Top 10 Friendliest Reptiles That Make Perfect Pets (2023)

The exotic pet market, in the past few years, has witnessed skyrocketing popularity. More and more people are visiting the market every passing day. This industry’s primary essence is to stand out from the regular pet owners and boast of having something unusual or exotic.

New people in this hobby constantly search for pets that may be the best for beginners like them or their families. Therefore, for them, we bring our today’s article, “Top 10 Friendliest Reptiles that make perfect pets”.

What Makes a Reptile Friendly?

Before we delve into the list of the friendliest reptiles, it’s essential to understand what traits make a reptile suitable for companionship.

Friendliness in reptiles is often characterized by their willingness to interact with humans, their calm temperament, and adaptability to captivity.

Social behaviors, ease of handling, and low aggression levels are also crucial factors in determining a reptile’s friendliness.


Top 10 Friendliest Reptiles That Make Perfect Pets

10) Corn Snake

Corn Snake
Corn Snake

Corn snakes do not show temperamental traits and are pretty calm reptiles. With Corn Snakes, the fear of getting bitten can be ruled out unless you make the animal feel threatened or mishandle it.

One of the most beautiful pet snakes, corn snakes come in a variety of colors, patterns, and variations.

They don’t need a lot of room, so a tiny enclosure made up of a 20-gallon tank with a substrate, a hiding place, and a heat lamp would do just fine. They can grow as long as 6 feet and have a lifespan of 6 to 7 years.

Cons:

  • Corn snakes are sensitive beings and, if not properly taken care of, may develop several health issues like fungal infections, respiratory problems, and other diseases.
  • Temperature and humidity conditions should be maintained; else, the snake may fall sick.
  • Feeding snake rats and other small animals might be disturbing for some people.

9) Diamondback Terrapin Turtles

Diamondback Terrapin Turtles
Diamondback Terrapin Turtles

The gentle diamondback terrapin is a friendly turtle that enjoys being touched. These social turtles like spending time with their own family, including their parents and siblings.

Terrapins will even share resources, for example, by stacking up on top of one another to share the best basking spot.

These incredible turtles are kind and have wonderful personalities. Even when they are waiting to be fed, terrapins will swim up to your hand. Terrapins are easily startled, and even the slightest sound will frighten them.

Cons:

  • Though Terrapins are highly personable turtles, they require more excellent care in terms of temperature, pH, salinity, and feeding. They need brackish or saltwater in their tanks, which should be a minimum of 60 gallons or more.
  • The water needs to be filtrated well, or else it will cause several health complications like shell rot.

8) Box turtles

Box turtles
Box turtles

A box turtle as a pet has grown significantly in popularity over time. This is typical because of how gentle, and low-maintenance these reptiles are.

Compared to aquatic turtle species, box turtles need less maintenance in terms of setup, but they still have some needs to survive.

There is a reason why people love these turtles. They make fantastic pets if given the proper care. In actuality, they don’t need much attention.

It is advised that before you get one, you should know what to feed them, how to supplement their meals, and how to maintain their cage in the ideal conditions (temperature, humidity, and UV-B exposure).

Cons:

  • Despite having low maintenance, their tanks need to be regularly cleaned. Unlike snakes, they cannot be simply left out, in care of their own.
  • If not given proper conditions, these pets may develop several health complexities.
  • They carry the bacteria, Salmonella, which results in several diseases in humans.

7) Red-Eared Slider

Red Eared Slider
Red Eared Slider

The Red-ear Slider is one of the most commonly kept turtles, especially among beginner turtle keepers. Being active pets, red-eared slider turtles like to swim and dive.

Red-eared sliders are eye-catching creatures that come in a variety of colors, including red, yellow, green, and many more, as well as numerous shades and mixtures of each. 

They can even be hand fed, and they swim actively. Red Ear Sliders make challenging pets that, with proper care, can survive for up to 50 years or longer.

Cons:

  • They need quite large tanks with UV and heat lamps and a dry docking area.
  • They can make the water messy, as they feed and excrete in the same water. Hence, filtration should be strong, and the tank must be cleaned regularly.
  • Red Ear Sliders are carriers of the bacteria, Salmonella, which may cause several diseases.

6) Ball Pythons

Ball Pythons
Ball Pythons

The Ball Python is one of the most commonly kept snake pets. Due to their low maintenance and easy care routine, Ball pythons make one of the best pet reptiles. 

They can be left alone, do not demand quite a lot of human attention, and are therefore best for people who cannot dedicate enough time to their pets daily.

Ball pythons do not smell, and therefore, you can shed your stinky fear if you are thinking of getting one.

Cons:

  • Feeding might become a tough job if you are sensitive to such visuals and must give plenty of thought before getting one.

