Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Other animals

The best types of reptiles for you

PawTracks
By

Owning a reptile as a pet is a rewarding experience. Whether you just want to admire and care for them without too much commitment, or you specifically prefer reptiles that enjoy being handled as you intend to develop a strong bond and level of devotion to their well-being, introducing one into your life promises an experience full of curiosity, learning, and fun. From the exotic colors of chameleons to the impressive movement of pythons, these scaly friends can fill your time with wonderful observation and with time, bonding. There is a type of reptile for every level of experience. While some of them are super easy to care for, others require time investment, special equipment, and unique feeding habits to fulfill on a regular basis. But don’t worry because we will guide you to find your perfect cold-blooded companion.

Man holding a pet python
MOO PIGXMOO/Shutterstock.com

Reptile basics

Reptiles are a very diverse class of animals including over 8,700 species around the world. They are famous for their unique scale-covered skin featuring beautiful patterns and colors.

Recommended Videos

Science divides them in four major groups: Turtles, lizards, crocodiles, and tuatara. This last one is almost completely wild and rare. They are descendants of an ancient group and not suitable as a pet. So, we will skip it all together. That leaves us with the three major groups of pet reptiles:

Related
  • Turtles
  • Lizards
  • Snakes

Each of these groups have specimens that are suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and expert herpetologists alike. Let’s dive in and find your ideal match.

Turtles

Turtle walking outside on ground
Andre Alexander/Unsplash.com

Turtles are the largest and probably most beloved group of reptiles. Incredibly common in pet stores, a few popular species grow a lot more than expected and end up in rescue shelters. They have an incredibly long lifespan that can go from 50 to 100 years with proper care and in the right habitat. Children enjoy caring for new baby turtles. Unfortunately, since they are not the most entertaining of all, some kids get bored with them, and parents give up on the hard work to keep them happy.

If you are an experienced reptile owner, ready to invest in unique equipment, and have a passion for these beautiful animals, here are the best species to get started with:

Eastern box turtle: A highly adaptable turtle that does not have any aquatic requirements. They are omnivores and live in many different climates. They have a long lifespan but moderate growth. You can feed them both plants and insects.

Red-eared slider: Freshwater turtles that are sold as babies but have tremendous growth. Their adult size is impressive and they require regular tank cleaning. You will have to upgrade their habitat in size several times as they grow. In adulthood, they are the happiest in ponds and not in tanks.

Lizards

Chameleon held by person
Aleh Mikalaichyk/Shutterstock.com

Lizards are the best place to start when owning a pet. They are fun to watch, easy to feed, and they offer the biggest diversity when it comes to domestic species. Many of them need little special care and are very happy in captivity. You will need a tank, heating element, and for some species special lighting requirements. These are our favorite lizard pets:

Leopard gecko: This is the ultimate beginner’s reptile. They are cute, social, and amazing to feed. They eat easily available insects like crickets and mealworms. They are nocturnal so they don’t need any special light to feel at home.

Bearded dragon: A reptile full of personality, beardies are easy to care for and love to interact with their owners. They are bigger than geckos and eat both insects and vegetables. They are awake during the day, making them perfect for the kids to watch in the daytime.

Chameleon: The most exotic of pet lizards, chameleons require a very specific environment to live in and are easily stressed with any level of handling. If you are looking for a display pet and ready to invest in the proper habitat, chameleons are a treat to watch. Their shifting colors are impressive.

Snakes

Corn snake curled up on wood chips
bluedog studio/Shutterstock.com

Snakes are an incredible animal that many love to admire but few venture into owning. They need space, a diet of live animals, and special care. If you are OK with feeding live prey to your snake on a regular basis, you will love the experience of having a pet snake. Here are our recommendations for beginners:

Corn snake: One of the friendliest snakes to handle, this native to the U.S. comes in a range of colors and is easy to feed. Corn snakes eat both live and frozen mice once a week on average.

Ball python: A great snake for beginners because of their small size. They are a bit shy and have a lifespan of 25 years. They don’t have any special tank requirements and come in many colors and patterns.

As you can see, reptiles are great pets to own. They are fascinating to watch, easy to care for, and will bring you hours of enjoyment. With the right equipment and attitude, you can easily create the perfect environment for them to thrive and be your companions for many years.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
PawTracks
PawTracks
Looking to add corydoras to your aquarium? Here’s what you need to know first
Read this before bringing home a cory catfish to add to your tank
Two cory catfish hang out on the bottom of the tank

One thing you might not know about aquariums until you get one: Every tank needs a janitor, which may wind up just being you. When you first dive into this hobby, it can take a while to realize how much maintenance is really involved — don't think that the filter will do all the work. But if you want a little a help in that department, you can add a catfish to the fray. If you don't have a ton of experience with these bottom feeders, we recommend one of the corydoras since they're generally best for beginners.

What are corydoras?
This is a type of catfish, but there are actually more than 170 species to choose from. These are a well-known group of swimmers who get their name from their barbels, which look a bit like whiskers. While you'll find dozens of options in the pet store, you will likely narrow it down quickly based on the size of your tank, temperature, habitat you've chosen, and the other fish that they'll live with eventually.
Are corydoras friendly?
Yes, corydoras are sweet and gentle fish. They particularly like spending time together, but get along with many others as well. In some cases, you should not buy just one as they'll get lonely. Instead grab a pair of the same type and watch them become best friends. You'll often see them as bottom feeders, well, at the base of the tank, but cory cats also come up to the surface for air or food from time to time.

Read more
Is buying a baby turtle illegal? Here is how to bring home this reptile legally and ethically
Follow a few rules to ensure you bring home a turtle the right way
A very small turtle sits in the palm of someone's hand outside

Turtles have exploded in popularity, becoming one of the most coveted pets. They can be great additions to the family — while Testudines require some specialized care you don't need to take them on daily walks. But along with the rise in turtle ownership, some other problems have emerged, like disease outbreaks and illegal trading. Because of these issues (namely salmonella), the sale of small turtles, set as those with shells of less than 4 inches, is banned in America.
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.

Read more
Funny birds video: Check out these parrots playing peekaboo
You'll die laughing at these two happy parrots who want to play 'peekaboo'
Ringneck bird sits outside in a tree

We can't get enough of talking birds and we bet you can't either. Humans are eminently fascinated by these creatures who don't just mimic human speech but also human play. In particular, we love to see adorable Peekaboo parrot videos since it's fun for the avians and for us. It's easy for you to teach your feathered friend to play, too, should you so desire.

Posted to the Party Parrot subreddit by u/LeSpatula, this TikTok video is definitely one you'll want to share. While many birdies enjoy a round of Peekaboo, the two ringnecks in this funny bird video have got it down. Of course, they have to get in sync and spend the first few seconds chattering in a pidgin language that seems to be part English and part Parrot. However, by the end, they both know exactly what's about to happen. The two singers dip their heads together, beaks almost touching, and pull up in perfect unison, shouting "Peekaboo." They go in one more time before walking, or maybe strutting, their separate ways.

Read more