- December 4, 2025
I know what you are thinking. Reptiles as pets? Why would you want one? What do you do with them? Can you pet them? Do they like affection? Do they have personalities?
Yes, I was once the person who asked all these questions. Then I got a green iguana. I named him “Spikalicious” because of his many spikes that ran down his back. He was the brightest green I had ever seen on a lizard.
I got him because I thought he was cute and I was looking for a low maintenance pet that didn’t need a lot of attention since I was young and wasn’t home a lot. I got him because of his looks. I did not do any research on how to care for an iguana until I got him home and realized that he could climb right through the enclosure I had bought for him. I had already broken the No. 1 rule of owning a reptile. Research.
Research is vital to owning a new reptile that you have never owned before. There is so much you need to learn before bringing your new friend home. You will need to find out what is the proper enclosure and substrate for the pet, what do they eat, what temperature and humidity do they require? Do they need heat from heating lamps on the top of the enclosure or heating from under the tank? This is why many reptiles are not for beginners. They require someone who has done the research and not just bought a new pet on a whim.
I also found out the hard way that reptiles are time consuming and do need to be cleaned and maintained regularly. They do sometimes require water soaking time, water misters or live plants in their enclosures. All things that require time and effort.
So, my thinking that this was a low maintenance pet was wrong. This iguana had so many special needs that I was unprepared for at first. But I would not change anything!
This iguana showed me that reptiles do have personalities and do like affection. He knew his name and would come running when I called him. He loved to ride on my shoulder and nuzzle in my hair. He loved chin scratches and loved to be spritzed with a water bottle.
I am now the owner of many different species of reptiles, and I could tell you each of their likes and dislikes. It is amazing how animals we don’t think of as affectionate pets really can be.
I encourage anyone wanting a reptile to do their research and make sure that they have the capabilities to care for the pet properly. Often times we see reptiles surrendered to shelters due to lack of knowledge and care from the owners.
Sometimes they may be suffering from deficiencies because they were not provided with the correct UV bulbs or fed the proper diet. If you are in the market for a reptile pet and have never owned one before, I recommend a leopard gecko as they are considered a beginner pet and easier to care for.
Katie Share is the Flagler Humane Society's lead officer for Flagler Animal Services. She has been with the Humane Society for nearly 25 years.
