Selecting the Perfect Lizard

With so many lizards to choose from, how does someone choose the perfect lizard? First, it must be determined at what level of experience the pet owner has? The lizards will be broken down by the best for beginners, intermediate and advance lizard owners. Also, some lizards that do not make good pet's period.

The first lizard should be easy to take care of, housing and food requirements manageable and most important the temperament of the lizard. Different areas of the country will have different species of lizards available. The lizards suggested as pets are common throughout the country. There are others that would fit in one of the categories. Here are perfect lizards for the novice:

Beginners

Leopard Gecko- This colorful lizard is active at night and grows to about 10 inches. The Leopard Gecko may even eat insects from your fingers. This is the easiest lizard to breed in captivity. Be careful with the skin and tail, since it is fragile.

Blue Tongue Skink- This 2 foot Australian lizard is name after its distinctive tongue. It eats vegetable and insects. It is a ground dweller and easy to handle.

Sudan Plated Lizard- This is one of the calmest lizards even though they tend to be shy. Plated Lizards have a diet of fruit and insects and can be hand fed. They are a cricket eating machine. They grow to about 1 ½ to 2 feet. They are ordinary looking, but make a great first lizard. They are a poor man's Blue Tongue Skink.

Collared Lizards- This is a colorful lizard found in the United States. It grows to about 10-15 inches long. Its diet includes insects and some fruit and vegetables. They should be kept alone or they will eat the smaller lizards.

Curly Tail Lizards- This is an inexpensive lizard with plenty of personality. This small lizard only grows to 6 or 7 inches long. It loves to chase crickets all over its cage. The wild ones in the Bahamas are much larger.

Intermediate Lizards

Bearded Dragons- Many lizard owners would consider them as a beginning lizard. There may not be a finer lizard as an adult. Bearded Dragons are the perfect lizard to sit on the pet owner's shoulder. They grow to about 2 feet long.