LIZARDS: THE PART OF TENS

(with apologies to IDG "Dummies" books for borrowing the idea off them)

If you've ever read one of the very popular computer guides, "A Dummies' Guide to...", then you'll know that at the back of each one they have the "Part of Tens", where they have several lists, not necessarily of ten items, such as "10 easy fixes for the PC" or "10 reasons to become a UNIX guru". I thought about this and decided this was a good idea to try out with lizard-keeping. So, with apologies again to Dummies' Guides and their writers everywhere, here is the Saurian Part of Tens.

10 Things to look for when considering buying a lizard

  1. What do I know about its natural habitat and what part of world it originates from?
  2. How big will it grow?
  3. How long will it live?
  4. Will I be able to supply it with the right food?
  5. Do I have room for it?
  6. Does it have a reputation for being a difficult species?
  7. Is it very rare in the wild, and if so, should I therefore leave it to someone more likely to use it in a breeding programme?
  8. Do I know a vet that is capable of dealing with reptiles?
  9. How will my "significant others" (parents, spouse, children, landlord, etc, as applicable) react to it?
  10. Can I give it the time it needs?

10 Best Beginners' Lzards

  1. Leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularis
  2. Tokay Gecko, Gekko gekko
  3. Striped Gecko, Gekko vittatus
  4. Bearded Dragon, Pogona vitticeps
  5. Plated Lizard, Gerrhosaurus major
  6. Eyed Lizard, Lacerta lepida
  7. Green Lizard, Lacerta viridis
  8. Berber Skink, Eumeces schneideri

10 Truly Difficult Lizards

  1. Most chameleon species
  2. Nile Monitor
  3. Moloch
  4. Some Horned Toads
  5. Big-Headed Geckos
  6. Crocodile Lizard
  7. Crocodile Monitor
  8. Rhinoceros Iguanas
  9. Cat Gecko
  10. Bent-Toed Geckos

10 Tameable Lizards

  1. Bearded Dragons
  2. Plated Lizards
  3. Eyed Lizards
  4. Blue-Tongued Skinks
  5. Green Iguanas
  6. Savannah Monitors
  7. Leopard Geckos
  8. Scheltopusiks
  9. Alligator Lizards
  10. Water Monitors

10 Expensive Lizards

  1. Most monitor species other than Savannahs, Niles or Water Monitors
  2. Monkey-Tailed Skinks
  3. Rhinoceros Iguanas

10 Intelligent Lizards

  1. Green Iguanas
  2. Plated Lizards
  3. Bearded Dragons
  4. Water Monitors
  5. Monkey-Tailed Skinks
  6. Alligator Lizards
  7. Collared Lizards
  8. Scheltopusiks
  9. Some chameleon species
  10. Water Dragons

10 Big Lizards

  1. Komodo Dragon
  2. Crocodile Monitor
  3. Water Monitor
  4. Perentie
  5. Gould's Monitor
  6. Nile Monitor
  7. Green Iguana
  8. Rbinoceros Iguana
  9. Chuckwalla
  10. Sailfin Lizard

10 Small Lizards

  1. Leaf Chameleons
  2. Green Anoles and relatives
  3. Virtually all Sphaerodactyline Geckos
  4. Bavayia Geckos
  5. Turkish Gecko
  6. Earless Lizards

10 Aggressive Lizards

  1. Tokay Gecko
  2. Nile Monitor
  3. Tegu
  4. White-Throated Monitor
  5. Any juvenile monitor, especially if wild-caught
  6. Cunningham's Skinks
  7. Green Iguanas
  8. Rhinoceros Iguanas