# Thinking of getting my first reptile, need some advices



## testdasi (Aug 26, 2009)

:cheers:
I have been keeping Tarantulas for a while and am considering getting my first reptile. I would greatly appreciate if anyone can give a recommendation for my first reptile. :notworthy:

Below are my constraints:

No hot/venomous species, please.
I keep pokies (Poecilotheria tarantula species, in case you don't know) and that's as far as I am willing to go.
Not too expensive, please.
Not just the specie but the cost of keeping as well. For example (I only know Tarantulas so please bear with me), Tarantulas eat roaches (can be raised in colony <-- almost free supply) and are perfectly happy living a plastic box.
The specie, feeders and keeping equipments are readily available.
Relatively simple care (and preferably hardy so as to tolerate some unintended accidents).
May be a bad example but I don't even try to keep spiderlings of Avicularia species because they die for no reason (S.A.DS = Sudden Avic Death Syndrome). Too much humidity = die, too low humidity = die, perfect condition = die as well. Please, nothing like that.
Below are some of my preference:

For serpents: no longer than 5 foot 6 adult size, please. (that's my height :lol2: Anything longer than that makes me feel short! :lol2.
And preferably generally more docile species that can be handled. I know sometimes you just get an aggressive specimen (like I have seen a Curly Hair worshiping Satantula before) but as long as it's a minority, it's fine.
For lizard/geckos/etc: docile + big or communal.
For everything else: can I keep them outside?
I have a small tiny backyard 
If you managed to read all the way until here, :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy: to you. :2thumb: So please help, any help is good help.
Thank you very much. :notworthy:
Tung


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## D_Allen (Jul 29, 2009)

corn snake?


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## Ian.g (Nov 23, 2006)

snake wise

corn snake
dwarf boa
gopher snake 
to name but a few that could meet your restrictions

Lizard wise

Bearded dragon
leopard gecko
rankin dragon
again this is only a small number of species that would fit your restrictions


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## Tom1928 (Aug 15, 2009)

Leopard geckos, this could be quite expensive if gettin a community, best bet is a corn snake you can find them around for £15-50 pounds and easy to look after, and you can handle them easy.


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## matt1993 (Jul 7, 2009)

dont get a corn snake there boring, get an ij carpet python they max out at about 5-6 feet and can become very tame with regular handeling plus there also quiet hardy and easy to look after


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## ant- (Apr 19, 2009)

snake wise properly a corn large number of morphs very handleable only got mine a week ago and he will happily be handled

lizards you hav a larger choice
bearded dragon
sandfish skinks
moorish gecko -dnt know how much there set up would cost but there cheap to buy
anoles
i dnt keep lizards so may be more or one of them may not be suitable but iv looked at getting everyone one of them at som point and they seem suitable for a beginner, som of the lizards eat roaches so you would just hav 2 increase your roach colony


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## matt1993 (Jul 7, 2009)

python


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## D_Allen (Jul 29, 2009)

i really would go for a corn they are great and well not boring at all if you ask me and well you can get almost any colour


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## Josh96 (Jul 25, 2009)

iguana was my first rep they great should get 1 they grow about your heigh or sum sort of monitor or tegu


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## dwm123456 (Dec 16, 2008)

matt1993 said:


> python


that narrows it down lol, maybie a king snake or corn, or a beardie


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## The Golden Boy (Jun 25, 2008)

Josh96 said:


> iguana was my first rep they great should get 1 they grow about your heigh or sum sort of monitor or tegu


 
:gasp:


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## naja-naja (Aug 26, 2009)

i would reccomend a cornsnake, failing that a kingsnake, milksnake, cb royal, boa constrictor, carpet python, any ratsnake, pinesnake, gopher snake, sand/rosy/rubber boas.
for a lizard a leopard gecko, crested gecko, bearded dragon, chinese water dragon, savannah monitor, uromastyx, ackie monitor.

but i think the best thing to do is to go to your local pet store, see what they have, choose one that you like and find out what its requirments are, its behaiour etc. and see if it is suited to you.


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## testdasi (Aug 26, 2009)

Thanks a lot guys. :no1: Never expect so many replies. :2thumb:

After some quick readings, I'm splitting between corn snakes, bearded dragon and leopard geckos.
They all seem to be available in various colors (and I like colors). They don't seem to be too expensive to obtain nor too difficult to keep.

