Reptile advice

[BuzzC89]

I currently have a 14gal tank with an adult axolotl in and am picking up a baby leucistic axolotl to go in my other tank tomorrow. When the baby is big enough I will have a 3ft tank ready for them to move in together (probably seperate the tank for a while). I'll have the 14gal spare, are there any reptiles I could keep in the tank? I would really like a reptile, a snake or lizard or something similar I could handle now and then. A salamander maybe?

Thanks in advance for the advice guys

 

[Tappers]

Hi, salamanders are amphibians of course and don't like being handled but that aside you have a couple of choices.

I'm guessing it would be your first reptile pet? That and the small size of the tank narrows things down an awful lot. There are some small species of reptile such as Stenodactylus geckos (give them a google), great little beasties but like most small reptiles they're not keen on being handled. It leaves you really with one choice that would benefit from a bit more space as it grows but tolerates gentle handling well - a leopard gecko.

 

[BuzzC89]

Hi thanks. I was looking into geckos and tiger salamanders i really like both. I will be looking for a juvenile so if or when it out grows the tank I will upgrade again. I could get another tank and build a stand for it but I would like to keep the 14gal as a space saver for the time being. I may turn it back into a tropical tank and get a bigger tank for a reptile of some sort because i'm living back at home now and i'm sure my parents wouldn't mind a gorgeous reptile being a centre piece in the living room

I'll look into tiger salamanders, would another 3ft tank suit an adult tiger salamander? I love that they are just like Axolotl as a juvenile which would be cool. i'm not sure if there are any breeders local so may have to travel, ideally i don't want to get one from a store.

Thanks for your help, any other information is very welcome

 

[Kaysie]

You should consider what kind of setup you're capable of keeping. The environment for most reptiles is vastly different from that of most salamanders.

Tiger salamanders are only rarely bred in captivity.

 

[ZombieAxolotl]

There are quite a few reptiles you can keep in that size tank. Mostly geckos, small frogs, or small anole or skink species.

Like kaysie said do your research.
Think about feeder bugs, humidity needs, if daily misting is needed, feeding schedule (if you are gone who will feed it?), heating, etc, etc

 

[AngieD]

I would also say that a leopard gecko is an ideal occupant for a tank of that size, you could even keep more than one in there. I have one in a 2ft vivarium, and she's very happy in there. They are great for handling, as they tame down beautifully (if they aren't already tame when you get them), and they are very entertaining when they hunt crickets.
They are also relatively low-cost to keep when compared with some other reptiles, as you only really need a heat mat for them, rather than the heat and uv bulbs which many reptiles require