and then that switches as they age.

Leopard Geckos are cool, but not always as interactive as BD's and BTS. They also eat insects (usually live and as the vast majority if not all of their diet). They do take up very little space relative to the other species and do not need lighting (and/with UVB) and as high heat requirements as the other species. So easier to keep.

If you have the space, I'd go BTS or Bearded Dragon, with the former being both rewarding and relatively easy to keep because of their scavenger nature and eating less frequently and virtually anything.

NOTE: If you feed insects to your lizard, remember, you have to gut load them (feed them nutritious food) prior to feeding them to your lizard. They can also smell, take up space, and morph into moths, etc. I feed mostly Dubai roaches to my Leopard Gecko, Carra, and she loves them, but not all lizards do. Mealworms morph, crickets smell and make noise, etc. Even with the Dubai, keeping 25-50 at a time takes space and work.

I've not kept lizards for a very long time as I only had a pair of sand skinks when I was little. Want to keep one again someday but I cannot pin down any one that really jumps out as a "Yes I want THAT one!" choice at this point. Ranges from anything to a leopard gecko to an ackie monitor (going from least to most ambitious). A jeweled lacerta would be another "unusual" choice, and uromastyx sound appealing for their fully vegetarian habits so I wouldn't have to deal with raising or buying insects perpetually.