Reptiles can make great pets. For those who are interested in keeping a reptile, you should always start with conducting your own research on which animal you wish to keep. People have been keeping reptiles for decades, and the information available now has made it easier for each generation of new reptile keeper to keep them healthy and happy. Reptile keeping has reached a point where there are so many reptiles to choose from with each having their own unique set of care requirements. If you are new to reptile keeping, there is a reptile that will help you get on your way to enjoying these cold-blooded critters.

Choosing just one to start with isn’t difficult, though some are just better choices for those new to the hobby. In this article, we offer several of the most popular reptiles (and one amphibian) amongst keepers based on temperament, care, handling, and just pure joy of keeping. For those who are already keeping reptiles, those on this list are already familiar, and if you don’t already keep one of these species, consider them as they are great to keep. These four great reptiles (and one amphibian) for those new to herp keeping are also probably the most popular available. Just check your local laws and ordinances to ensure you can keep these species. All are widely captive bred and come in an array of unique colorations or patterns, called morphs. And all can be purchased at your local reptile store, big box pet store, online breeder and your local reptile show.

Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus)

The corn snake is arguably the most popular snake with reptile keepers. It is a fairly docile snake that is easy handle, comes in a wide array of beautiful colorations and patterns (morphs), and for those so inclined, is very easy to breed. It is often the first snake that experienced keepers recommend to those new to snake keeping because of these traits, and the fact that it is a very inquisitive species that is just as much at home in its enclosure as it is in your hands on a warm sunny day outside. Corn snakes can be purchased at your local reptile store, reptile show or via a breeder online. They are also sometimes available at your local big box pet store. When choosing a corn snake, its skin should be tight and muscular. Its eyes should be bright and clear and it should be flicking its tongue. If it has any type of discharge from its nose or mouth, move on to the next snake. Look for any external parasites such as black ticks. Ask the seller for a record of feeding and what food items it eats. If the snake is a hatchling and hasn’t eaten its first meal, move on to the next snake. If there is a reptile show near you, attend it and see what is available. They always have more selection at these shows and you might might find that perfect colored corn snake that you’ve been looking for. The prices are very competitive, and if you attend on the last day of the show, the prices can get super competitive.

Vince Bradley/Shutterstock

Enclosure

Start hatchling corn snakes in a 20 gallon long enclosure with a screen top that adds plenty of ventilation. The top of the enclosure must be escape proof. Even small cracks can enable your snake to escape. Add reptile hides on the warm and the cool side of the enclosure. This will enable your snake to rest where it wishes depending on the temperature. Climbing branches and or log type platforms will also provide for enrichment, which is important for any reptile. A water bowl large enough for your snake to soak completely in should be placed on the cool side of the enclosure. Change the water at least three times a week. As the corn snake grows, upgrade its enclosure to a larger enclosure. Depending on the size of the corn snake, a 50 gallon and up to a 4’ x 2’ x 2’ enclosure is ideal for an adult corn snake. This size provides plenty of space for your corn snake to explore, lends itself well to climbing branches and multiple hides, and ensures its well-being by affording it a large space.

Corn Snake Substrate

Aspen bedding is an ideal substrate for corn snakes because it is absorbent and enables your snake to burrow underneath it when it wishes. When your snake defecates, cleanup is super easy with aspen bedding as you just need to scoop the soiled area out. Coconut coir substrates are also a good choice as they help with humidity and facilitate easy cleanup as well.

Temperature/Lighting For Corn Snakes

The temperature inside the enclosure should range between approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit (22.2 degrees Celsius) on the cool end and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees Celsius) on the warm end. You can achieve this with a spot light and/or an under tank heat pad connected to a thermostat. Invest in a temperature gun so you can do temperature checks to ensure optimal placement of the light and heat pad.

The corn snake is a Zone 1 (UVI 0 to 1.4) on the Ferguson Zone for Ultraviolet light. It is considered a shade dweller, so choose the appropriate UVB light fixture. While UVB wasn’t traditionally used in the past for corn snakes, recent scientific studies have stated that UVB is important for all reptiles.

