Strange Pet Lizards Part 1 - Basilisk

In mythology Basilisks were bizarre monsters that would turn into stone whoever they looked at. Of course, the real Basilisks do not have this ability, and if they did I would not be talking about keeping them as pets. They do, how ever have one unusual ability, which is quite famous: the ability to walk on water. Also, unlike most lizards (with the notable exception of the Collared Lizard) they can run on their hind legs.

The two most common species of Basilisks are the Brown Basilisk and the Plumed (or Green) Basilisk, and these are what this post is about.

So, where do you get a Basilisk? You won't find them at your local Petsmart or Petco. In fact, I haven't ever seen one in a non-chain also. The answer is mail-in. The most popular mail-in is LLL Reptile. I know someone who had a good experience getting a baby chameleon there. Including shipping, it will cost about $50 for one.

Brown Basilisks tend to be skittish, especialy wild caught (they are often caught from Florida) lizards and  babies, but eventully, they can become tamer. They grow from 12 - 17 inches (about 30 - 43 cm).

Plumed Basilisks are significantly larger that Brown Basilisks- 18-27 inches (46- 69 cm) , and are more colorful, with a larger crest. Captive born Plumed Basilisks can be tamed. They need lots of humidity.

Brown Basilisks need at least a 50 gallon tank and Plumed Basilisks need a 75 gallon.

These lizards enjoy eating mice, and they also eat insects.

If you want an unusual and beautiful reptilian pet, a Basilisk might be a good one.

Adult Brown Basilisk (probably female)

Adult Plumed Basilisk (probably male)

 Females have smaller crests than males. Babies do not have crests.

Blue- Tongued Skink

Most people think of skinks are being small, skittish, and fast lizards. The large, slow, and calm Blue-Tongued Skink does not at all fit that image!

1 A great picture of a very nice young skink

I wish I had a picture of a skink with it's tongue sticking out, but I don't. Your should look it up though, they are really cool!

Blue tongued skinks are friendly lizards. I know of someone who even slept with his skink! These lizards should have at least a twenty gallon tank. They eat insects and small mice, just as bearded dragons do.

These interesting lizards make fun and entertaining pets, since they are so tame. And those tongues sure are eye catching!

Geckos - Eyelash Crested Gecko

Eyelash Crested Geckos are medium sized geckos. They cost more than many smaller kinds of geckos. They change color and they can be very friendly.

Unlike the Leopard Gecko, these are tropical lizards. They need humidity in their tank. This can be provided by an expensive automatic humidifier or by misting the tank with a spray bottle.

A beautiful Crested Gecko

These are very fun little lizards, if you can afford them.

Geckos- Part One

In these posts I will be writing about several different kinds of Gecko: the Leopard Gecko, the Tokay Gecko, the Day Geckos, and several other species.

First, the Leopard Gecko. These are the most popular geckos. They are cheap and readily available and they are neither to fragile, nor too fierce to handle. They also come in many different morphs.

This "normal" Leopard Gecko lost its tail, and now has an unusually shaped one.

Cost: $10-100, depending on the morph.
Handling:  About 20 minutes per day, more is too stressful for the lizard.
Size: 8-10 inches (medium size for a Gecko.)
Tank Size: 10 gallons for one or two Geckos.

Leopard Geckos should have a heat lamp and a daytime tank temperature of 82-88 degrees fahrenheit. At night, it should be much cooler, as low as 64 degrees fahrenheit.

Leopard Geckos need  a diet of crickets and mealworms. This can get expensive, so many lizard keepers breed their own crickets.

An Albino and two Patternless Leopard Geckos

The Leopard Gecko is one of the easiest lizards to keep, and is perfect for those beginning to keep reptiles.

Anoles

Anoles are small lizards very closely related to the Green Iguana. The most commonly kept anoles are the Green Anole and the Brown Anole.

Green Anoles used to be called "The American Chameleon" because of their ability to change color. They can be green (that's no surprise), brown, or brown with green spots. Brown Anoles can't change to green, but they be different shades of brown.

If you live in the Southern USA you can (unless there are laws against it) catch your own Anole. It you don't, they are very common in pet stores, and they cost less than $10 (USD.)

An Anole can live in a ten gallon tank (if it's a Green Anole, you will need to have lots of things for it to climb on.)

The tank will need a lid because, like Geckos, Anoles can climb up glass.

This Green Anole is starting to turn brown.

A Brown Anole

 
The main difficulty of Anoles is they are very fast. You should never let them run free! They will escape! If you hold an Anole, it's best to hold it over top of its cage.

Anoles can be hard to tame, but handling them poses very little risk (at least to the handler.)

I would like to have an Anole. Maybe the next time I go to the South I can catch one.

Bearded Dragon

The bearded dragon is a medium sized lizard. It is probably the most friendly reptile, hence its popularity. Though costly, keeping "beardies" can be a rewarding experience.

The bearded dragon's tameness stems from a natural behavior. When captured, a bearded dragon, even a wild one will rarely bite or scratch. They just stay still and hope you won't eat them :)

A baby bearded dragon

Bearded dragons need a large tank (at least 40 gallons), a tank heater, and basking lights. They also need a large supply of crickets and meal worms. Feeding live insects to a lizard of this size can be expensive, so most bearded dragon keepers breed their own insects.

A beardie itself can be free, or it can cost over a hundred dollars. Different morphs often cost more than the "normal" coloring and pattern. Petsmart sells them for $60.

If you want to get a bearded dragon, be sure to research the lizard well before you buy it, as they have distinct care requirements that are very important to follow.

An adult beardie





Here is a game featuring the bearded dragon: Feed the Beardie Game