Serious Contemplating Getting a Pet Lizard

[Pavel Mosko]

I use to catch and keep wild lizards as a kid in the Mojave Desert city of Ridgecrest California. Will post more on that later in this thread, that was pretty interesting and also gave me some good experience with dealing with the Desert etc. because this was one of our prime past times during Summer Vacation as a grade school kid around age 5-11.


Anyway, serious looking at getting a pet lizard again but this time from a pet store. I got a bad allergies with cats and dogs, so birds and reptiles are my best pet options.
I am currently watching videos like the one below, and am planning out the logistics as far as where to put it, which thing to get (looking for easy care options etc.).

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

I use to catch and keep wild lizards as a kid in the Mojave Desert city of Ridgecrest California. Will post more on that later in this thread, that was pretty interesting and also gave me some good experience with dealing with the Desert etc. because this was one of our prime past times during Summer Vacation as a grade school kid around age 5-11.


Anyway, serious looking at getting a pet lizard again but this time from a pet store. I got a bad allergies with cats and dogs, so birds and reptiles are my best pet options.
I am currently watching videos like the one below, and am planning out the logistics as far as where to put it, which thing to get (looking for easy care options etc.).

Get a Bearded Dragon...get from a good breeder. Males are best and you do not have the hassle of eggs. 45 gallon breeder tank and uv light and basking bulb.

 

[SeventhFisherofMen]

I use to catch and keep wild lizards as a kid in the Mojave Desert city of Ridgecrest California. Will post more on that later in this thread, that was pretty interesting and also gave me some good experience with dealing with the Desert etc. because this was one of our prime past times during Summer Vacation as a grade school kid around age 5-11.


Anyway, serious looking at getting a pet lizard again but this time from a pet store. I got a bad allergies with cats and dogs, so birds and reptiles are my best pet options.
I am currently watching videos like the one below, and am planning out the logistics as far as where to put it, which thing to get (looking for easy care options etc.).

I recommend a bearded dragon or a leopard gecko.

That being said I had to learn the hard way that I cannot have it in my room I was very sensitive to the heat pad and light that had to be on all the time. Chances are you have no sensitivity to those electronics like I do (I cannot sleep with my laptop in my room and my phone far from me) but just in case you are make sure there is a room in your house that you can keep the aquarium.

If this is of no concern to you I say go for it! Get a lizard they are great pets! I don't like snakes tho. (whole original sin thing) BUT Moses's staff turned into a snake so they can be for good too.

 

[ozso]

If I were to get one, I think I'd want one of those big chameleons. The reasons are because I think they're fascinating to watch, especially their 360 degree rotatating eyes. The way their tongue shoots out so far to catch food. That the ones I see in pet stores are usually out in the open perched on a branch, rather than in hiding. And because they seem slow and docile, rather than being hyper and scampering away at top speed, like other lizards I've handled. And the coolest part is all the colors they change into.

After looking it up, it seems they go for about $100 to $400. Which really doesn't seem too expensive for something that fascinating and exotic. I'm sure there are rare versions that go for a lot more. I'd be happy with the most common variety.

 

[ozso]

I recommend a bearded dragon or a leopard gecko.

That being said I had to learn the hard way that I cannot have it in my room I was very sensitive to the heat pad and light that had to be on all the time. Chances are you have no sensitivity to those electronics like I do (I cannot sleep with my laptop in my room and my phone far from me) but just in case you are make sure there is a room in your house that you can keep the aquarium.

If this is of no concern to you I say go for it! Get a lizard they are great pets! I don't like snakes tho. (whole original sin thing) BUT Moses's staff turned into a snake so they can be for good too.

Out of those in the video, the geckos are the most appealing to me.

 

[The Righterzpen]

More power to ya! You can have my share of lizards. I think they are cool but have no desire to have one as a pet!

May you find your perfect scaly friend!

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I recommend a bearded dragon or a leopard gecko.