Feeding

In the wild, corn snakes feed primarily on rodents such as rats and mice. They are also known to eat eggs. Feed hatchling and neonate corn snakes frozen/thawed pinky mice of an appropriate size. The size of the meal should not exceed the circumference of the snake. You can feed them once a week to start and less often as they grow. They will graduate from pinkies to fuzzies, then hoppers and then small mice. You can buy frozen thawed in bulk online for better savings. Some reptile stores will offer them as well at competitive prices. Adult corn snakes can be fed adult frozen/thawed mice or frozen thawed rat pups. Feed them one meal every 10 to 20 days. Some folks feed them more often or a shorter duration. The goal is to ensure they don’t get too fat and aren’t too skinny.

Feed your corn snake frozen/thawed rodents.

Ideal Keeper/Handler

The corn snake is the ideal snake not only for those new to reptile keeping, but for those new to keeping snakes and want a super cool snake that has an inquisitive demeanor. These reptiles can easily exceed 20 years in captivity provided they are cared for correctly. My corn snake Snowy is 20 something years old and is just as beautiful and inquisitive now as when I acquired her as a hatchling. They make great pets, handle very easily and are long lived and beautiful snakes.

Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)

The leopard gecko  is one of the most popular lizards amongst reptile keepers. The species is available in a range of morphs and has been widely captive bred around the world for more than 30 years. The leopard gecko is native to Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal and has been found in rocky outcrops and regions with grassy areas with plenty of foliage. These lizards are long lived, with some captive specimens living well into their 20s when properly cared for.

Leopard geckos are very popular lizards with many different color variations, or morphs. Photo by Gaschwald/Shutterstock

Enclosure

Leopard geckos are relatively small lizards. You can house a juvenile leopard gecko in a 10- to 20-gallon enclosure. You can house one or two leopard geckos from juvenile to adult size in a 50-gallon, front opening (36” x 18”x 18”) enclosure provided they have ample places to hide amongst the floor space. Place hiding spots on the warm side and the cool side of the enclosure. These reptiles are a ground dwelling species, but they will still climb if given the opportunity. You can add rocks and bricks to your enclosure as well as some tree branches and they will utilize them as well. They just won’t climb as well as an arboreal species like a crested gecko. The larger the enclosure the better if you decide to keep multiple leopard geckos (multiple females or a single male to multiple females). A 4’ x 2’ x 2’ enclosure is a good size for a multi-leopard gecko setup. Keep in mind though that sometimes these reptiles will be aggressive toward each other, so you may have to house them separately if this is the case. Also, keeping a male with a female can result in babies, and not everyone wants to care for baby leopard geckos. These reptiles will do perfectly fine on their own, in their own enclosure.

Substrate

Your leopard gecko will thrive in a mixed substrate of play sand, reptile soil and coconut coir. Add some sphagnum moss to the mix and you have a great substrate for your leopard gecko. If you decide to go bioactive with your leopard gecko’s enclosure, there are plenty of mix ingredients lists available for you to choose what substrate mixes you want to use based on the plants you will grow in the enclosure.

Temperature/Lighting Requirements

A daylight bulb that can achieve 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 26.7 to 29.4 degrees Celsius on the warm end of the enclosure is ideal. It should be complemented with UVB lamps left on 12 hours a day. Leopard geckos need Vitamin D3 to synthesize calcium and this can be accomplished with dusting food items with Vitamin D3 supplements. The leopard gecko is a Zone 1 reptile on the Ferguson scale for UVB. It is crepuscular or shade dweller. Choose a fluorescent UVB light with a UV gradient of 1 to 1.0 across the vivarium. If you are using the Sunbeam (basking zone) method, choose a mercury vapor, metal halide or T5-HO fluorescent UVB lamp with a UVI maximum of 1.1 to 3.0.
Create a temperature gradient on one side of the enclosure to ensure that your leopard gecko has the capability to move from the hot area (80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 26.7 to 29.4 degrees Celsius) of the enclosure to the cool area (75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit , 23.9 to 26.7 degrees Celsius) when needed. You can achieve the gradient using an undertank heat pad and day light fixtures and bulbs. Consult the manufacturers website as they will be able detail the correct solution for your reptile and the size of its enclosure.

