Easiest Reptiles and Amphibians for First-Time Exotic Pet Owners

What are the easiest reptiles and amphibians to own for those interested in getting an exotic pet?

You’re thinking of getting a pet, but you want it to be different from the usual dog or cat. You want something like a snake, lizard or turtle that will keep your interest long after the initial excitement wears off.

Reptiles and amphibians make great pets for first-time pet owners. While they may not be as easy to care for as, say, a goldfish, these animals have a reputation for being educational while also being low-maintenance. Besides, having a reptile or an amphibian as a pet is super cool.

African Dwarf Frog

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Temperament: Docile, peaceful, active

Length: 2.5 inches

Weight: A few ounces

Longevity: 5+ years

Bottom Line: African Dwarf Frog

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They like to limit their social life to other frogs — not people. It’s not a good idea to handle them outside their habitat, so enjoy them from a distance, not up close and personal.

However, they do like “burbling,” which is floating on the surface of the water with their limbs completely spread out. Trust us when we say this is enough entertainment you’ll need.

African Sulcata Tortoise

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Temperament: Curious, distinctive, sociable

Height: 24-30 inches

Weight: 70-90 pounds

Longevity: 100+ years

Bottom Line: African Sulcata Tortoise

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The African Sulcata Tortoise tends to form a life-long bond with its owners and, over time, can recognize them. They make excellent pets for families, even those with small children.

One of the best things about these tortoises is that they’re individuals and have distinct personalities, so they’re more like a family friend than a pet.

Axolotl

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Temperament: Hardy, low-maintenance, adorable

Length: 10-12 inches

Weight: Up to 8 ounces

Longevity: 10+ years

Bottom Line: Axolotl

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The axolotl is a salamander that originated in Mexico and has a face resembling a happy sock puppet. They have both lungs and gills but spend the majority of their lives in water.

If you don’t have any experience with exotic pets, the axolotl would be a good place to start. The only drawback is that most pet stores don’t carry these amphibians, so you may have to get creative to find one.

Ball Python

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Temperament: Shy, docile, sensitive

Length: 2-4.5 feet

Weight: 4-5 pounds

Longevity: 25-30 years

Bottom Line: Ball Python

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Ball pythons are easy to care for and only need to be fed weekly. Once trust is established between them and their owners, the ball python enjoys being held and will curl around their owner’s arms or loosely wrap themselves around their handler’s neck.

Leaders of African tribes wore ball pythons as necklaces. If reptile jewelry isn’t your thing, they also like a good game of hide and seek.

Bearded Dragon

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Temperament: Calm, passive, easy-going

Height: 16-24 inches

Weight: 0.62-1.1 pounds

Longevity: 10-15 years

Bottom Line: Bearded Dragon

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Bearded dragons are one of the best reptiles for beginners. You don’t have to make constant trips to the pet store for food, as they generally eat vegetables and insects.

They don’t need a fancy enclosure, and they’re active during the day so that you won’t miss out on their antics.

Brazilian Milk Frog (or Amazon Milk Frog)

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Temperament: Complacent, enjoyable, easy

Length: 2.5-4.0 inches

Weight: 0.14-0.18 ounces

Longevity: 5-10 years

Bottom Line: Brazilian Milk Frog

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Brazilian milk frogs have a unique defense mechanism that, if they feel threatened, they’ll secret a milky fluid. It’s very poisonous for their enemies, but it keeps them hydrated when they’re coated with the substance.

Owners of a Brazilian milk frog need to handle them with care even if their secretions aren’t lethal to humans because improper handling could endanger the frog’s skin.

Budgett’s Frog

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Temperament: Intelligent, aggressive, active

Length: 4-6 inches

Weight: About 8 ounces

Longevity: 15-20 years

Bottom Line: Budgett’s Frog

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A Budgett’s frog isn’t the kind of pet to get if you’re looking for something cuddly, as they don’t like being held, and they will bite. But if you want a pet that’s going to break the internet with pictures of their comically big head or of them sitting with their entire body hidden by the water and only their eyes shown, then this is the pet you want for your Insta-feed.

They don’t mind modeling for you; as long as you remember, they require a three-month dormant period every year when they’re not available for photo ops.

Chameleon

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Temperament: Solitary, cautious, territorial

Length: 2-20 inches

Weight: Up to 4 pounds

Longevity: 2-10 years

Bottom Line: Chameleon

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Chameleons make for interesting pets. They live in trees, so they need a big enclosure to house things for them to perch and climb on.