That being said I had to learn the hard way that I cannot have it in my room I was very sensitive to the heat pad and light that had to be on all the time. Chances are you have no sensitivity to those electronics like I do (I cannot sleep with my laptop in my room and my phone far from me) but just in case you are make sure there is a room in your house that you can keep the aquarium.

If this is of no concern to you I say go for it! Get a lizard they are great pets! I don't like snakes tho. (whole original sin thing) BUT Moses's staff turned into a snake so they can be for good too.

Thanks those 2 were at the top of my list already.


Unfortunately, I remembered just a few minutes after posting that the retirement community I live in has pretty stringent rules on pets, so I think this is unlikely until I stop living here .

My memory of the pet rules

Only small dogs that are on walking harnesses when outside. Cats must be kept indoors all the time. Birds must be kept in cages all the time. I don't recall anything about fish. And no reptiles, or other stuff.

I asked my dad to find his rules print out again to verify this. If I'm lucky the "no reptiles" thing I recall maybe only applies to exotic reptiles that you cannot buy in your average pet store.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Out of those in the video, the geckos are the most appealing to me.

Yeah, me too! They remind me of these "Leopard Lizards" that we use to catch in the Mojave, They actually really had a nice silness to their skin. It really felt more like silk than scales.

The downside of them they were carnivorous, so you had to feed them other small lizards you caught. And being carnivores they got a mean temper and bite. They would hiss at you the 2-12 days you caught them (meaning they would bite you if you came near them). But after that time, they were pretty chill, after being exposed to you from taking care of them.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

The scariest reptile I was exposed to as a kid (preschooler, and kindergartener) were these Chuckwallas. They often are two feet, to 2.5 feet long, half my size in length when I was exposed to them.

They had a vicious scary bite, and rumor has it that if they bite you they don't let go (you had to go to extreme measures to get them off you). They liked to live in rocky hills and other similar places.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

This is probably the best lizard you can get. A desert iguana that you catch yourself. They are plant eaters and very meek and mild as far as temperament goes, none ever tried to bite me as a kid,

They are easy to feed, eating most any flower or nonpoisonous plant you got growing in your backyard, as well as eating all the plants you eat from the grocery store. A special favorite was feeding them grapes, by splitting one open and letting them drink the juice. They loved that. They also really loved eating my mom's flowers.

Their skin also is very soft, not as soft as a Leopard lizard but very nice.

 

[ozso]

Yeah, me too! They remind me of these "Leopard Lizards" that we use to catch in the Mojave, They actually really had a nice silness to their skin. It really felt more like silk than scales.

The downside of them they were carnivorous, so you had to feed them other small lizards you caught. And being carnivores they got a mean temper and bite. They would hiss at you the 2-12 days you caught them (meaning they would bite you if you came near them). But after that time, they were pretty chill, after being exposed to you from taking care of them.


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I used to catch lizards too when I was 10 or so living in Southern California. Used to drop my jacket on them. But I didn't keep them for very long or just catch and release.

 

[jacks]

The scariest reptile I was exposed to as a kid (preschooler, and kindergartener) were these Chuckwallas

When I was in the California desert, we were always warned about the Gila Monster. Apparently it bites and is poisonous. I never actually saw one.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I used to catch lizards too when I was 10 or so living in Southern California. Used to drop my jacket on them. But I didn't keep them for very long or just catch and release.

We would keep them all the way into maybe mid September when it was still pretty warm, but we wanted them to go back home and hibernate etc. before the cold weather set in. I guess if we were knowledgeable about things like heat lamps, we might have got fancy and just kept them year-round. For the Desert Iguanas that would have been completely doable, and would have made a good return on the previous time investment spend on catching them, making the cages and habitats etc.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

When I was in the California desert, we were always warned about the Gila Monster. Apparently it bites and is poisonous. I never actually saw one.

That is not in our desert, that I have ever seen myself or seen in a local wildlife display. I think you need to go into Arizona to find that.

 

[jacks]

That is not in our desert, that I have ever seen myself or seen in a local wildlife display. I think you need to go into Arizona to find that.

Well that certainly explains why I never saw one!