Keeping pets at home has been a particular interest of most people nowadays. Most people keep common pets, such as dogs, cats, and fish at home. However, there are some pets that are not common, one of which is reptile.
Though it sounds strange and scary to keep reptiles at home, but some people find it fantastic to keep them as pets at home. Make sure to read some things you need to pay attention to on how to treat exotic animals as pets.
Reptiles have different characteristics if they are compared to dogs or cats. Reptiles are not loud, smelly or messy, so it will be a bit great alternative for those people who have difficulty in keeping dogs in their area.
However, reptiles’ needs and requirements will also be different, so if you decide to pet any, you should be prepared to learn how to care for them. One of the things you need to learn is finding the best and popular species of reptiles you can keep as pets. Here are the 5 most popular reptiles you can keep as pets at home with their characteristics.
The Gold-Dust Day Gecko is one of the species of reptiles native to Madagascar, but it is recently introduced to some Pacific Islands, including Hawaii. This species of gecko is mostly green in color and it gets its name from the gold specks developed on its dorsal side. Have you ever wondered how gecko stick on the wall?
This is a type of small lizard, as it is about 5 to 6 inches long, but
this gecko requires a 20-gallon tank with lots of log and branches. It is a shy
creature and it needs those logs and branches to hide. Those logs and branches
will also accommodate it to climb.
For beginners, keeping the Gold-Dust Day Gecko may not be as easy as
they think. This species gets stress easily and its skin also tears easily.
However, when it is handled well, it will do its best as display. This gecko
may live up to 10 years, and it costs around $40 to $250.
Another popular gecko species to pet is the African Fat-Tailed Gecko. This gecko is similar to Leopard Gecko as they have similar care requirement. As its name suggests, this African fat-tailed gecko is native to Africa and its tail is as thick as its body.
Taking care of this gecko is easier if it is compared to the Gold-Dust
Day gecko. This species of gecko has very easy husbandry and feeding
requirement. It is also very friendly and docile too.
African fat-tailed gecko can live up to 25 years and cost between $150 and $600. For your information, there is a species of lizard called Jaragua gecko that becomes the smallest iguana in the world.
If you wish to have this species of gecko, then you should read these ultimate diet to keep geckos healthy.
The Uromastyx is the member of the same family of lizards with Bearded Dragons. This species is native to the Middle East. They have solid yellow-gray color body and ground dwellers. They are not large in size, reaching 14 to 16 inches, but they are heavy and bulky.
As they have simple husbandry requirements, they are easy to handle.
However, they are also a type of diggers, so they need a substrate where they
can burrow into.
They are also known as Spiny-tailed lizards. They are also herbivorous
as they eat mostly vegetables, including leafy greens and grocery stores
vegetables as well. They also eat insects every once a week too.
When it comes to beginner’s handling, Uromastyx are very docile and
friendly. They have very good temperament and easy to care too. They can live
up to 30 years and cost $75 to $300 depending on the species.
- Argentine Black and White Tegu
Another popular reptile to keep as pets is the Argentine black and white
tegu. This reptile is native to South America, however, recently has been
introduced to the wilderness of Florida. It is a burrowing species as it likes
to hide in burrows in order to avoid extreme heat.
Regarding to its size, this species is quite large as it reaches up to 4
feet in length. However, for beginners who can manage its big size won’t find
any problem caring for it. Despite the large size, the Argentina black and
white tegu is more docile than most of the reptiles.
It is also considered as the very intelligent reptile. It is also
another reptile species that eat mice, so it’s not the best option for you who
wish to feed fruit or insects.
This tegu is able to live up to 20 years and it costs $140 to $400.
This is the most popular reptile to pet as it is easy to care and outgoing. Bearded dragon, whose nickname is beardies, is native to Australia. Get to know the other animals to see in Australia.
Bearded dragon is mostly active during the day and it is omnivorous. It means bearded dragon commonly consumes a variety of fruits and insects. It is very fun to keep bearded dragons as they enjoy interactions with their owners most of the time.
They have easy husbandry and friendly temperament make them great as beginner lizards. They are able to grow 1-2 feet in length, live up to 15 years and generally cost $30 to $60 depending on their size.