My wife wants to get a lizard eventually. Having the snakes has spured her onwards.. I already have a 45gallon tank that can be used. Main thing I want to work out is what kind of lizard to get. I have read that Bearded Dragons are the "best" beginner to start with. But figured I would ask the people that actually have lizard what would be good. And how many for the tank (though I will probably only get 1 to start)
Im a leopard gecko fan! Bearded dragons get too big for my liking. Leopard Geckos are very easy for a beginner lizard. You could put about 4 in the tank you have.
I love BDs and leos. I think BDs would be better starters since you can handle them and you don't have to worry about humidity like some other lizards. A 45 gallon would be okay, but bigger would be better. They like a lot or floor space for moving but need a lot for climbing.
I believe they usually get to around 2 ft long...so not as big as an iguana- bearded dragons are managable size! Leo geckos and beardies are nice- I thought about getting a Leo first- then I went for the dragon because they can be handled. Geckos are still really cool though and I may end up with some eventually I think once you get hooked on reptiles you can't just have one LOL I want a tortiose or turtle, and some fire bellied toads and green tree frogs as well as the dragons. (I don't want much do I?) I would like a small zoo It really depends on personal preference I think. Check out the care sheets- both leo geckos and dragons...if you like handling your pets then maybe the dragon would be better. I think beardies are popular because they have personality-not that geckos don't- it's just different. They have different diets too- so you have to keep that in mind.
leopard geckos are *great* first lizards. easy to care for, pretty small, handle-able, don't need high humidity or fancy setups. very cute, too, and they have great personalities. that's my recommendation. you could easily house 2 or 3 leopard geckos in your 45 gal (although males will fight), but i don't think an adult beardie would be happy in something that small. beardies also need a little more in the food department (insects as well as fruits and veggies) and natural sunlight or uv lights. leopard geckos don't need any of this. beardies reach about 1.5 to 2 feet in length while leopard geckos rarely reach more than 9 inches.
Depending on what you want leopard gecko or a bearded dragon. Beardies dont get nearly as large as iguanas, their overall length can be 2feet yes but their body is about the size of a persons hand. The leopard geckos entire body including tail will not be much longer than the length from fingertip to wrist. One bearded dragon will do okay in a 45 gallon tank but thats it, if you want a pair youll need at least a 60 gallon long. For leopard geckos you could do probably 4 in the 45 gallon tank. Leopard geckos are much cheaper and you can get many many more color morphs. Beardies are a little more expensive and theres only a few colors to choose from all of which are a tad pricey depending on where you go but either way youll be spending at least $100 on your dragon (personally I bought directly from the breeder and paid $100 for my female yellow dragon and $200 for our red male), where as a leo with a color morph will be around $40. Beardies require more variety with their food, being that they require a mixture of greens/fruit/veggies along with their crickets. Leopard geckos just need insects (crickets and worms). Both are dry setups, the leopard gecko will need a humid hide. Leopard Geckos are nocturnal (active at night), Bearded Dragons are dirunal (active during the day). Though when I say active don't take it to heart, both types are pretty lazy lol. They are both personable and handleable and youll be happy with either choice just pick the one who suits you best
i wouldn't put a beardie in less than a 50 gallon breeder and you can get one much cheaper than $100 - try at a local reptile show.
Hmm. Think I am going to look more into the Leo's for now then. Just don't have the room, yet, for a larger setup. That is, untill I finish remodeling the second floor and put better unsulation and heat in.
hey Tom i have a 40-50 G and i am housing one adult female leo in that. she absolutely loves it. she was the first lizard that i owned. she is extremely hardy and easy to maitain. you can get leos for anywhere from $10-$2500. yes i'm serious i saw a leo for sale that costb $2500. it was a really rare morph. the housing is simple and the food is cheap. they don't need much furniture. just 2 opr 3 hides a food dish and water dish. you can add other things. you just need a heat source. also with leos you get to watch them hunt everything they eat(unless u keep mealies in the bowl). the only down side that i have encountered is that they are nocturnal. but that is simple to fix because you can buy night time bulbs for under $10 at your local pet shop.
aren't those $1000+ leos insane, jhoss? some of them are FANTASTIC looking, but *so* expensive!! i love the jungle phase leos the best. hate the glow-in-the-dark yellow ones. the more natural-looking the better; for me at least.
LMAO! yes of course i'm just talking about the insanely bright yellow ones, you goof!!! they're not genetically engineered like the glo-fish!
Darn! Although I really like the natural colors too, it would be really cool to have one that glows in the dark. Hey, all you leopard gecko breeders out there, hurry up and figure out how to make them glow, and I'll buy one! -Cristine
It's easy.. I'll take some to TMI (Three Mile Island) and let them run around a few days when I am in PA next weekend.
Depends on how much they glow. If I can leave them in the hall as a nightlight to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night, we'll talk! -Cristine Tom-
