My 7 yr old son wants a lizard?

Question

I don't know anything about lizards can anyone tell me an inexpensive lizard I can get for my son to take care of easily? I want to make him a terrarium for his birthday. I just don't want something that will bite or dies easily. He is going to want to touch it and hold it.

My son is responsible for his age, I am going to help him with it. I wasn't planning on throwing it in his room and hoping for the best. I know there is a difference between lizards and dogs, one has fur and the other doesn't. LOL some of you just go to the extreme.

Answer 1

NO iguanas. They are expensive to care for properly, get VERY large and occasionally agressive and frankly, they make bad pets. Also stay away from true geckos that climb glass (or anything else that climbs glass, they are usually bitey and not social at ALL). Some animals to try:
Leopard gecko-stays pretty small, only need a 10 or 20 (preferred) gallon aquarium, eats bugs and occasional baby mice, don't need special lighting, just heat, can tolerate moderate handling.
Bearded Dragon-Needs larger caging (55 gallon or 40 breeder minimum) when grown, eats bugs and rodents (larger mice and/or roaches etc... when full grown) as well as vegetation (greens, veggies, some fruit). Needs fluorescent UVB lighting (essential!!) to prevent severe/fatal bone diseases while growing. Really friendly lizards and tolerate a lot of handling.
Uromastyx-A bit more expensive, but cool, I have 2:-). A little more jumpy than beardies but otherwise similar in care. Almost strictly vegetarians, tolerate some handling, have NEVER seen one bite.
Skinks-Can make good pets, some are bigger, friendlier, etc.. than others depending on species. I have a blue tongue skink, large (2ft. as adult, need same sized cage as beardies), doesn't mind handling at all, the most personality I have ever seen in a lizard. Omnivorous, eats every 2-3 days, gets veggies/greens/fruit mixed with boiled turkey and chicken, worms etc... Eats just about anything...

There are several other lizards available in the pet trade, these are just a few:-) Just make sure to do plenty of research on a specific species before you buy it.

"the thing about lizards is that they don't have saliva to wash out their mouths so they keep bacteria and when they bite you get infected immediately."
-Whaaaat??? That's a new one to me... Lizards certainly have saliva! I've been bitten by several animals, mostly reptiles, and the only one to get infected was a rat bite... And what about the Komodo dragon? They've got so much saliva they drool almost constantly! I've pried open several lizards' mouths and they definitely have saliva...

Answer 2

Well, most lizards need expensive heat lamps, large terrariums, and UV lighting. I would recommend a terrestrial gecko, they naturally live in caves or crevaces and light is not necessary. They also do well with heat pads, which are inexpensive. Terrestrail geckos are very laid back and are easy for children to handle. There are several to choose from: leaopard gecko, banded gecko, and the fat tail gecko. You would be better off getting one from a reptile shop, your odds of getting a healthy specimen are better at a shop that specializes in reptiles. A ten gallon aquarium works well, buy some calcium sand, fake foilage, a shallow water dish, calcium powder , they eat crickets, a cricket keeper is a good idea, and some cricket food (you can give the crickets TP soaked in water palced in a small cup for water), and wax worms are nutritious and they can be kept in the fridge which makes things easier, also all of these geckos need higher humidity, so you need to provide a little plastic home with moistened tp inside, mist this 'cave' several times a day with a water bottle. These geckos will eat until full, so basically feed once each day until he is satisfied. He may eat more some days than others. These geckos are pretty easy to keep. Hope I was of some help.

Answer 3

A Leopard Gecko is the best choice if you have never had a lizard before. They are cheap, usually around $25-35. The best terrarium is a 10 tank for one, or a 20 gallon tank for 2-3.

List of things you need:

Sand for the bedding

A hollow rock for his hide out, sold at petstores

Lighting,one for day and one for night. Ask your local petstore about what kind of lights you should use.

A few perches will allow your Leopard Gecko to bask in the light which is healthy for it's skin.

Crickets/meal worms/wax worms/super worms. They like for you to just dump the crickets into the tank and they will eat them when they are hungry. The worms are harded to feed them them, because you need a bowl for them to stay in so they won't burry under the sand and never come up, and they get out f the bowl anyway, so stick with crickets.

Do not get a heat rock. There have been many complaints that their lizards were burned and have scars on their bellies from the heat rock over heating.

Answer 4

If you want cheap, easy to care for and won't bite - get him a stuffed animal.

Anything and I mean ANYTHING WITH A MOUTH can and usually will bite (even if on accident), the thing about lizards is that they don't have saliva to wash out their mouths so they keep bacteria and when they bite you get infected immediately.

Lizards and all reptiles are cold blooded and they do not respond to humans the way mammals or birds do. I love reptiles and have had many as 'pets', but they are fairly high maintenance (if done properly).

I would suggest a pet rat - they truly make awesome pets, they require little care and they are trainable (something reptiles aren't).

He probably has his heart set on the lizard, maybe you could take him to a zoo and talk to the reptile handlers and let them talk to him. None of us in the know want to see any animal suffer and we will go out of our way to educate the public.

Do his birthday party in the theme of lizards or dinosaurs and explain things to him, It would be better than a catastrophe for him, you, or the critter.

My boyfriend recommends a snail, they don't bite and they are low maintance. And they don't move very fast and he has never heard one complaining about being held.