Chameleons are well known for their ability to change colors. The color change can represent a feeling such as fear or anger, regulate heat or attract a mate. Chameleons are fun to watch with their amazingly fast tongues that reach out and capture their prey.

Chuckwalla

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Temperament: Skittish, hardy, adaptable

Height: 15-20 inches

Weight: 2 pounds

Longevity: 20+ years

Bottom Line: Chuckwalla

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If you take the time to slowly introduce yourself to the chuckwallas by, first, showing them your hand and, then, building up to holding them, they’ll get used to you and being handled. Have short sessions at first and gradually increase the time together.

The more comfortable they get with you, the more their personality will become calm and relaxed.

Corn Snake

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Temperament: Outgoing, calm, low-key

Height: 2-5 feet (in length)

Weight: 2 pounds

Longevity: 6-8 years

Bottom Line: Corn Snake

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Once they get used to being handled, they’ll grow to need it every day, so if you’re more of a hands-off snake owner, corn snakes may not be the reptile for you. Hatchlings (the baby snake just out of the egg) born into a controlled environment are more adaptable than those born into a wild environment.

When they’re not bonding with their owner, these snakes enjoy burrowing and hiding.

Chinese Water Dragon

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Temperament: Friendly, determined, full of personality

Height: 3 feet (males,) 2 feet (females)

Weight: About 1-2 pounds

Longevity: 10-15 years

Bottom Line: Chinese Water Dragon

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Not only are water dragons OK with being handled, they need regular handling so that they don’t get too aggressive.

If you’re thinking of getting an iguana but are put off because their habitats are too elaborate, and you don’t want to deal with their aggressive nature, get this smaller, calmer version.

Crested Gecko

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Temperament: Flighty, docile, hardy

Length: 7-9 inches

Weight: 1.23-1.94 ounces

Longevity: 10-20 years

Bottom Line: Crested Gecko

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One of the first things people notice about the crested gecko is their long, flirty eyelashes. No, the crested geckos aren’t using too much mascara. Those eyelashes are spines that travel from the gecko’s eyes to its tail. Then, there’s the wide variety of colors and patterns the geckos come in.

Since these geckos don’t love to be handled, they’re a pet that’s best admired from a distance.

Eastern Box Turtle

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Temperament: Shy, adaptable, distinctive

Height: 5-6 inches

Weight: Up to 2 pounds

Longevity: 25-100 years

Bottom Line: Eastern Box Turtle

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Eastern box turtles require very little in the way of care once you get their enclosure set with the right temperature and humidity levels. They’re the kind of pet you get if you want something to listen to your troubles without interruption.

They’re not affectionate, they don’t want to be handled, and when they get scared, they’ll pull their head and legs into their shell and hide until the trouble has passed.

Gidgee Skink

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Temperament: Stoic, shy, friendly

Length: 7-10 inches

Weight: Varies

Longevity: 20+ years

Bottom Line: Gidgee Skink

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Gidgee skinks are natural to Australia and prefer to live in a group setting with other lizards. So, if you’re not into the idea of having a colony of gidgee skinks and their friends, you may want to choose another reptile.

However, if you go a different direction, you’ll miss out on the entertaining way the gidgee skinks move. Since their legs are so short, they prefer to slide on their bellies to get around as if they’re on some kind of stealth mission.

Gray Tree Frog

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Temperament: Undemanding, docile, skittish

Length: 1.5-2 inches

Weight: 0.25 ounces

Longevity: 5-10 years

Bottom Line: Gray Tree Frog

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The Gray tree frog is another amphibian that doesn’t like to be touched by human hands. However, you don’t have to touch them to enjoy how they can change color depending on their environment or mood and how they make a sound all their own when mating.

Another bonus to having a gray tree frog as a pet is that they live long without much effort on their owner’s part.

Green Anole

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Temperament: Jumpy, active, fun

Height: 5-8 inches

Weight: 0.11-0.25 ounces

Longevity: 4-6 years

Bottom Line: Green Anole

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Green anoles are good reptiles for beginners as they’re smallish, inexpensive and don’t require much work. If you’re looking for a pet to snuggle with, these reptiles aren’t the cuddly types and don’t appreciate being handled. However, they do like perching on your hand or shoulder.

It’s also quite entertaining and relaxing to watch them jump around, climb the walls of their tank or turn different colors.

