Reptiles are the Best Pets for Beginners :Reptiles are delicate creatures that take special attention. Let’s see which ones are the most appropriate for beginners.
Have you been thinking about getting a pet but you don’t want a cat or dog? Reptiles are great companions. However, the process of acquiring a reptile may not be as simple as more common animals.
Depending on the type of reptile you are interested in, you may be required to obtain permission from the relevant authorities. You will also need to do some research and preparation so that you can provide proper care for your new pet.
Insight
Reptiles can be good pets, but when inexperienced owners realize that some reptiles are more complicated than they anticipated, they are sometimes at a loss. Unfortunately, many pet owners get incomplete or even incorrect information about the care of their chosen reptile when they buy it from a pet store.
This causes owners to be surprised and under-prepared for the task of taking care of their pets. Low expectations and improper advice on caring for reptiles can lead to a bad experience for the owner and sometimes fatal consequences to the reptile.
Their needs are entirely different from other animals, but you can prepare yourself for the challenges you might face by obtaining the correct information upfront. The following is a guide for beginners who are interested in having reptiles as pets.
Beginner’s Guide
Picking the Pet: Pick animals that are not difficult to care for. Lizards are a great choice for beginners. It is known that some lizards like to watch moving images on TV. If you are a football fan and you like to have company when watching your team, a Bearded Dragon might be a good match for you.
Research More: To ensure that you effectively meet your pet’s needs, you must continue to provide yourself with correct information through research. There are many resources online, and your local pet store can also provide guidance if needed. Obtain information in advance, such as the amount you may need to spend on food each month, how much space the animal needs, and whether there is a specialty veterinarian nearby.
Prepare Proper Supplies: Please ensure that you have made the proper preparation for food and supplies before bringing your pet home. Some reptiles require a specific lighting system (UV) to live, so ensure you know about those kinds of issues and are prepared. Most reptiles require different and specific kinds of foods, like roaches, mealworms, silk moth larva, hornworms, rodents, etc. Here you will find an exclusive quality of mealworms for sale.
The Best Reptiles to Choose for Beginners
Some reptiles are unsuitable for inexperienced owners because of their eating habits, ecological requirements, or low adulthood weight. That being said, some easily and quickly adaptable reptiles are much more suitable for beginners. Compared with other reptiles, these animals have relatively low maintenance costs. However, they still require a significant up-front investment in equipment.
Turtles
Fortunately, the idea of marketing sea turtles (especially red-eared sliders) as pets for children has become unpopular. The aquatic turtle gets quite large and is messy, and it will not hold a child’s attention for long.
It can be challenging to fulfill the accommodation and ecological requirements of most turtles. Deciding to buy a turtle requires a lot of preparation and investment.
Eastern Box Turtle: These turtles have a long lifespan, but they are not as big as many turtles. They do not have aquatic requirements like red ear sliders, so they require less maintenance. Eastern box turtles live in extreme climates and therefore are omnivorous, meaning they consume both insects and plants.
Lizards
Even though the iguana is among the most popular lizards in pet shops, it is not really a suitable option for beginners due to their age, aggressiveness, and strict dietary and environmental requirements.
Other lizards, such as the Chinese water dragon, have unique needs in terms of temperature, moisture, lighting (exceptional bulbs that generate UVA and UVB beam), and eating habits. However, there are a few lizards that are eye-catching and easy to care for.
Bearded Dragon: The Australian native called the Bearded Dragon can be up to 18-24 inches in size, so they need an appropriate water tank (about 50 gallons for adults). Fold-necked lizards are a similar species, and they can also be excellent beginner pets. Both are desert residents, so they need to maintain relatively high temperatures and be exposed to UVA and UVB light.
Leopard geckos: Many people consider them to be the best lizards for starters since they are lightweight and easy to care for. A 15 to 20-gallon tank is enough to hold adult leopard geckos, and since they are nocturnal, special (UVA/UVB) lighting is not required. Since they are insectivores, they must be served a variety of bugs. They are relatively calm and pleasant to handle.
Snakes
The nutritional requirements of snakes are the most significant barrier for many owners. For most snakes, the owner must be willing to feed the prey whole, such as mice or rats.
However, the advantage of snakes is that they usually only need to be fed once a week or
less so that they can easily stay alone for a few days.
Spherical Python: The spherical constricted python is a gentle and relatively easy snake to look after. They are known for refusing to eat, so potential owners should look for one that is captive-bred. The spherical python is the most popular snake and often lives for 20-30 years.
Corn Snakes: These lovely snakes are quiet and simple to look after. Their adult length is only about three to five feet, and their life expectancy can reach more than 10 years. The corn snake is an excellent escape artist, so it needs a secure fence!
Here are some more lists of friendly pet snakes for beginners.
Conclusion
Almost anyone can have a reptile, even if they have no experience. Bearded dragons, leopard geckos, and corn snakes are the best choices for beginners.
Whenever you consider purchasing a new pet (mammal or reptile), make sure you have done all your research and preparation beforehand.
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