# Hi! Any ideas on the best reptile for beginner?



## littlemockingbird (Nov 17, 2009)

I would really like to own a reptile that is ok with quite warm temperatures and doesnt really need a huge vivarium, as it is going to be in my bedroom. I love all animals and have been a pet owner before but this will be my first time owning a reptile, and I could really do with some good sound advice. Anybody? Please? :help:


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## bubba31 (Apr 19, 2009)

geckos are good reptiles to have a nice heat mat under the tank and that is all you need.


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## littlemockingbird (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks gecko's are sounding good x


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## hedgehog738 (Oct 6, 2009)

my first was a cornsnake EASY PEASY! FEED 1/2 TIMES A WEEK GIVE WATER - DONE!


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## Annihilation (Nov 2, 2009)

Corn snake. Never had any problems and managed to breed them in the first year of having them!


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

I would say either a Leopard gecko or a corn snake. But personally I would choose a Leo - so much more interesting imo (sorry snake ppl)


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## Cheese (Mar 7, 2009)

Personally id say a leopard gecko. They need:

2ft vivarium
Heat mat
Thermostat either microclimate ministat 100 or habistat matstat (this is to control your temperatures)
2 hides like caves etc one dry on the hot side and the other moist on the cool side. The moist one is to help with shedding.
A water bowl, a meal worm bowl and a calcium bowl.
Best substrate is either kitchen roll or lino.

Leopard geckos come in many different colours and are great pets.

Leopard gecko care sheet

:2thumb:


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## x_firefly_x (Sep 18, 2009)

My first was a cornsnake, and he's been amazing!! So would definitely agree with others and recommend one. Really easy to care for and relatively cheap to maintain compared to other pets. Plus good if anyone in the house has allergies. To be fair he doesn't really do a great deal apart from sleep and eat though, never had a gecko but always assumed they will be more active/interesting to watch?! Good luck choosing your new pet!


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## lauren loves leo's (Jul 23, 2009)

leopard gecko


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## grannykins (Oct 9, 2006)

Depends whether you want legs or not really.:lol2:


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

Cornsnakes
Bearded dragons
Colombian Rainbow boas
Kenyan sand boas
anoles
royal pythons
smaller species of carpet pythons 
hognoses
garters
ribbon snakes
house snakes
Geckos


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## pmcnaught (Aug 31, 2009)

i know the guys above are saying leo or corn snake but why not go with a wonder gecko or vietnemise blue tree frog both are great speicies and my wonder geckos in my opinion have much more character than leos,
my recomendation is wonder gecko,
their care is virtually the same as leos but just something a bit different,
cheers
paul


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

why not a phib ?
whites tree frogs
pacman frog
fire bellied toad 
if its a reptile you want then id suggest a leopard gecko


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## Samanthaa (Sep 21, 2009)

grannykins said:


> Depends whether you want legs or not really.:lol2:


+1

Legs - leopard gecko 
No Legs - Corn Snake


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## lister (Sep 19, 2009)

Whatever you decide to start with, It will not be long before you then decide to get another one. We startedwith a leo and 4 months later ended up with a beardie :2thumb:


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## naja-naja (Aug 26, 2009)

snakes:
cornsnake
ratsnake (north american species such as everglades, black, yellow, grey or great plains)
kingsnake
milksnake
hognose snake
boa constrictor (there are dwarf (island) forms out there that are much smaller then their mainland counterparts if you cant handle an 8ft snake)
small python such as an irian jaya carpet, spotted, anthill, childrens, royal.
garter snake
ribbon snake
pine, gopher or bull snake

lizards:
bearded or rankins dragon
leopard gecko
crested gecko
fat-tailed gecko
collared lizards
tokay gecko
chinese water dragon

inverts:
chilean rose-hair tarantula
mexican red-kneed tarantula
mexican fire-legged tarantula
curly haired tarantula
emporer scorpion
hermit crabs
giant african land snails

amphibs:
whites tree frogs
fire-bellied toads
pac man frogs
axolotls
couch's spadefoot toads

and more....


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## Saber (Nov 9, 2009)

If its snakes, Iwould say a cornsnake. but read up about them first.


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## Jellyman (Sep 22, 2009)

Id say either a crested gecko or leopard gecko. Avoid chameleons for your first reptile :2thumb:


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## ginnerone (Aug 2, 2009)

naja-naja said:


> lizards:
> bearded or rankins dragon (req big viv)
> leopard gecko
> crested gecko (Need to climb, won't tolerate high temps)
> ...


OMG, you CANNOT keep these lizards in the conditions specified, they need either a big or high viv to climb, humidity , which is the opposite of the OP, she asked for a easy rep with small viv, that count's out all of the ones in red out. the cresty's won't tolerate too high temp's either.


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## Keir64 (Oct 12, 2009)

leopard gecko


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## cd78 (Jun 24, 2009)

Crested Gecko!

Lives at room temp, unless its really cold.
Doesnt eat much - compared with other lizards.
Doesnt need a huge amount of space (45x45x60)

Are so cool to watch!


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## littlemockingbird (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks, and by the way im yorkshire too


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## queenquack (Apr 6, 2009)

leopard geckos are great but if ur planning on getting more than one get girls!! i made that mistake! i love my boy but i want mor now and i cant mix um!!!


