The Three Best Lizard Pets

Aka ‘Beardies,’ these are probably the most popular lizard pets in the USA. Friendly and entertaining, Beardies also sleep at night, which means they’ll be up and about during the day and you won’t miss out on the action. They also tend to have a relaxed demeanor and high intelligence.

After getting to know them and some gentle handling, Beardies will start to show signs of trust. They remain mostly docile, making them quite easy to handle and feed. But they also grow fairly large—usually 14-22 inches long—weighing in at just over a pound at their biggest, and therefore need quite a large space to live. They also require full spectrum light for most of the day, and owners must adapt their diet as they grow older—changing the ratios of fruit, vegetables and insects (crickets, butter worms, earthworms and others).

Expect to clean out your Beardies’ enclosure daily, to remove droppings, uneaten food and insects. But here’s a fun fact: once they get to know you, most Beardies will wave at you!

If you’re looking for a lizard that’s visually intriguing—look no further! As the name suggests, Leopard Geckos bear a striking dotted pattern, similar to that of their fast feline namesake.

The Leopard Gecko is an easy-going little fellow who measures in at 6-10 inches, and only requires a modest habitat.

Because of their small size, you can house them in a 20-gallon aquarium their whole lives. Not only does the Leopard Gecko need a smaller space than a Beardie, they’re also a little lower maintenance— they’re nocturnal so sleep most of the day and their diets consist of bugs only as they are insectivores.

Again, the name kind of says it all. This Australian native bears a mottled scale pattern and a vibrant blue tongue—like he’s been sucking on blue candies! In fact, Blue Tongues are omnivores who eat most fruit and vegetables but will need to supplement them with insect and animal protein. They’re also one of the easiest-to-handle and friendliest lizards out there.

They can grow to about 20 inches—but if you can handle their larger size, they’re a joy to interact with, even for children! Like most skinks, they’re ground-dwellers and burrowers, so they’ll appreciate an environment with things they can hide under and a substrate to burrow in—they probably won’t climb very much. They require full spectrum lighting just like a bearded dragon for most of the day and significant warmth to digest their meals, so create a basking spot at around 95°F.

While these three are a great place to start your search, there’s obviously a lot more lizards out there to choose from. We hope you find the best lizard pet for your needs and experience, and we wish you a rewarding journey as a lizard owner!