According to the 2017-2018 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 4.7 million households own a reptile pet. If you are a beginner, not every reptile pet for sale is for you. Here are three perfect choices to start you off.

Bearded Dragons

Originally from Australia, bearded dragons are the most popular pet lizards today. They are friendly, docile, and will not keep you overwhelmed taking care of them. The most common species can be between 12 to 24 inches long, which makes it possible to handle them, and they also do not grow too big to need exces room. They also have an easy-to-maintain diet including insects such as crickets, vegetables, and non-citrus fruits.

Gold Dusk Day Gecko

Apart from being one of the most beautiful lizards, you can easily buy gold dusk day geckos from gecko shops or online. They are pretty to watch but extremely sensitive and may take a while to settle in. They stress easily, and their skin tears and tail drops if you handle them recklessly. Keep them in a spacious cage and remember to mist it to increase humidity. You also need to get proper advice on lighting their cage for them to maintain their brilliant coloration. Gold dusk day geckos need water droplets on leaves for them to drink. They eat commonly available insects such as roaches, wax worms, and small crickets.

Corn Snakes

While they superficially resemble venomous snakes, corn snakes are harmless, docile, and easy to care for. And no, they are not made of corn. They are readily available and boast of extremely gorgeous colors, making them a popular reptile pet. Corn snakes can live to their 20s and grow to around five feet, so they do not require much space. Babies can comfortably live in a shoe box-sized plastic vivarium, and adults will need a cage at least the size of a 20-gallon aquarium. Make sure the cage is escape proof, and avoid cage mates because they are not sociable. Corn snakes primarily eat rodents; babies can eat lizards and frogs, and hatchlings eat newborn mice. Ensure they always have water in the cage, and handle them gently.

While there are many reptiles for sale through companies like Snakes at Sunset, getting over excited as a beginner could cost you dearly. Your safest bet is reptiles that do not require onerous licensing, eat readily available food, and are not dangerous to adults or children.