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## lizard queen (Jul 8, 2007)

i hate this question! what rep was it that got you interested in the first place? fairy nuff that might not be a good one to start with, but getting a practice one isn't necessarily a good idea. i know ppl that have only ever owned 1 species of rep, fussy as you like but are doing brilliantly with it! if nothing else you should have enough info on this forum to help you out what ever you choose.
just do your research before you buy anything, and i'm sure what ever you decide on will be fine!


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## ginnerone (Aug 2, 2009)

littlemockingbird said:


> Thanks, and by the way im yorkshire too


ay up mar mate, tha can't beat Yorkshire, Tis gods country after all lol, where bouts are thee in yorkshire, i might be able to suggest some good rep shops for thee, PM me if ya dunt wanna put it on a thread.
Accents don't sound as good as text lol


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## naja-naja (Aug 26, 2009)

ginnerone said:


> OMG, you CANNOT keep these lizards in the conditions specified, they need either a big or high viv to climb, humidity , which is the opposite of the OP, she asked for a easy rep with small viv, that count's out all of the ones in red out. the cresty's won't tolerate too high temp's either.


 i wouldn't consider a 3ft viv big, this is what rankin's/collard's need is it not? i also wouldn't consider 18x18x24 exo-terra big, hence my reasons for recommending cresties and tokays, i dont remember her saying it needed to be handled either. the only thing i would change on that list, looking back, is the cwd.


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## dragonboy08 (Aug 14, 2008)

littlemockingbird said:


> I would really like to own a reptile that is ok with quite warm temperatures and doesnt really need a huge vivarium, as it is going to be in my bedroom. I love all animals and have been a pet owner before but this will be my first time owning a reptile, and I could really do with some good sound advice. Anybody? Please? :help:


a goldfish


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## hedgehog738 (Oct 6, 2009)

ginnerone said:


> ay up mar mate, tha can't beat Yorkshire, Tis gods country after all lol, where bouts are thee in yorkshire, i might be able to suggest some good rep shops for thee, PM me if ya dunt wanna put it on a thread.
> Accents don't sound as good as text lol



me 2.

yeaaaahhhh 4 yorkshire


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## ginnerone (Aug 2, 2009)

naja-naja said:


> i wouldn't consider a 3ft viv big, this is what rankin's/collard's need is it not? i also wouldn't consider 18x18x24 exo-terra big, hence my reasons for recommending cresties and tokays, i dont remember her saying it needed to be handled either. the only thing i would change on that list, looking back, is the cwd.


3ft aint exactly tiny though is it, she also said quite high temps-thats the cresty ruled out, and as a very experienced tokay keeper and breeder, they aint that easy to keep as people make out and are superb escape artists, so really when you think about it, they aren't ideal.

and also YEAHHHHHHH back at ya hedgehog, another yorkshire winner Woo Hoo.

Shhh anyone hear that, what, that, what, that noise, i can't hear anything, oh it must be me, idoit, that's not nice, yeah your right sorry, no worries.


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## krytes (Oct 17, 2009)

My first reptile was leopard gecko. Easy. A western hognose is a good snake. Don't need such a big vivarium and become really amenable. Display interesting characteristics too.


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## Jamie7 (Oct 15, 2009)

leopard gecko, they are great! :2thumb:


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## Button12 (Nov 28, 2009)

You should definatley get a leopard gecko...there so easy, cheap and tiny. there great to handle everynow and again aswell. i think they're the most rewarding of the small lizards availiable.


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## Quiller (Sep 8, 2008)

I have a few Leos, a Beardie and a Crestie. The Crestie is the most recent addition. But, if I was starting out again and knew then what I know now, I'd have kicked off with the Crestie. I love him to bits. :thumb:


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## C.Bruno (Oct 8, 2008)

:no1:cornsnake,royal,bearded dragon or leopard gecko!:2thumb:


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## beaniebopps (Oct 4, 2009)

I don't necessarily agree with all the above posts... in my opinion just. Royals are fussy feeders and therefore not necessarily the best beginner snake. Leopard geckos and bearded dragons aren't nearly as cheap to feed as snakes (unless they are only ever fed mealies) and bearded dragons require UV light too which makes them a bit more complicated than some. I spend a total of £.375 on my adult snakes food per week (feeding 5 snakes 1 item weekly) but spend over £6 on 3 leopard geckos (£5.25 for 3 boxes of locusts weekly and £2.20 on a box of mealies every 3 weeks)

And - they said they didn't want a huge viv. Bearded dragons adults will need a 4 x 2 x 2 to be happy.. that's quite big in comparison to some others. 

Personally I think corn snakes are the best reptile to start off with - generally fridndly, don't grow too big, cheap to feed, usually good feeders - what more could you want?


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## The Bearded Chin (Oct 20, 2010)

*Bearded Dragon*

Bearded Dragons Are So Cool


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## oitzcobrao (May 8, 2010)

my first was a gecko to me lizards have more of a personality but be warned because you always start with one and end up with loads lol


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## liamh1991 (Dec 29, 2009)

Oops! just saw the original date of this thread!....i need more sleep...IGNORE THIS POST




My first reptile was a crestie, i have a tiny room so found the fact they need height space a bonus as the terrarium takes up less floor space. They are easy to keep, fun to watch in the evening, mine doesnt mind handlig oo much though they can be jumpy. They also need little if any extra heating. I would reccomend these guys any day!

If you are after a snake and you have limted room id say western hognose, im picking up my first next week, 2ft viv a for a male, heat mat and low wattage bulb for a day/night cycle done. Cheap to keep, and lovely little snakes, though the bluffing behaviour could put off someone who is only just starting out with reptiles.

Just my 2 pence anyway


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