3 Easy to keep lizards

Niger Yellow Uromastyx

3 Types of Lizards that Make Good Pets

by Brandon Cornett

All types of lizards are members of the Squamata order of Reptiles, which also includes Snakes. But few other reptile groups have as much species variety as the lizards do.

Consider, for example, the vast differences between two well-known types of lizards -- the Komodo dragon and the chameleon. Both are members of the lizard family, but their differences are many. The big Komodo dragon mostly crawls over land seeking large prey (alive or dead) to feast on. The much smaller chameleon perches in the treetops of tropical forests and "zaps" bugs with its long tongue.

And these are just two types of lizards in a family of reptiles that includes hundreds of individual species! No one can deny the amazing diversity to be found within the lizard family of reptiles.

So it's no surprise that lizards have found their way into the pet industry as well. Many different types of lizards are kept as pets these days, but some lizards make better pets than others. That's the subject of this article.

Below, I have listed three types of pet lizards that I recommend for inexperienced keepers who are new to lizards. Some types of pet lizards are fairly easy to care for in captivity, while others have more specialized needs and are therefore best left to experienced reptile keepers.

So which ones are which? Which lizards make good pets for beginners, and which lizards are more challenging to keep? Well, I'm sure everyone has their own opinions on the subject. But here's my list -- and it's a list based on 25 years of reptile experience.

3 Pet Lizards I Recommend for Beginners

As we have discussed, there are a lot of lizard species in the world, and many of them have found their way into the pet trade. But not all types of lizards make good pets, and some can be especially challenging for beginners. So I've listed three types of pet lizards that are both entertaining and manageable for the amateur lizard keeper.

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1. The Bearded Dragon

This is probably one of the most popular types of pet lizards for reptile keepers of all experience levels, from the beginners to the pros. And there's a good reason for that. If their basic needs are met, bearded dragons do well in captivity and can live a long, healthy life.

"Beardies," as they are known, also have nice dispositions that make them well suited to being kept as pets. This type of lizard is native to many part of Australia, and its native environment can be closely duplicated with certain types of full-spectrum lighting (for the lizard's UVA / UVB needs) and basking lights (for proper temperature).

Bearded dragons are also smallish by lizard standards, which is another trait that makes them an excellent type of pet lizard for beginners. They can be comfortably housed in the type of glass or plastic terrarium that would easily fit inside the average bedroom.

As for feeding, bearded dragons are omnivores. They will eat certain types of vegetables as well as insects. So while you will still have to work with insects, you can also supplement your pet lizard's diet with vegetables. This reduces the level of difficulty when it comes to feeding ... at least in my opinion.

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2. The Uromastyx

The uromastyx is also referred to as the spiny-tailed lizards and "uros" for short. In my opinion, they are another type of lizard that can be excellent pets. So if you're considering a type of pet lizard to keep, I strongly recommend researching these interesting lizards.

From a care and keeping standpoint, the uromastyx is similar to the bearded dragon in a certain aspect. Like the bearded dragon, the uro comes from a hot and dry environment -- a bit hotter and drier than the beardie's environment, to be correct.

While the different species of uromastyx come from a widespread geographical range (from North African to India), many of them live in hot and dry environments. In my experience, this type of environment is easier to duplicate in captivity -- at least for people who live in North America. From a maintenance standpoint, it is easier to create a hot and dry environment for your pet lizard than it is to create a moist and tropical environment.

The uromastyx lizard also comes in a wide variety of colors, as you can see from these pictures of uromastyx. There are 16 different species of uromastyx within the genus, so there is plenty of diversity both in terms of geographical range and appearance.

Also like bearded dragons, the uromastyx is an omnivore that will eat both vegetables / plants as well as insects.

The uromastyx is a little lizard with a lot of personality. While it does have some very specific care requirements (such as a basking spot topping 120 degrees), most beginning reptile keepers could successfully care for this type of lizard as a pet. Thus it deserves a place on my list of top three types of pet lizards for beginners.

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3. The Blue Tongued Skink

The blue tongued skink is a lizard that lives up to it name. This type of lizard has a bright blue tongue in stark contrast to the pink lining of its mouth. Blue tongues skinks make excellent pet lizards for a number of reasons. They are naturally a docile type of lizard and can be easily tamed. They are omnivores and will fare well on a diet that is approximately 60% plant and 40% animal. This type of lizard will eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, insects, and even chicken meat, turkey meat and the occasional rodent.

The blue tongued skink comes from parts of Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Their native environment of dry to semi-desert regions can be duplicated in captivity with a small amount of effort. A large cage with a substrate material that allows for burrowing will be appreciated by your pet skink. Temperature in the cage should offer a gradient from 80 degrees up to a 100+ degree basking spot.

Types of Pet Lizards - Conclusion and Summary

I hope you've enjoyed this list of types of lizards that make good pets, and I hope it helps you choose the type of pet lizard that's right for you. Remember, this article is just a jumping-off point for your further research. Once you decide on a type of lizard to keep as a pet, you should do all of the research you can ... until you're practically an expert on the care and keeping of that particular lizard species. Your little lizard friend deserves it!

Care sheets available at our forum www.thereptileking.net