REPTILE SPECIES By Melissa Kaplan anapsid.org

Alligator Lizard

The 67 species of alligator lizards range throughout the world. Some are common to North America.

Anoles

Anoles are sometimes called chameleons due to the color-changing ability of the green anoles, who will will turn dark brown when stressed or ill. They are not true chameleons. If your green anole is always brown, that's a sign of stress.

Ball Pythons

Like most pythons, ball pythons are curious and gentle snakes. We call them balls because of their habit of curling themselves up into a tight ball when they are nervous, their heads pulled firmly into the center.

Bearded Dragons: The Inland Bearded Dragon from Down Under

Bearded dragons are social animals, which is one of the reasons they are engaging and interested in their surroundings in captivity. The young especially perform a distinctive "wave" as a way of communicating nonaggression.

Blue-Tongue Skinks

Blue-tongue skinks are very docile, curious lizards. They tame easily and are handleable by small children. They are omnivores, consuming both plant and animal matter. Their diet should be about 60% plant and 40% animal.

Boa Constrictor (Red Tail Boa)

Do you really want a snake that will get to be 10 feet long, weigh over 50 pounds, urinate and defecate like a St. Bernard, should live more than 30 years, and for whom you will have to kill mice, rats and, eventually, small rabbits?

Box Turtles

Box turtles fall somewhere between the aquatic water turtles and tortoises in their need for access to a body of water and to woody grassland areas with dry sandy soil on top and humid earth beneath.

Burmese Pythons

Many people think that when they decide they don't want their Burmese any more, it will be easy to find someone who does. The zoo doesn't want any more. Rescue groups always have big pythons that need homes. Burmese are increasingly being abandoned at vets and animal shelters and euthanized for lack of proper homes.

Chaco Tortoises

The Chaco tortoise is a moderately sized tortoise native to the Chaco regions of Argentina and Paraguay. As of 1988, the Chacos have been listed as "vulnerable" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals because of the increasing pressure on the tortoise populations in Argentina.

Cockroaches

People really do keep cockroaches, and not just free-roaming around their kitchens. Because roaches reproduce like, well, cockroaches, particular care must be taken to avoid accidental breeding between males and females.

Collared Lizards

Collareds are noted for their upright running on their hind legs, giving them the appearance of miniature T. rex's. They also have an interesting way of waving their tail, much like a cat, before grabbing at prey.

Corn Snakes

Captive-bred corn snakes are popular because of all the exotic colors and patterns that are seen in captive-bred.

Cynops: Fire-belly Newts

The fire-belly newts belong to the genus Cynops. They are popular among those who keep newts and readily available at most pet stores. The most common of the fire-belly newts available are those of group 1, the Japanese fire-bellies. In Japan they are called Imori. To distinguish between species in the three groups is fairly simple by carefully observing color patterns, skin texture, and other secondary characteristics.

Garter Snakes

Found in a variety of habitats, Garter snakes are often the first snake a youngster sees and catches.

Keeping Large Pythons

Large pythons have been subject of many news stories because of deaths directly attributable to them. Tragically, the deaths would not have happened had the owners of these snakes kept them safely, and responsibly, contained.

Kingsnakes and Milksnakes

Kingsnakes and milksnakes are some of the most beautiful snakes in the world and are very popular and easily kept in captivity. They are moderately sized and usually quite docile.

Millipedes

Contrary to their name, millipedes do not have 1000 legs. They have two pairs of legs on each body segment. Most millipedes possess 30 to 40 body segments, bringing the average number of legs to a total of only 120 to 160 legs.

Ornate Horned Frogs

These carnivorous amphibians become large. Their popular name of Pac-man Frog describes their appearance when they lunge at prey: they appear to be all mouth. Ornates are not particularly discriminating about what they attempt to eat - your fingers look much like naked baby rodents and birds, too tempting to resist.

Red-Eared Sliders

These fresh water turtles spend much of their time in the warm waters of their native habitat. While they are strong underwater swimmers, they spend most of the warmer hours of the day basking in the sun.

Rosy Boa

Rosy boas are one of the smaller members of the boa family. Like many boas and pythons, they are nocturnal (sometimes crepuscular), thus moving around mostly at night or around dawn and dusk.

Salamanders and Newts

Salamanders, newts and caecilians (a legless, salamander-type animal) all belong in the order Amphibia along with frogs and toads. Amphibians should be handled as little as possible as the secretions from our skin are harmful to them.

Savannah Monitors

Monitors require a large enclosure and, as they eat frequently, it needs to be cleaned frequently. They are not naturally tame and so significant time must be spent the first year taming them. If not tamed, you may end up with a flighty, squirmy or aggressive lizard who is no pleasure to handle or go near.

Softshell Turtles

The softshells truly have soft shells: in fact, their shells are mostly thickened skin. They are carnivores and as such are able to render some very painful bites should they be so inclined. Due to their aggressive tendencies, especially if overcrowded, they should be kept single or in pairs.

Sulcata Tortoises

A danger for Sulcata tortoises in captivity is that too much water may be given or made accessible, which may lead to health concerns including skin and shell infections and kidney problems.