Reptile care guides

Practical, no-nonsense care for the species keepers ask about most, ideal ranges, terrarium setup, what to feed and avoid, plants and gear. Free to read; free to track.

Geckos

From beginner leopard and crested geckos to jewel-like day geckos.

All geckos
Desert reptile · Ground-dwelling gecko

Leopard Gecko

Eublepharis macularius

Warm spot 30–32°C · 86–90°F · Cool side 22–25°C · 72–77°F · Humidity 30–40%

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Tropical reptile · Arboreal gecko

Crested Gecko

Correlophus ciliatus

Room temperature 22–26°C · 72–79°F · Humidity 60–80% with drying cycles · Heat lamp No basking bulb needed

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Arboreal reptile · New Caledonian gecko

Gargoyle Gecko

Rhacodactylus auriculatus

Temperature 22–26°C · 72–79°F · No basking lamp Room temp, overheating is the risk · Humidity 50–70%

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Dwarf day gecko · Madagascar bamboo forests

Neon Day Gecko

Phelsuma klemmeri

Warm zone 28–31°C · 82–88°F · Ambient 22–27°C · 72–80°F · Humidity 60–75%

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Nocturnal arboreal gecko · Vietnam

Golden Gecko

Gekko ulikovskii

Warm spot 28–31°C · 82–88°F · Ambient 24–29°C · 75–85°F · Humidity 60–80%

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Large arboreal gecko · Southeast Asia

Tokay Gecko

Gekko gecko

Warm zone 28–30°C · 82–86°F · Ambient 24–27°C · 75–81°F · Humidity 60–80%

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Large day gecko · Northern Madagascar

Giant Day Gecko

Phelsuma grandis

Warm zone 28–30°C · 82–86°F · Ambient 24–27°C · 75–81°F · Humidity 60–80%

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Ground-dwelling gecko · West Africa

African Fat-tailed Gecko

Hemitheconyx caudicinctus

Warm floor 30–32°C · 86–90°F · Cool side 24–26°C · 75–79°F · Humidity 50–70% (humid hide)

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Small day gecko · Northern Madagascar

Gold Dust Day Gecko

Phelsuma laticauda

Warm zone 28–30°C · 82–86°F · Ambient 24–27°C · 75–81°F · Humidity 60–80%

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Lizards

Bearded dragons, skinks, monitors, tegus and iguanas.

All lizards
Desert reptile · Agamid lizard

Bearded Dragon

Pogona vitticeps

Basking spot 38–42°C · 100–108°F · Cool side 26–29°C · 79–84°F · Humidity 30–40%

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Terrestrial reptile · Omnivorous skink

Blue-tongue Skink

Tiliqua scincoides

Basking spot 35–38°C · 95–100°F · Cool side 24–26°C · 75–79°F · Humidity 40–60%

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Desert reptile · Spiny-tailed agamid

Uromastyx

Uromastyx spp.

Basking spot 49–54°C · 120–130°F · Cool side 26–29°C · 79–84°F · Humidity 20–30% (very dry)

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Small arboreal lizard · Southeastern USA

Green Anole

Anolis carolinensis

Basking spot 30–32°C · 86–90°F · Ambient 24–28°C · 75–82°F · Humidity 60–70%

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Dwarf monitor · Arid northern Australia

Ackie Monitor

Varanus acanthurus

Basking surface 50–65°C · 122–150°F · Ambient 26–30°C · 79–86°F · Humidity 40–60% (humid burrow)

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Giant arboreal lizard · Central & South America

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

Basking spot 35–40°C · 95–104°F · Humidity 70%+ · Adult size 1.5–2 m · 5–6 ft

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Large omnivore lizard · Central South America

Argentine Black & White Tegu

Salvator merianae

Basking surface 52–57°C · 125–135°F · Humidity 75–90% · Adult size 1.1–1.4 m · 3.5–4.5 ft

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Arid monitor · Sub-Saharan Africa

Savannah Monitor

Varanus exanthematicus

Basking surface 50–55°C · 122–130°F · Cool end 24–26°C · 75–79°F · Humidity ~50% (humid burrow)

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Arboreal lizard · Southeast Asia

Chinese Water Dragon

Physignathus cocincinus

Basking spot 32–35°C · 90–95°F · Humidity 60–80% · Adult size ~0.9 m (mostly tail)

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Tortoises

Mediterranean, grassland, forest and tropical tortoises.

All tortoises
Mediterranean tortoise · Herbivore

Hermann's Tortoise

Testudo hermanni

Basking spot 32–35°C · 90–95°F · Cool side 20–24°C · 68–75°F · Humidity 40–60%

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Central Asian tortoise · Herbivore

Russian Tortoise

Testudo horsfieldii

Basking spot 32–35°C · 90–95°F · Cool side 21–24°C · 70–75°F · Humidity 40–50%

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Grassland tortoise · Sahel, Africa

Sulcata Tortoise

Centrochelys sulcata

Basking spot 35–40°C · 95–104°F · Cool side 24–28°C · 75–82°F · Humidity 40–55%

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Savanna tortoise · Eastern & southern Africa

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

Basking spot 35–40°C · 95–104°F · Cool side 22–25°C · 72–77°F · Humidity 40–60%

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Forest tortoise · Central & South America

Red-footed Tortoise

Chelonoidis carbonarius

Basking spot 30–32°C · 86–90°F · Ambient 26–29°C · 79–84°F · Humidity 60–80%

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Mediterranean tortoise · North Africa, S Europe & Middle East

Greek Tortoise

Testudo graeca

Basking spot 32–35°C · 90–95°F · Cool side 20–25°C · 68–77°F · Humidity 40–60%

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Mediterranean tortoise · Greece & the southern Balkans

Marginated Tortoise

Testudo marginata

Basking spot 32–35°C · 90–95°F · Cool side 20–25°C · 68–77°F · Humidity 40–60%

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Tropical tortoise · India & Sri Lanka

Indian Star Tortoise

Geochelone elegans

Basking spot 32–35°C · 90–95°F · Cool end 22–26°C · 72–79°F · Humidity 40–60% (seasonal)

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More species on the way. Keeping something not listed? Track it free in baskr.