Protecting Your Pets

Thinking About Getting A Lizard? Which Breeds Are Best

18 March 2018

Deanna Vasquez

When you are thinking about getting a new pet for your home, the idea of getting a lizard may have come up. If you are seriously contemplating buying a lizard, there are many factors to consider in the decision-making process. One of the most important decisions you will have to make is which type or breed of lizard will be the best option for you and your home. Get to know more about some of the breeds of lizard available as pets. Then, you can be sure you choose the right option for your family. 

Leopard Geckos

If you are truly a lizard novice, then you want to get yourself a lizard that is as easy as possible to care for and maintain in captivity. One such lizard is the leopard gecko. Leopard geckos are beautifully marked (spotted) lizards with docile and friendly dispositions. They are easy to handle and often seem to like being held by their owners once used to them. 

Leopard geckos are also easy to maintain in that they do not need any special lighting or other elaborate setups. In fact, if you dust their food with calcium powder, there is no need for any lighting at all. However, you will have to keep their aquarium somewhere between 75 and 90 degrees as this is the climate they are accustomed to. 

Feeding a leopard gecko is quite simple as well. They will eat live crickets or mealworms that you drop into their cage. They only need to be fed once a day at most (though they can go a day or two without eating after a large meal). 

Bearded Dragons

Bearded dragons are another popular pet lizard choice. These lizards are full of personality and can be quite entertaining. They seem to interact more with their owners than other breeds of lizard and are less timid in general. However, unlike leopard geckos, they require a bit more care in terms of lighting and heat. 

Bearded dragons are from a region of Australia originally that gets very hot. As such, they need an aquarium that has at least half of it that stays at about 100 degrees at all times. The other half can be cooler for resting and to simulate the nighttime cool down that occurs in the desert.  They also require full-spectrum UVB lighting. 

Unlike leopard geckos, bearded dragons eat both insects and plants. They can dine on mealworms, superworms, and crickets and will also munch on vegetables such as bok choy, kale, carrots, zucchini, acorn squash, and more. You need to be sure that you are feeding your bearded dragon a good mixture of vegetables and protein (insects) to maintain optimal health. 

Now that you know more about two of the best pet lizard breeds, you can decide which one is the best option for you and go get one as soon as possible. For more information on leopard geckos for sale, contact your local reptile shop today.

Share

Search