An illustrated field guide

Reptiles

Lizards, snakes, turtles — fascinating and long-lived.

27 entries

With reptiles, the animal is the easy part — the habitat is the job. Correct heat, UV lighting, humidity and enclosure size are what separate a thriving reptile from a struggling one, and the requirements differ sharply between a desert basking species, an arboreal climber and a semi-aquatic one. Diet ranges from fresh greens to live insects to frozen prey, so be honest about what you’re willing to feed.

The species below span beginner-friendly to advanced husbandry and short to multi-decade lifespans. Several are best treated as display animals rather than pets to handle.

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Browse all reptiles (27)

Lizard (11)

Argentine Black & White Tegu3–4 ft · 15–20 yrs Bearded Dragon18–24 in · 8–12 yrs Blue-Tongue Skink18–24 in · 15–20 yrs Chinese Water Dragon2–3 ft · 10–15 yrs Crested Gecko7–9 in · 15–20 yrs Gargoyle Gecko7–9 in · 15–20 yrs Green Iguana5–6 ft · 15–20 yrs Leopard Gecko8–10 in · 15–20 yrs Panther Chameleon12–20 in · 5–7 yrs Uromastyx10–18 in · 15+ yrs Veiled Chameleon14–24 in · 5–8 yrs

Snake (8)

Ball Python3–5 ft · 20–30 yrs Boa Constrictor6–10 ft · 20–30 yrs California Kingsnake3–4 ft · 15–20 yrs Corn Snake3–5 ft · 15–20 yrs Garter Snake1.5–3 ft · 6–10 yrs Milk Snake2–5 ft · 15–20 yrs Rosy Boa2–3 ft · 20–30 yrs Western Hognose1.5–3 ft · 15–18 yrs

Turtle & Tortoise (8)

Common Musk Turtle (Stinkpot)3–5 in · 20–30 yrs Eastern Box Turtle5–7 in · 30–50 yrs Greek (Spur-thighed) Tortoise6–10 in · 50+ yrs Hermann's Tortoise6–8 in · 50+ yrs Painted Turtle5–7 in · 20–30 yrs Red-Eared Slider8–12 in · 20–30 yrs Russian Tortoise6–8 in · 40+ yrs Sulcata (African Spurred) Tortoise24–30 in / 70–150 lb · 70+ yrs

Find your reptile

Set what you can offer — the tool ranks the reptiles live. temperament data partly incomplete → flagged honestly

What will one cost?

Every reptile below carries its own cost snapshot, scaled to its weight and lifespan. For a full breakdown by life phase — setup, a few months, or a whole lifetime — use the calculator.

Open the Cost Calculator →