Finding the best reptile pets is essential to fully enjoy your pet and more importantly finding one that suits your lifestyle is essential! Adopting a new pet could be a stressful time. Finding a pet that would suit your lifestyle and family is of utmost importance. Those considering their first reptile might be unsure which reptile would make a good pet.
Do Reptiles Make Good Pets?
The short answer is yes! Reptiles make for excellent pets. Of course, reptiles don’t take up a lot of space, depending on which reptile you get. The needs of reptiles are simple and easy to meet. Reptiles are such cute animals, making them ideal pets. They even make good first pets for kids. Not only do they teach your children empathy, responsibility, and confidence. They allow kids to have someone to talk to. The best reptile pets come to those who love and care for their animals, and do not try to make their reptile friend fit into an environment they cannot!
The Best Reptile Pets
Leopard Gecko: These little critters are very easy to handle. They are widely kept as pets because of their popularity and wide array of colors. Leopard geckos fall under the beginner care level category. This means taking care of them is easy. These little geckos are very family-friendly. They can clean their eyeballs with their tongues. How cute! An adult leopard gecko can grow up to 20 to 25 cm long. This means that they stay small, even as adults. Leopard geckos are long-lived compared to other reptiles. Because they live so long, adopting one means you need to be prepared for a long-term commitment. Their lifespan stretches 10 to 20 years.
Crested Gecko: These easy to keep and easy to love geckos are absolutely adorable. You can find them in an array of colors and patterns, each with its own personality. If you’re setting up a habitat, keep in mind that these critters are sensitive to high temperatures. These geckos rely on humidity to smell their food and to drink water droplets from leaves. Therefore, misting will become part of your daily routine. The Crested gecko shares a similar diet as the Leopard gecko, eating crickets and various fruits.
Bearded Dragon: Bearded dragons are the most popular pet reptile. They are such friendly, low-maintenance pets. They adapt very easily so some owners dress them up for special occasions. They don’t mind dress-ups, as long as you handle them gently. Bearded dragons eat animal and plant matter. They eat crickets, mealworms, super worms, and roaches. They require a balanced diet, so be sure to add fruits into the mix. Bearded dragons are very alert and easy to tame.
Corn Snake: If you’re interested in keeping a snake for the first time, a corn snake is the best option. They are a smaller breed of snake and don’t grow up to be bigger than 5.5 feet long. They have simple needs and are easy to handle by the whole family. These snakes have been bred in captivity for years, resulting in them having a wide variety of colors and patterns. A corn snake only needs to feed every 5 to 7 days, and its diet consists of mice and small rats. Younger snakes could be very nervous and need to be handled gently. It’s important to handle them often to ensure that they become used to being handled.
White’s Tree Frog: These cute critters are also known as Dumpy Tree Frogs. They are easy to handle and unafraid of humans, making them great pets. They tolerate handling better than other amphibians and will grow accustomed to you handling them faster. White Tree Frogs are insectivorous. They only eat crickets, roaches, earthworms, and mealworms when they’re kept as pets. They don’t require a lot of feeding. 2-3 times a week will be sufficient. Be wary of overfeeding. Fat frogs are cute but could suffer from health issues. Adults can be up to 5 inches big, and they are available in an array of colors and patterns.
What is the Most Affectionate / Best Reptile Pets
Bearded dragons are the most affectionate reptiles. They enjoy being handled and love affection. When your bearded dragon gets to know you, they’ll often climb up on your shoulders and use it to ride around. Your bearded dragon will love you just as much as you love it.
Do Reptiles Feel Pain
Reptiles don’t have facial expressions and cannot express pain. That doesn’t mean they don’t get hurt. They have the neuroanatomy necessary to perceive pain just like other animals. They do not show pain like mammals. They do, however, show subtle signs of discomfort when it’s presented.
Reptiles are Your Friends
Reptiles make great pets. They’re often easy to handle and enjoy human interaction. Reptiles are low maintenance, but they could still be costly. Always ensure that you have the right enclosure for your reptile and that they are fed a nutritious, well-balanced diet.
