New Lizard...Advice on species

[dannomite]

Hi everyone,

So lately I have been considering getting a Lizard of some sort. Currently I just care for 1 Sulcata tortoise and I enjoy the fact that it does not eat insects just because I did not enjoy having crickets in my house all the time when I owned a Veiled Chameleon a while. From what I have looked into, it does not seem like there is very many herbivorous species of Lizard except for Uromastyx. Based on that fact it seems like Uromastyx may be my best choice. They seem pretty cool and I just started looking into it but am just looking for the opinion of people with more experience. From what I have read, it seems like a lot of the Uro diet can be similar to the diet of my Sulcata. That would be nice as I can buy larger quantities of some of the same foods.

Does this sound right to you? Is there any other species I should consider? I appreciate any and all advice that you may offer.

 

[Itort]

My personal favorite is a cb bluetongue skink. They are omnivours that eat alot fruits and vegies and protien can be in the form of catfood (no live insects). They become very tame.

 

[RichardS]

Leopard gecko! Don't knock'em because they aren't rare.

Leo's are very personable and don't take up a lot of space. They don't need UVB or a crazy amount of heat. They don't climb glass or even need tops to their aquariums! Women love them and everyone wants to hold one. The best part is, you can (and should) feed them mealworms. Mealworms are kept in your fridge and can be easily gut loaded with carrots. You can buy mealworms at Petco or Petsmart and they are like $2.50 for 100. No noise. No clean up. Speaking of no clean up, Leo's leave little inch long droppings in the corner of their cage which quickly dry up and can picked up with a pinch of your fingers.

The key to making a leopard gecko happy is a moist tupperware hide. It helps them shed their skin and will keep them looking perfect for years. 20+ years...

 

[ReptileBuddies]

Tegu's are the best But that's just my opinion. Arg Tegu have puppy dog personalities (if raised right) But they don't have the same diet has your tort.....

 

[dmward1978]

I second the Leopard Gecko Option. I have 3 and they are fantastic pets. Easy to care for, low maintenance. A moist hide is key. I use Mosser Lee Sphagnum moss from Lowes in the orchid dept. It's cheap and clean and never molds and hold the moisture forever. Mine eat superworms from a dish that they cant escape from. No random bugs hanging out in the enclosure. LG's are full of personality and they come in such fantatic patterns and colors!!

 

[chadk]

I also love my leopard geckos.

Are you looking for small, med, large lizard?

A large vegetarion lizard would be an iguanna. Just do your homework first... They are NOT for everybody...

Uro's are cool, but not something you really interact with. There are probably exceptions, but generally they are considered a display pet. Not like a super tame and friendly bearded dragon.

If you do go with a bearded dragon or leo gecko or other bug eater, look into dubia roaches. I have my own colony in my garage in a plastic bin. No noise, no smell, no climbing, no jumping, no parasites, no worries about them chewing on my lizard, very hardy, easy to care for, won't escape and breed unless you live in the hot tropics... (all the above are common complaints against crickets...).

 

[dannomite]

Hey everyone thanks for the advice I will definitely take all those into consideration.

I know Iguanas are not for me...at least not yet. Too big. I wouldn't mind a Medium Sized lizard, something like a fully grown bearded dragon or similar size. Maybe I will start small with Leopards and work my way up. I'll keep thinking and researching but thanks for the tips!

 

[Tim/Robin]

Hi everyone,

So lately I have been considering getting a Lizard of some sort. Currently I just care for 1 Sulcata tortoise and I enjoy the fact that it does not eat insects just because I did not enjoy having crickets in my house all the time when I owned a Veiled Chameleon a while. From what I have looked into, it does not seem like there is very many herbivorous species of Lizard except for Uromastyx. Based on that fact it seems like Uromastyx may be my best choice. They seem pretty cool and I just started looking into it but am just looking for the opinion of people with more experience. From what I have read, it seems like a lot of the Uro diet can be similar to the diet of my Sulcata. That would be nice as I can buy larger quantities of some of the same foods.

Does this sound right to you? Is there any other species I should consider? I appreciate any and all advice that you may offer.

You are absolutely correct! A uromastyx diet is nearly identical to your sulcata's. They are fantastic lizards. A chuckwalla is also a good choice. They too eat a diet like a uromastyx or your sulcata. There are some great photos as well as great care information at the forum in my signature. Join there and ask any questions you may have about uros. There are some very experienced keepers there.

 

[rsross1970]

Don't forget about aregular green Iguna...they're not bad. Just get large.

---

Also there is another that is a great choice. A prehensiltail skink...also called a monkeytail skink. Please excuse my spelling on prehensiltail....Check these out they are great pets. Only alittle protective when around they're young. But a slow moving and very odd looking lizard.

 

[Tom]

Everybody has such good stuff to say on this thread. Lots of good info.

You can't go wrong with Uros. I think they are great. Some of them get pretty tame, but not all of them.

Personally, I find Leopard Geckos a little boring. They are nocturnal and shy and just hide all the time, except when you are sleeping. No offense to the Leo lovers out there, they just aren't my ideal pet, but they are very easy to take care of. I've had a bunch of them and some fat tails too.

Blue tongue skinks are definitely a good one too. As are prehensile tail skinks, but then you have the nocturnal thing again.

If regular green iguanas are too big then you probably won't be interested in the cycluras either. There are some neat species in there though and they are mostly herbivorous as well.

I definitely agree on the tegu thing too. Nice pets, if you are into a four foot long omnivore. Very easy to feed and care for and since they hibernate, no electric bill in the winter.

I got away from all the insectivores because of the cricket thing too. Chad's right about the roaches. They are soooo much better and easier in every way. I've got a bunch of different species, but there are four or five that are pretty commonly used as feeders. I wouldn't be keeping insectivores again without them. If you ask my three year old what her favorite species of roach is, she'll proudly tell you "Blaptica dubia"!

Good luck and please tell us what you decide. Since I can't have everything all the time, its fun to live vicariously through the experience of others.

---

Tegu's are the best But that's just my opinion. Arg Tegu have puppy dog personalities (if raised right) But they don't have the same diet has your tort.....

Pretty please, would you start a new thread on how to raise them right and share your techniques with the group. Mine are always very healthy, but not as tame as some of the ones I've seen. What's your secret? I've never had either species of Argentine be aggressive, but I have had some that didn't want to be handled much and seemed to avoid contact and hide a bit. I've seen video and in person some that would just come over and climb into anyones lap and allow anyone to handle them. Mine have always been good, but not THAT good.

 

[Rhyno47]

Dont own lizards but if I did I would get a Uromastyx or an Armadillo Lizard. They both stay small and look awesome.

 

[chadk]

My leos are as outgoing and friendly as my beardie. One can be a little shy at times, but both are easy to handle and are often out and about, even in the day time. I do have them in a pretty good setup that gives them plenty of places to explore and hunt hiding dubias. I think a lot of lizards (and other critters) are more likely to go around exploring if they have a lot of cover and feel safe\secure being on the move. If they feel too explosed, yes, they will stay in their hides until the lights go out....

 

[latshki]

if you are handy it is uaually best to make a vivarium that has its electrical and everything done and sliding glass doors that way you can use a lower watt bulb and it will make them feel more secure in most cases

 

[solarsystemaligned]

Great answers guys thanks for the info!