Leopard Gecko

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Temperament: Docile, calm, tamable

Height: 6.5-8 inches

Weight: 2.11 ounces

Longevity: 20+ years

Bottom Line: Leopard Gecko

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Leopard geckos are nocturnal, so to catch their peak activity, your family will need to be early risers or night owls. If you want an easy pet with minimal care requirements that you can leave alone for a few days, though, these are the reptiles for you.

They don’t make much noise, smell bad or crave any attention.

Oriental Fire-Bellied Toad

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Temperament: Calm, composed, cool

Length: 1.3-5 inches

Weight: 0.7-2-8 ounces

Longevity: 15+ years

Bottom Line: Oriental Fire-Bellied Toad

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While the name Oriental fire-bellied toad may sound exotic, these toads are among the most common amphibians for household pets. Since they’re easy to care for, many people consider them a starter pet for children.

They don’t need any affection, just an enclosure that can accommodate both their dry land and water needs, some insects for snacking on and a warm, humid environment. It’s their brightly colored bellies that get them the most attention.

Pacman Frog

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Temperament: Resilient, docile, voracious

Length: 2.5-4 inches (males), 4-7 inches (females)

Weight: Up to 1 pound

Longevity: 10+ years

Bottom Line: Pacman Frog

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Pacman frogs make good pets because they don’t require much work. They’re mostly interested in eating, as they have a voracious appetite and will eat anything within striking distance.

They are known as “sit-and-wait” predators — they don’t want to go out and hunt; they want their prey to come to them.

Pixie Frog

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Temperament: Apprehensive, tolerant, versatile

Length: 4-10 inches

Weight: Up to 4 pounds

Longevity: 15-25 years

Bottom Line: Pixie Frog

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Pixie frogs can thrive in captivity, making them an excellent first-time pet. They can be a little skittish, but they can tolerate a little bit of handling. They spend most of their time burrowed in their own hiding space.

Since they can be territorial, it’s best to house them by themselves. Don’t overdo it, though, or your pixie frog will get stressed out.

Red-Eared Slider

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Temperament: Mild, interesting, hardy

Length: 6-12 inches

Weight: 8.5 ounces

Longevity: 20-40 years

Bottom Line: Red-Eared Slider

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Red-eared sliders make good pets for older children and adults, as they will nip and hiss when frightened. It’s a good idea to avoid making sudden movements around them and always be gentle and slow when handling them.

They take their meals when they’re in the water, as if they’re at a swim-up bar in Mexico.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

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Temperament: Meek, social, easily startled

Length: 1.5-3 inches

Weight: 0.2-0.5 ounces

Longevity: 5+ years

Bottom Line: Red-Eyed Tree Frog

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Red-eyed tree frogs hide their body markings by covering themselves with leaves, and they also close their eyes. They flash open their red eyes and reveal their colorful bodies when they sense danger, hopefully scaring predators away.

Red-eyed tree frogs can change the color of their skin to align with their mood or a need for camouflage. This defensive move is called “Startle Coloration.”

Savannah Monitor

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Temperament: Fascinating, friendly, docile

Length: 2.5-3 feet

Weight: 5 pounds

Longevity: 15-20 years

Bottom Line: Savannah Monitor

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Savannah monitors aren’t instant best friends to humans. It’s fun to watch them as they bask in the sun, snuggle together and go swimming.

But if you want to make them more sociable, it will take a lot of time and patience on your part. The more time you put into it, the more likely they’ll become less defensive and more friendly around you.

Tiger Salamander

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Temperament: Lively, hardy, adaptable

Length: 6-14 inches

Weight: 4.4 ounces

Longevity: 10-15 years

Bottom Line: Tiger Salamander

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Tiger salamanders are initially fearful around humans. Once they spend enough one-on-one time with their keeps, though, they can become quite tame. It’s not unlikely that you’ll find their eyes on you as you observe them, for they seem to find their humans extremely interesting.

Once their housing is set up, you’ll find that their care isn’t too complicated, and you can sit back and enjoy the tiger salamander show.

Xenopus Clawed Frog (or African Clawed Frog)

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Temperament: Ferocious, assertive, fast

Length: 1-5 inches

Weight: 1-8 ounces

Longevity: 10-15+ years

Bottom Line: Xenopus Clawed Frog

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Xenopus clawed frogs are often recommended as pets for first-time frog-keepers, as they’re easy to care for and live a long time. They’re not cuddly or affectionate, but they will take food from your hands when offered.

It’s their swimming ability that’s most impressive, for they can swim sideways, backward, up, down and all-around extremely fast.