So You Might Want a Pet Reptile?

Do you think you might want to try your hand at keeping a pet reptile? There are several things to take into consideration before you bring your new scaly friend home!

First consideration: Size

How much room do you have to house a reptile? Some species can be kept in a cage the size of a 10 gallon fish tank, while others may require an entire room.

Tiny reptiles include dwarf geckos and lizards such as anoles, day geckos, and curly tails. Snakes such as DeKay's, ring-necked, ribbon, and green snakes also fall into this category, as do many more. Most of these animals can be housed in enclosures ranging in size from a 10 gallon to 20 gallon glass tank, or similar-sized cage.

Small reptiles include leopard and fat-tail geckos, most colubrid snakes including king, milk, garter, and corn snakes, childrens pythons, sand boas, grandis day geckos, crested geckos, and carpet chameleons, just to name a few. Reptiles of this size can be housed in 20 to 30 gallon tanks or similar-sized enclosures. Breeding groups of some species may require more space.

Medium reptiles include bearded dragons, water dragons, frilled lizards, uromastyx, ball pythons, rainbow boas, small island forms of Boa constrictor, large rats snakes, painted turtles, and mediterranean tortoises, among others. Animals in this size range often require 50 gallon to 100 gallon tanks or similar-sized cages, or 3ft by 4ft enclosures.

Large reptiles include giant green iguanas, savannah monitors, blood pythons, some boa constrictors, leopard tortoises, red-eared sliders, and similar animals. These animals need large enclosures, or ponds, measuring over 6 ft by 4 ft in some cases.