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What is a good lizard for a first pet

22 14:25:57

Question
I am interested in getting a lizard as a pet but I dont know much about any of them. I want something thats easy and cheap to care for. I live in WA so it usualy on the mild side here. I dont have much space so i want something that will stay very small and live in a 5 gallon tank. I dont have much money so the lizard cant cost me an arm an a leg to purchase. i can aford around $20-$60. Feeding it needs to be on the cheap side also. im Would like something that will let me handle it but doesnt require a lot of frequent attention. I can spare about 30 min a day or a few hours if im around the house. Every web site i have gone to suggests a leopard geckos. let me know what you think and if you have any other suggestions

Answer
 Using your budget and given that you live in Washington state, frankly, a reptile is not the way to go if you want to properly care for your pet.  Even a small cuban anole requires at the very least a 10 gallon tank.  Then you must get proper lighting, especially a UVB source that you'll need to change every six months.  Leos have heat and food requirements and nothing less than a 20 gallon tank.  They require vet care, especially while shedding.  They need lots of farm raised insects.  I would wait until you can budget at least 200 dollars a month plus a veterinary emergency fund of at least $500 before considering a leo, or any small lizard.