Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know you all are sick of the which lizard questions, but I'm a snake guy and just don't know squat about lizards. My wife is thinking of getting a lizard. She wants one that she can "walk on a leash like the dog." I had no idea folks were out walking their lizards and am wondering which types one might do this with. Thing is, space is at a premium in my house. My largest enclosure is for my Redtail, and is 6x2x2. I can't fit another one this size. I could probably find room for something 4x2, 3x2 would be better. I also have 5 children, who love the snakes, so keep them in mind when you suggest. Thanks for reading yet another, which lizard is right for me post.
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Darin

A Savahnna monitor( dunno if spelling is correct)

mabe a chinese/australian water dragon

mabe a green or brown basilisk, but they are a little skittish. good luck!

well what a coincident.im a lizard guy who is starting to get into snakes.here are some lizard choices that might be good for you.
savana monitor:good pet but get them when they are about 10 inches ong so you can tame them.i had one but was forced by parents to give him up.he was as tame as a puppy.they are terrific lizards.

ackie monitors:expensive but are one of the greatest pet monitors around and stay at a great size.go to proexotics to learn about these.also they are said to be easy to breed

bearded dragons are good lizards for pets and they are relatively easy to breed

black and white tegus are good pets but need a humid enclosure since they are from south amarica

blue tongue skinks are great handling pets and dont need to huge a cage if they are handled and let out enough.

last of all dont go for basilisks because they are very shy and frightened lizards and not good for children.

hope this helps.also what types of snakes do you keep.i at the moment have a baby carpet python and am looking to get a rosy or sand boa.
nick

This is a tough question because even my dog doesn't walk like a dog on a leash. We have to walk her with a headcollar. Thus any lizard that can walk on a leash is smarter than my dog. Now that I think about it's, that's not too unlikely.

However, I think you should look into tegus. If it won't walk on a leash it could possible ride in a wagon or something. But anyway I have found them the most huggable of things that are lizard shaped and able to be hugged.

PS to Nick... get a sand boa. why? because! come on! it's a sand boa!
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

what is a good price for a sand boa.i am going to a reptile show in a few weeks adn need to know some fair prices on them.thanks
nick

A Savannah Monitor is going to need a LARGE cage... 4w x 4h x 6L at least to provide anywhere near the amount of space it needs so that would be out of the question. You could go for Spiny iguana's.. Desert Iguanas... bearded dragons... smaller Monitors maybe.. Ackies.. Flavis though even with them if space is an issue it'll be a bit tight for the Flavi... There's lots of other medium size lizards to look into... but a Sav will get 3-5 ft long.. and requires an enclosure at least double its length to account of their need for excercise and the prevention of them becoming overweight which is far too common in captivity. I know this from experience. My Sav needs a new enclosure. She's WAY outgrown her 5x4x3.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.1.1 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short) and 1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)

30-50 for a normal Kenyan baby. 50-70 for an axanthic. The other types are a bit more.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

could you provide me with some info on breeding snad boas.do they require a cooling period or not.also ive heard they need to be kept one female to 2 males for them to properly breed.
thanks
nick

You can email me- inmorpheusarms@hotmail.com

I'm still working on the cooling thing, they don't need cooled like colubrids but cooling them a bit like Boa constrictors may be beneficial. They'll breed without it, though.
A pair will breed, but a trio will breed too.
Most times all you have to do is toss a nice fat female in with a healthy male around November and you'll have babies in the summer.
This info works for most species except Russians, who need to be tossed in a fridge for a few months to get them to do anything.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

Blue Tegu's could most likely fit in the cage you specified as long as you gave them the temperature gradient they need. Their tempermant is fairly docile... with some work.

Savannah monitors are probably the most well known monitor, and they are also one of the most docile. When/if you get one... watch what you buy. Just as with some snakes, savannah's are imported and some of them come in bad health.

If you want something smaller, try Ackies or Sand Monitors.
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Currently have:
0.1 Antherystic Elaphe guttata - Corn Snake
1.0 Elaphe vulpina gloydi - Eastern Fox Snake
1.1 Morelia Spilota Cheyni - Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Leucistic Elaphe obsoleta linheimeri - Texas Ratsnake

Saving for:
Agkistrodon Contortix mokasen - Northern Copperhead
Epicrates cenchria cenchria - Brazilian Rainbow Boa