Feeding

Feed your leopard geckos live, gut-loaded crickets or roaches dusted with vitamins and calcium supplements. They will also eat mealworms. Your reptile store sells gut loading foods for your feeders. This ensures that your reptiles get good nutrition as well. You can entice them to eat dead commercial crickets by tong feeding. Make sure the water bowl has fresh water daily, and keep it shallow so your gecko can crawl out if it goes in.

Ideal Keeper/Handler

The leopard gecko is ideal for those who like to occasionally interact with their reptiles. They tolerate occasional handling, and some even learn to be hand fed. With proper husbandry, these reptiles make great companions to reptile lovers. The leopard gecko might be the most popular lizard amongst reptile keepers. Properly cared for, they can live very long, with some living 20 plus years.

Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

The red-eared slider is the most popular pet turtle in the world. It can live more than 50 years in captivity and has been a mainstay with turtle keepers for decades. Semi-aquatic and a very competent swimmer, the red-eared slider is also the most introduced turtle species, with specimens recorded as far east as the Philippines and Japan, to the Hawaiian islands. It is that popular. Rather than purchase a hatchling, consider finding one at a reptile rescue or turtle rescue. The red-eared slider is named after the red stripe around where external ears would be if they had them. The red in some individuals does tend to fade as they age. It grows to 12 to 15 inches in carapace length, with average lengths of about 8 to 10 inches carapace length. This is dinner plate size, so keep in mind that the red-eared slider will need an enclosure that can house its large size.

Look for a red-eared slider at a reptile rescue. Photo by ArtEvent/Shutterstock

You can keep hatchlings larger than 4 inches carapace length (the legal size for selling this species) in a 36”x18”x18 enclosure with enough water in the enclosure for them to swim about. Ensure there is a platform large enough for the slider to haul out and dry off completely as well as bask under a heat lamp if kept indoors. After they outgrow this size enclosure, you can house them in a large aquarium of 150 to 300 gallons, or one of the plastic tubs designed for aquatic turtles. A 400 to 500-gallon outdoor pond (Minimum size of 10’ x 12’ and 30 inches water depth). would be ideal for this species. If kept outdoors, the sun should suffice for heat in warmer climates. Just ensure the enclosure has some level of shade. Cooler climates will need a heat source and will need to be brought indoors during the winters.

Substrate

River rock and sand are the ideal substrates for these turtles. Ensure that the river rock is too large for the turtle to ingest. Sand shouldn’t be fine, but rather should have larger grains so it doesn’t get into the water column and then into your water filter, mucking up its capabilities. You can combine both the large river rock with the sand for a balanced approach. Purchase a water filter for your turtle’s enclosure that is at a minimum rated to filter the amount of water in the enclosure. Water filters are rated at gallons per hour. A water filter that can filter out twice the amount of water that is in the enclosure is ideal. Canister filters are good solutions for aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles. Red-eared sliders are messy–not only do they feed in the water, they defecate in it as well. Choose a quality canister filter and maintain it.

Temperature/Lighting/UVB

The red-eared slider is a Zone 3 reptile on the Ferguson Zone. It is a partial/open sun basker. Choose a UVB light with a Zone range UVI 1.0 to 2.6 with a maximum UVI 2.9 to 7.4. Water temperatures should be kept between 75- and 85-degrees Fahrenheit (23.9 to 29.4 degrees Celsius). Place the lighting over one of the basking platforms. Purchase a submersible water heater appropriate for the number of gallons of water in your turtle’s enclosure. Purchase a splash proof halogen lamp to ensure the temperature is ideal in the enclosure.

Feeding

Feed your red-eared slider a high-quality commercial turtle food for well-balanced nutrition and supplement that with crickets, earthworms, superworms, and leafy green vegetables such as bok choy and collard greens. Dust the insects with a high-quality reptile vitamin and calcium supplement. Live rosy red minnows or small shiners placed into their water feature will give the capability to hunt like they do in the wild. Do not feed them live goldfish or prey items caught in the wild.