5) Spotted Python

Spotted Python
Spotted Python

The next animal on our list of friendliest reptiles is one of the best beginner snake pets, the Spotted Python. Initially kept in Australia, these reptiles are now spreading their popularity in the American and European markets. 

It is one of the smallest python species, with a maximum length of 4 ft. They have quite a docile nature, are pretty easy to keep as pets, and do not need regular feeding. A normal size enclosure or even racks or tubs will do fine, but it should have a heat mat or heat lamp and a hideout.

Cons:

  • Since they are carnivorous, they should be fed small animals, like mice or “pinkies,” which might be disturbing for some people.
  • Though docile and calm, they might attack if they felt threatened or mishandled.

4) Blue Tongue Skink

Blue Tongue Skink
Blue Tongue Skink

Next up, we have a medium-sized lizard, which has become extremely popular in the exotic pet industry for its distinctive blue color tongues. The Blue Tongue Skink is gentle and docile, which makes it one of the friendliest reptiles.

They are easy pets for children; they do not have such high maintenance requirements. With a proper diet and good living conditions, these pets may live for almost 15 -20 years.

Cons:

  • Due to their size, Blue Tongue Skinks need quite a large tank, a minimum of 50 gallons, depending on their size.
  • Can become territorial and hence, cannot be cohabited with other blue tongue skinks or lizards.
  • Regular maintenance is a must, or else the enclosure may evolve into a breeding ground for diseases.

3) Argentine Tegus

Argentine Tegus
Argentine Tegus

Argentine Black and White Tegus are the largest of all tegu lizards. They make great pets due to their docile and friendly nature. Argentine tegus respond to human affection and handling quite well.

These medium lizards are omnivorous beings but do not worry; they have an easy-to-give diet. Argentine Tegus must be handled under reasonable care and maintenance; else, they may become quite aggressive, resulting in bites. Their enclosure should be provided with a hideout.

Cons:

  • They are a bit more on the expensive side of the line.
  • Since they are quite large lizards, they need a relatively larger enclosure.
  • Since they also eat meat, it is advised to keep them away from other smaller pets, like a hamster in your house.
  • A Tegu’s bite can be quite painful.

2) Leopard Gecko

Leopard Gecko
Leopard Gecko

In the second position, we have the Leopard Geckos. Among reptiles, geckos make some of the friendliest and easy-to-keep pets. They are generally docile beings with almost negligible aggressiveness.

Leopard geckos come in various colorations and can be housed with other individuals too. They do not need much room and have a relatively long lifespan under proper care. Their diet is quite simple and responds to human interactions quite well.

Cons:

  • They are nocturnal lizards and feed on live insects, which may cause inconvenience to certain pet owners. Arranging for the live insects (crickets mostly) may become a tiring task.
  • Leopard geckos, like most others, may shed their tail off if mishandled or threatened.
  • Multiple females can be kept in the same enclosure, depending upon their size. However, males should not be kept in the same enclosure to avoid fighting.

1) Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragon
Bearded Dragon

When it comes to Friendliest Reptiles, what places Bearded Dragons in the first place is their response to human handling. Bearded Dragons, despite their appearance, make great pets as they love human attention.

Their friendly and gentle nature even makes them a great choice as a pet in a household with children. However, these traits are applicable if the animal is in a healthy environment, under ideal living conditions.

Bearded dragons need quite a large vivarium, with adequate reptile UV and heat lamps and a spot for sun basking. Their non-stinky nature makes them best suited for beginners.

Cons:

  • Bearded dragons require quite a large space, with UV and heat lamps, as they are temperature sensitive.
  • You should clean the tank cleaning and maintain it regularly. Their feces may contain the bacteria Salmonella, which may cause diseases; therefore, washing hands is a must post-handling.
  • They need to be fed a balanced diet, consisting of 60% plant food and 40% live insects.

Tips for Caring for Friendly Reptile Pets

  1. Research Before You Buy
  2. Provide a Suitable Enclosure
  3. Maintain Proper Temperature and Humidity
  4. Offer a Balanced Diet
  5. Handle with Care
  6. Regular Veterinary Check-ups

Choosing the Right Reptile for You

When selecting a reptile pet, consider your experience level, available space, and the time you can dedicate to care. Each reptile species has its own unique requirements, so it’s essential to choose one that matches your lifestyle and preferences.


Common Misconceptions About Reptiles

There are many misconceptions about reptiles that lead some people to believe they are not suitable as pets. We debunk these myths and shed light on the truth behind these fascinating creatures.

Here we conclude our article on “Top 10 Friendliest Reptiles that make perfect pets.” We try to bring new and informative articles on several niches and topics, so keep an eye on our site to know many hidden facts about the nature and environment around us.


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