*What are the pros and cons of each?
And what are the important things I need to know about them/caring for them?*

For example, with Tarantulas like G. rosea, just ignore whatever humidity requirement on online care sheets because they like it bone dry. Things like that only come with experience and I reckon there are many experienced keepers on here so I may as well ask more rather than risking it.

So please help, again. :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:


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## karlh (Jul 5, 2009)

*royal*

my first snake was a royal when i was 10. very placid easy to keep and not to large. a good choice in my eyes.


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## connor 1213 (Apr 6, 2009)

Ian.g said:


> snake wise
> 
> corn snake
> dwarf boa
> ...


defo a good lizard to start with


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## Tarn~Totty (May 4, 2009)

Really, the only one out of your list there (corn snake, beardie, leo) I could think of having "cons" would be bearded dragons....and thats only because youve got UV and heating to sort. Corns I think would need ceramic heat bulb, leo's just heat mat (although some people do give their leos access to UV).

Also if size of viv/enclosure would be an issue...most people use a minimum viv size of 4x2x2 for their beardies...corn usually a min. of 3x2x2 for an adult...and leos usually around the same (for 1/2 together)...maybe something a little smaller for a single leo? (not sure on that one)

Food wise....snake would need a mouse/rat relative to the snakes size once every week or so. Beardie fresh veg and fruit daily plus live food (roaches, crickets, locusts etc) and leos live food a couple of times a day (relative to size)

Hope you get the idea of what Im on about. Im not too clear explaining things :lol2:


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## Robo (Aug 24, 2009)

*A Royal Python*

I would always go for a Royal Python, a standard hatchling price is about £50, they are generally very docile and easy to handle


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## cdcfckb7 (Jun 18, 2009)

a royal python great starters


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## matt1993 (Jul 7, 2009)

cdcfckb7 said:


> a royal python great starters



not realy as they can be quiet tricky when it comes to feeding, so not realy a good choice for begginers


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## Imp (Aug 13, 2009)

Totally agree with getting a leo, though I am biased having got one of the cuties myself. Easy to look after, pretty and will tollerate being handled well. Also if you get one anything like mine they have buckets of personality. 
As far as care goes a fair few of the breeders on this forum have excelet care sheets on ther websites .


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## superjacko (May 25, 2009)

some pretty daft suggestions being thrown about here :whistling2: i'd normally avoid telling beginners to get leopard gecko as pretty much everyone has one and there is so much more choice out there, but going on the info the OP provided, i'd say a leo would be a good choice. a african fat tail or a crested gecko would also be a good starting point. if not maybe a skink, plenty of them to choose from and most are pretty forgiving if you don't get it exactly right straight away, which most dont :lol2: maybe if you don't mind splashing out abit you could look into a trio of ackies but i wouldnt say they are a great starting point, but thats not to say they are hard to keep, just not the most ideal lizard to start with. : victory: hope thats of some help :2thumb:


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## zondaecw (Aug 14, 2009)

crested gecko? i have only had one for a few days. But he is eating his pureed fruit and CGD well. Not tried crickets yet. But is already eating off my fingers. He lovely and friendly!


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## -ELLIOT- (Sep 1, 2009)

Go for a blue Tongue skink, it take alot to hurt them, they tame easily, they live for about 17 years and grow to about 50 cm. And easy to care for, perfect reptile for a begginner


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## Gecko8 (Jul 10, 2011)

I would go a beardie or a leo lizardwise, but snake wise, i would go with a royal, or "ball python."


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## manda88 (Nov 27, 2009)

Gecko8 said:


> I would go a beardie or a leo lizardwise, but snake wise, i would go with a royal, or "ball python."


This thread is 2 years old, I would imagine they've probably made their decision by now


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## MajorRocker (Jul 16, 2011)

If you're looking for inexpensive, I would NOT go bearded dragon. I just got mine a month and a half ago and I've easily spent $700 so far.

So far I've purchased the following. You can get a cheaper viv and lighting or go all out and pay double what I have.

Vivarium - $199.99
Light bulbs - $80
Light Fixtures - $$195
Substrate - $30
Feeding dishes - $10
Various rocks/wood for basking/climbing - $35
Bearded Dragon - $50
Veggies - $10
Crickets - no idea...at least $50
Phoenix Worms - $90

Once you do get your viv all set up, you're still looking at food costs. In the US I'm paying 11-14 cents PER cricket. He easily eats 30-50 a day. I also pay $42 for 400 Phoenix worms which lasts 2 weeks.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

I pay £9 per 500 banded brown crickets so around 2p each. Plus with things like mealies and roaches super easy to breed your own.


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