which reptile??

Question
hi, i want to get a reptile as a pet, so i was wondering if you can help me out with this, im looking for a easy going, not dangerous(snakes) doesnt need that much stuff(heaters, light)harmless, not very big reptile, easy to find in stores, could you help me out??

Answer
Dear Khaled,
thank you for your question.
All reptiles are high-maintenance pets, even the so-called beginner's reptiles. You need to do extensive research and set up the enclosure before getting the actual reptile and you need to remember that the animal will be the cheapest item by far on your list. Vet bills can cost you hundreds of dollars and you need a good herp vet, normal vets are not trained to treat herps. Even comparatively small reptiles may need huge enclosures, like bearded dragons for example (I wouldn't house one of them in anything smaller than an enclosure measuring 6x3x3 ft long, wide and high). This article lists all the problems that you may encounter with a herp as a pet:
http://www.anapsid.org/parent.html
anapsid.org is among the best herp websites anyway, it has a welath of information and I really recommend reading it.

That said, I think that you may find leopard geckos to be the kind of herp you are looking for. They are small, nocturnal and don't need much in the way of lighting, they are harmless and can even get pretty tame and they need not that much space. You can keep them in groups of one male and several females, just remember to provide several hiding places and wetboxes with moist substrate to help with shedding and to allow the females to bury their eggs. I would recommend an enclosure of about 40x20x20" at least for a group of one male and two females (1.2).
It's better to find a good breeder than to buy from a pet shop. That way you will have someone who is knowledgeable to ask if there should be any problems and the animals will be healthy. You can find breeders at www.kingsnake.com
The only drawback might be that leopard geckos grow old, 15 or even 25 years is not uncommon.
Here's a website with some more info on them:
http://www.leopardgeckocare.net/housing-cage/

I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer