Top 7 Reptiles That I Want to Have as a Beginner Keeper. 

Reptiles are probably the most amazing animals on the planet. God really shows his creativity with these diverse creatures. I love them all ‌! 

And it seems like a lot of people feel the same way. 

As of writing this article, I don’t own any reptiles myself. I dont live in a situation where it is feasible. But I will one day! 

And that makes me wonder, which reptiles do I want to start with?? I can’t go crazy on my first pet and get something I’m not prepared for. 

So that leads me to this list. The top 7 Reptiles I would like to keep as a beginner. 

Please note! This is not a care guide or a full fact sheet, those will come in the next few weeks. So do your research when you find something on this list that you think is interesting. This list is also not in any order, because I honestly can’t decide which ones I want to get more.  

So, without further adieu, let’s get on with the list.

1.Super Dwarf Reticulated Python

(Picture from morph market of a Kalaotoa Super Dwarf Reticulated Python) 

The reticulated python is one of my favorite snakes in the entire world. I call this species the Eden Snake, because I personally believe it is the serpent form that the devil took to tempt Adam and Eve. 

Normal retics are the longest snake in the world, having a minimum adult length of 10 feet for males and 16 feet for females! Amazing! These snakes are hyper-intelligent and spend most of their time in trees and in the water. And they make great pets! But they’re just so darn big! 

However, the lord gave us a gift when it comes to the reticulated python…. 

They have smaller versions. 

Thats right, The Dwarf and Super Dwarf Reticulated Pythons are the same thing as the big ones, but they have adapted to live on Islands. Super dwarf reticulated pythons, in particular are what I want. These snakes max out at around 10 feet on average (most get about 5-7 feet), and come in many morphs. My personal favorites are the Pied, Platinum and The natural wild morphed ones. 

The super dwarf reticulated python does have some cons to it of course, no one is perfect… 

They are snakes, so they feed on rodents (I would do frozen thawed) and they need a good sized enclosure. Though not as big as their mainland counterparts. And of course they like to soak so a big water source is beneficial. 

They also have a powerful feeding response, which is a big pro, they will eat for you. But on the down side, they can mistake you for food, so watch out for that. 

All in all though, the Super Dwarf Reticulated Python, a great snake and definitely the snake for me. Moving on is another snake, thats on the opposite size spectrum. 

2. Western or Plains Hognose Snake

(Picture from snakes at sunset) 

The lord had fun making this one, for sure! 

The western hognose snake or plains hognose snake is actually fairly popular. And also comes in a variety of morphs. They average out at about 2-3 feet for females and 1-11/2 feet for males.  So definitely a small snake. And they are rear fang venomous, but unless you're allergic this venom isn’t a big deal and they aren’t likely to bite you anyway. 

The hognose snake has a big personality for a little snake, they are curious, they are expressive, and just an amazing creature to watch. These snakes are famously known for playing dead when stressed or scared. Which can seem humorous, but please don’t purposely stress out your reptiles. It’s not nice. 

I say the Lord had fun making this one. When I picture it’s creation, I imagine that God said, “Let’s make a small, barely venomous snake that looks like a farming tool, and acts like a drama queen” 

My favorite morphs are the wild type, but I also think the lavender ones are pretty. 

This is an awesome snake, but it does have some cons. 

First, they are mildly venomous, so there could be laws against them in some places. Now like I said the venom is not very potent if at all, and they’d have to really chew on you to envenomate you. And even if they do, unless you’re allergic or have a medical condition, you should be fine. 

Second, they can be difficult to feed at times, especially as babies. Hognoses in the wild eat toads mostly, so getting them to switch to mice or rats can be hard. Babies will naturally like to refuse to eat (not all but many).    

Other than that, they are great little animals and I love them so much. 

Next on the list is another snake, and it’s gonna be the final snake on this list. Should I do a full list of beginner snakes I would keep? Comment below. 

3. BCI Boa Constrictor Imperator or Common Boa 

(picture from Predator and Prey Exotics)  

The BCI Boa or Boa Constrictor Imperator. These snakes are absolutely gorgeous. I love its pattern. Now, there are 2 localities that I know of. The Central American Boa and the Colombian or South American Boa. 

These snakes can range between 6-10 feet on average, with females being larger than the males (I’m seeing a theme, ladies!).

The reason I chose the BCI Boa is that, like I mentioned before, they are beautiful snakes and come in a variety of patterns. They are an impressive size but still manageable with one person (in most cases). And when they are hand raised they have one of the greatest personalities of any snake I have seen on the internet. 

The thing I like most about the BCI Boa is that it is an arboreal species, which means it hangs out in trees. And to them, you are a tree, so they will move over you, explore your highest areas, and they can hold on really well without being too dangerous. 

However there are again some cons: This snake can be a bit cantankerous when it’s young and will need a good deal of handling. According to Clint, from Clints Reptiles, they can be notoriously harder to read than other snakes. Check out his video on BCI Boas to see what I’m talking about! It’s great. 

And of course, the last con is they are a bigger snake, some getting 10 feet or even up to 13 sometimes, so they need a bigger enclosure, and a good amount of frozen thawed rats (as adults). However, a pro is that they don’t need to eat too often. Once a week, maybe 10 days is perfect on average for an adult snake. (don’t starve your snake!!) 

Now before we move on, some honorable mentions: 

The Garter Snake, a communal colubrid snake that is small and eats fish and bugs and things. 

And the king snake, there are several species of king snake so there’s one for everybody. 

Moving on with our list, a less intimidating animal to some, a lizard that is fun to watch, and pretty fun to interact with.

4. Leopard Gecko 

 

4. Leopard Gecko 

(picture from wikipedia) 

The Leopard Gecko. The leopard gecko, or Leo, is a very common beginner pet reptile. They come from the Middle East, closer to Egypt actually, and they have pretty placid personalities if socialized as babies.  

They are easy to care for, small, and in general have great personalities. They come in so many patterns and colors its not even funny. 

Leopard geckos are terrestrial geckos, meaning they don’t climb too much, so they look a bit different from the ones you see in the window at night. They get around 8 inches or so, with males often being bigger than females. My favorite morphs are the snow morph and the tangerine morph.    

They exclusively eat insects which can be a con for some people, I know I’d have to get used to it. And they make noises when stressed out, especially as babies. 

Another con is that they are small, and can drop their tails. Their tails do grow back, but they are never quite the same as before. 

And the last con, they’re like potato chips, you can’t have just one. Once you get one, you’re bound to get another or 2. Many people breed them, and I might, we’ll have to see. 

I love these little lizards and look forward to having them in my collection someday soon. 

This next lizard is one that I’ve only heard of recently, but I have completely fallen in love with it. 

5. Jeweled Lacerta  

(picture by Frank Payne)  

Before we start, a medium sized lizard is any lizard between the sizes of 10-24 inches long. When it comes to medium lizards, most people pick a bearded dragon as their first. And beardies are great, don’t get me wrong, it’s just… 

Everyone has one… 

If a person has reptiles, they probably have a beardie as one of them. I however like lizards that look different. The Jeweled Lacerta has to be one of the prettiest lizards I have ever seen. Striking blues and greens and the perfect size for moderate handling. 

The Jeweled Lacerta comes from southwestern Europe, primarily France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.   

These lizards are a little more shy, and take a bit longer to work with, but they can be excellent pets. And even if you can never really tame them fully, they make amazing display animals. 

These lizards grow to be around 15 to 24 inches on average, and they do have some morphs but I personally like the wild type. They are omnivores so they eat a varied diet. Which can be fun. 

Now, cons… They are more shy and take longer to get used to handling, but you can do it. They need a bigger enclosure, google suggests at least 4 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot, but bigger is always better. They are a semi-arboreal species that would love some branches to climb. 

Those are really the only cons I can think of, this beautiful lizard is just amazing, and I can’t wait to get one. 

The next on this list, is another lizard. One that is so easy it’s almost criminal. 

6. Crested Gecko 

(Picture from Geckos Ect.) 

The Crested Gecko. These little sock puppets are adorable, personable and just an all around great first time lizard to have. They come from the island of new Caledonia, and are branded as new Caledonian Geckos, of which there are many. But this is the one I chose for this list. 

They are small, only getting up to 8 to 10 inches on average, arboreal lizards who are soft little smooshes. (Please don’t smoosh your reptiles). 

They come in a variety of colors and patterns, my favorite has to be the tiger morph. 

These little guys are easy to feed, they require mostly this powder that you mix with water and they lick it up. They will appreciate some small fruit flies on occasion but mostly they will eat that paste. Which is great! 

For the most part, crested geckos are very friendly, they don’t bite, and they are curious little guys. 

Of course, with everything, they do have some cons. Like I said before, they are small… and they are soft. These lizards shouldn’t be handled excessively ‌. They are jumpers. They do tend to jump if they don't want to be handled, and if you drop them, they can get hurt. 

They require more humidity than most lizards, so frequent mistings are essential. 

But if you can provide the level of care needed by these guys. A crested gecko can be a great first-time pet lizard. 

The next one on this list, is actually not a reptile… It’s an amphibian. Yes I pulled a Wickens Wicked Reptiles act on you. (check him out, links at the end) 

7. White’s Tree Frog or Dumpy Frogs 

(picture from Reptiles for Sale)  

These little beasts are adorable, feisty and active. The white’s tree frog is a bigger tree frog that eats everything it can. They are hardy and rather easy to care for, as far as tree frogs go. And they are so much fun! 

These frogs have a lot of personality and are beautiful to look at. Plus they sing! 

Of course, they have some cons. 

I mentioned they love to eat and will try to eat anything. This also means they will try to eat you. These little frogs, while not harmful, can bite, and it can be a bit alarming for new keepers. 

They are also amphibians, which means they require a bit more care than reptiles and other animals do. 

But I still love these little guys. 

Conclusion  

So those are the 7 reptiles that I would like to have as a beginner keeper. Honestly, I love all reptiles and animals. I wish I could have a whole zoo. But for now, that’s my list.   

I plan to write informational articles about each of these 7 animals. 

So stay tuned! 

Next entry: 8/24/2025 

Comment Discussion: What beginner reptile would you want?    

Check out these amazing channels to learn more about these awesome animals!       

Wickens Wicked Reptiles - YouTube

(36) Clint's Reptiles - YouTube