Ideal Keeper/Handling

While the red-eared slider is the most popular turtle among reptile keepers and one of the most popular pet reptiles, they require specialized care and very specific enclosure requirements.
If you have the means, an outdoor pond is the best enclosure for adult red-eared sliders. These turtles live a long time and can bring decades of enjoyment for those who keep them.

Crested Gecko (Correlophus ciliatus)

The crested gecko is a staple in the hobby. Go to any reptile show and you will see many vendors selling these natives to New Caledonia in a variety of colorations and patterns. This gecko is an arboreal species and has captured the hearts of many reptile keepers world-wide. Thanks to captive breeding efforts, this once thought extinct lizard has helped propel the reptile hobby to millions of people in the United States and around the world.

The crested gecko may only need minimal UVB as it is more active at night. It is a Zone 1 reptile. Photo by Christian Rogers Photography/Shutterstock

Enclosure

For very young crested geckos, choose a tall enclosure rather than long as these reptiles are climbers. Choose a 12” x 12” x 18” tall enclosure with a screen top and a front opening door. Front ventilation is also ideal. Not only do crested geckos love to climb, but they can also climb on glass thanks to their sticky toe pads and sticky tail pads. A Marquette University study in 2021 found that the sticky tail pads of the crested gecko acts as a fifth leg, and can support up to five times the mass of the weight of the lizard itself. That is quite the stickiness! These geckos can grow to 10 inches in length, including their prehensile tail, so plan to upgrade the enclosure as they grow. A single adult can be kept in an 18” x 18” x 24” or taller enclosure by itself. Avoid housing two males in the same enclosure.

The crested gecko does well in a bioactive enclosure with plenty of climbing features.

Crested geckos will do best in a naturalistic or bioactive enclosure. Because of their propensity to climb, choose live plants with leaves that have the capability to hold their weight. I have Sansevieria (aka snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue) throughout my gecko’s enclosure and she sleeps on a specific leaf during the day. I also have bamboo throughout for climbing. Keep a water cup on a platform so your gecko always has access to water and employ a misting system to ensure the 50 to 70 percent humidity is maintained. For planting your gecko’s enclosure, use a peat moss-based soil mix free of perlite or coconut fiber that is mixed 50 percent with clean soil as a base for growing live plants. A high quality thermometer/hygrometer is essential to help with temperature and humidity.

Temperature/Lighting

The crested geckos is crepuscular. It is a shade dweller. Recent studies have shown that they can benefit from UVB, though they are often kept without UVB. They are a Zone 1 reptile on the Ferguson Zone for UVB. Provide a UVB light with a UVI zone range of 0 to 0.7. Information on the labels of the UVB light are printed on the side of the light box as a guide when choosing the proper light for your enclosure size and height from the lamp. For more information on UVB lighting, visit UVB Lighting For Your Reptiles at bit.ly/4epGaHZ. Supplement the UVB bulb with a low wattage day light bulb that emits enough daytime heat, on 12 hours a day, to maintain 70 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 to 25.0 degrees Celsius) during the day and 69 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit at night). Check this with a temperature gun as crested geckos can’t tolerate higher temperatures.

Feeding

The crested gecko feeds on insects and fruit material in the wild. In captivity, there are a variety of commercial crested gecko foods available. I feed my adult crested geckos three to four small/medium, calcium/vitamin dusted and gut loaded crickets twice a week and the food bowls contain the commercial crested gecko diets. I remove and replenish the uneaten foods every other day. For variety, feed them dubia roaches, waxworms, and silkworms.

Crested Gecko Foods

Zoo Med Crested Gecko Food

Repashy Crested Gecko Superfood

Ideal Keeper/ Handler

The crested gecko is going to be a great first lizard for many reptile keepers. They aren’t so fragile that you can’t occasionally handle them, though they can jump right off your hands so watch for that. While they are sleeping mostly during the day, you can watch them interact with their environment in the evening, which is great. They can live 15 plus years and are known to live even longer. If you acquire one that is young, be prepared to budget for a new enclosure as it grows. When choosing a crested gecko, ensure that it looks healthy and plump, but not fat. It should be inquisitive when handled and its eyes should be bright. Licking of their eyeballs is normal. These geckos don’t regrow their tails once they drop them, so keep this in mind when choosing as well. You can buy a crested gecko at any reptile show, online via breeders and at your local reptile store and big box pet store. When acquiring one, ensure that you get a health guarantee. Ensure that it is eating. Ask questions from the breeder/seller. If your local reptile store, big box pet store and vendors at the local stores seem indifferent or lack knowledge, just go to the next table or store that has someone who is. Find someone knowledgable about the species who can answer your questions. Crested geckos are gregarious lizards and are super fun to watch.

Horned Frogs (Ceratophrys spp)

Pac-Man or horned frogs are so named due in part to its large mouth and how they stuff prey items into it. They are named after the popular video game Pac-Man, in which a character goes through the video game eating dots and ghosts with its massive mouth. There are eight known species of the Pac-Man frog, including the Cranwell’s horned frog (Ceratophys cranwelli), Argentine horned frog (Ceratophys ornata), Surinam horned frog (Ceratophys cornuta), Colombian horned frog (Ceratophys calcarata), Brazilian horned frog (Ceratophys aurita), Stolzmann’s horned frog (Ceratophys stolzmanni), Ecuador horned frog (Ceratophys testudo), and Joazeiro horned frog (Ceratophys joazeirensis). Of these, the Argentine horned frog and Crawell’s horned frog are the most widely kept as pets. The amphibian is very popular with herp keepers, are widely-captive bred and are available in an array of morphs. These frogs grow to about 4 to 6 inches in length, and are not a really active frog, preferring to lay still and wait for its next meal to present itself.

Horned frogs are ambush predators. They spend lots of time motionless buried in the substrate. Photo by Arunee Rodloy/Shutterstock

Enclosure

You can house your juvenile Pac-Man frog in a 5-gallon enclosure and an adult in a 20- to 40-gallon enclosure.

Substrate

Substrate should be loose, like a coconut fiber-based substrate with sphagnum peat moss and fine orchid bark. Keep the depth at about 4 to 6 inches and remove your frog’s poop regularly. The deep substrate will give your frog the capability to bury itself in the substrate fully or partially. Cork bark can be provided as a hide, though they may just prefer to bury themselves in the substrate. Keep the substrate moist to help with humidity, but not to the point where it is soaking wet. Place a water dish large enough for the frog to soak in and keep the water clean.

Temperature/Lighting

Adult Pac-Man frogs will thrive in temperatures ranging from 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 29 degrees Celsius) during the day and 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 to 21.1 degrees Celsius) at night. Humidity should be maintained at around 70 percent. Baby frogs should be kept in temperatures ranging from 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (25 to 27.7 degrees Celsius) during the day and 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 to 23.8 degrees Celsius) at night. You can achieve these temperatures and a light cycle with a good quality lighting fixture and an appropriately sized ceramic heat emitter, compact fluorescent or LED heat bulb. An undertank heat pad on a thermostat can also be used to maintain proper heat for your Pac-Man frog. These are placed on the outside of your glass enclosure, ideally on the side of the tank. Invest in a high-quality thermometer and hygrometer so you know the temperatures in your enclosure as well as the humidity level.

Feeding

Feed your juvenile frogs a diet of live crickets, earthworms and dubia roaches. You can also feed them pinky mice on occasion. Some folks feed live-bearing fish (guppies) as well. Dust your feeders with a good quality calcium and multivitamin supplement to ensure proper bone development. Don’t overfeed as you don’t want an overweight Pac-Man frog. They will eat nearly every time food is presented so keep this in mind when feeding. In the wild, thee amphibians are voracious and are known to eat almost anything that they can fit in their mouths, including other frogs of the same species, small rodents and other reptiles.

Ideal Keeper/ Handling

The Pac-Man frog makes a great pet as long as you do your homework to properly care for them. They are fun to watch while eating but don’t overfeed them. Handle them only when you need to check their well-being or when you clean their enclosure. A well-kept Pac-Man frog can live close to 15 years.