Answer 5

A house gecko is easy to keep. We had a leopard gecko and she lived to be 12 years old. Our house geckos lonly lasted a few years. A leopard is also easy to keep. The leopard also cannot climb the walls. Do not get a Tokay gecko. They always bite! We had three of them and they were always mean. All lizards will bite. My Leopard pinched me when I first got her, but over time she stopped and actually let me pet and hold her. They need moisture since they molt (shed their skin) monthly. Leopards nowadays are around $20-40 each. A house will run you no more than $15. Get a least a 10 gal. terrarium for any lizard. they need room to grow and move around.

Good luck

Answer 6

Well I don't think a 7-yr. old is ready for a lizard. And from what I have seen, lizards aren't exactly easy to take care of. But as with any pet you need to do your research, and figure out which is best for you. I would also find someone who really knows about lizards and talk with them. Just make sure you make a well informed decision either way.

Answer 7

A Leopard Gecko is the way to go. Only if you are willing to maintain the tank. They don't move very fast and are usually asleep. All pets can nip. I have found it is actually much easier to take care of a small snake then the assortment of lizards that are sold as pets. My only concern it that the feeding might upset you and your son.

Find a small pet store that deals mostly with reptiles and spend some time visiting. There is one on Southwest highway and Oak Park in Chicago Ridge Illinois. It is owned by Brian and his wife CeCe. They are great and really know what they are talking about. Good luck.

Answer 8

stay away from gecko's they bite draw blood.
A medium size Iguana would be a good lizard. The eat fruit, and lettuce.
The Skink is a good lizard also.
Talk to your pet dealer and he can advise the best for your son depending on his age.

Answer 9

I used to have a monitor lizard, they are high maintenance requiring a lot attention something no 7yr old could cope with. If you are willing to look after it then OK but remember lizards are not like cats or dogs.

Also the novelty factor wears of quickly only do this if you are a genuine reptile lover.

Answer 10

I see some people have recommended iguanas. I know about iguanas and would like to impart my knowledge. I have no other experience with any other lizard but I do believe their small size is their only advantage (ex: gecko will never get bigger than your hand). The main advantage for an iguana is that they are herbivores....you will never have to buy them crickets (although a juvenile ig may be ok with crickets, they are not nutritionally helpful beyond a few months of age and will actually be harmful) or any live or dead meat products. Just crisp, fresh greens and fruits and vegetables. There are some calcium supplements and chow products that are fine as an additional measure. Absolutely NO spinach, they have a delicate calcium/phosphorus ratio that needs to be maintained. Please read about this prior to deciding.
Your startup will include a cage or terrarium with the knowledge that after the initial growth spurt, your adult iguana will need a full size cage with minimum dimensions of about 4 ft by 4 ft by 5 ft. We had a very small terrarium to start (try buying used if you have the opportunity!) and graduated to a 60 gallon glass aquarium tank with a SCREEN top for the large juvenile. That eventually cracked, I don't remember the reason. Now we have a full wire metal cage for our big guy. Take a look at the full adult size ig at your pet store or zoo....they will be up to 6 feet long nose to tail tip. Within one year, your ig will be quite large but still a juvenile.
The other requirements are UV light SPECIFIC to iguanas and a heat lamp (ceramic heat or light-emitting bulb which will resemble an outdoor floodlight). Your initial cage will not require a large bulb as it is so small and the glass keeps them sheltered inside. Our current cage (by the way, many people build their own out of wood and wire/plastic-covered wire...check the web for instructions) is an open air cage so we use a 100 watt bulb.
Read up on iguana care on the web. This is just a small collection of information and is not the end of it. The substrate in the cage should be something safe, no rabbit or hamster substrate but shredded newspaper is okay.
Even if you do not know anyone with a lizard, you may be successful with any lizard if you do your research on the web and definitely ask your local pet store and vet more specific questions.
I have been bit once and it was my own fault. My boy was trying to climb the cage of the female iguana's cage and I attempted to pick him off of the side of the cage while he was in full aggression mode....I am attributing it to sexual aggression....and he bit my finger when it got close enough to his head. I needed stitches and IV antibiotics (salmonella is all over an iguana and your son will need to either wash hands or use a hand sanitizer after touching the ig) to prevent salmonella poisoning.
But I do not think that that will necessarily be a problem with a sole iguana. Your son will bond with it as it grows and once it is large, their trust will be formed. A thick pair of gloves with long sleeves may be helpful when long claws scratch his arms but this is down the road a bit.
I don't want to recommend an iguana or deter your decision. But that iguana will be bigger than your son's head in a few years....make sure you or another adult is prepared to help and possibly take over in extreme instances like catching a scared iguana on the loose who may react in fear when approached. You will not be able to allow them free roam, in my opinion, as they will get into trouble and if they get outside, it will be difficult to catch him. Our iguanas do not like the outdoors very much. Our girl actually got very stressed and would tail slap and look fierce (spikes in full extension, dewlap unfurled, back arched) whilst outside. Our boy was gentler but difficult to keep hold of outdoors. Some ig's, I have heard, do enjoy full sun exposure, I definitely wish you the best, I feel a little sad that ours do not tolerate it well. Some enjoy an outdoor summer cage with a shady spot, of course, and ample water. But never leave then outside in a cage unattended.
My guess is your son may be a bit young for an iguana. I was ready for one after the age of 20, with the help of my husband! But I would not think it strange if you do go for one, as many young boys are extremely capable of handling them, as squirmy and skittish as they are. It will be a very understated bond, nothing like a dog, but very rewarding as well, being able to care for such a special and exotic creature.