# Lizard to choose?



## Chicken (Jan 20, 2011)

Hey guys, need some advice on my next lizzy to keep. Right now i keep beardies, thick tails, a spotted and frogs so i'm not completely new but i have a spare 3 footer and would like some advice. I know of lots of different species, but would like you guys to pitch in your experiences with lizards that suit my needings. Ok i live in victoria and i have a basic wildlife licence. I have a 3 foot cage by 1.5 by 1.5, it has a 10.0 uv light 24" long. (any of the lighting etc can be removed or anything can be added) I have a 10 to 30c thermo with 2 heat light fittings. I would like something that is interactive, but something a little more exotic than a bearded dragon. I would like something active, e.g not like a blue tongue. Also i love nicely coloured lizards. I don't have a budget i will save until i have enough once i make my decision. I would not like to have to upgrade to a bigger tank so preferably something that fits in my dimensions. I would like it to be fairly placid too. I had painted dragons, netted's in mind but would like to hear from an experienced person's side of view. Cheers guys


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## fabregasreptiles (Jan 20, 2011)

maybe some gilleni monitors or some ackies although u would have to upgrade quite quickly for the ackies.


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## Chicken (Jan 20, 2011)

yeah cant get ackies, cage is too small but ill keep the mulgas in mind


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## hornet (Jan 20, 2011)

I would go with either some pink tongues or some rock dragons. There are red-barred dragons on herp trader at the moment i believe and they are HOT as adults and dead easy to keep.


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## fabregasreptiles (Jan 20, 2011)

wats a mulga. do u mean gilleni's???? but if u want to handle, they're not for you. maybe some central netteds


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## Dannyboi (Jan 20, 2011)

That would be about right for a Storr's Monitor or two.


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## cris (Jan 20, 2011)

fabregasreptiles said:


> wats a mulga. do u mean gilleni's???? but if u want to handle, they're not for you. maybe some central netteds


 
Mulga is a type of acacia. Do you mean _Litoria gilleni_? :lol: I would suggust going for _Varanus gilleni_ awesome little critters well suited to an enclosure that size, almost bullet proof if you provide a hot basking spot.


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## Chicken (Jan 20, 2011)

yeah, but how do they go handling cris? Can you tame them out to a certain point? Cheers guys i'm putting all ideas into consideration. And how much would i pick a hatchie pygmy mulga up for?


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## lizardman59 (Jan 20, 2011)

get a blue tounge if your looking for something easy


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## Dannyboi (Jan 20, 2011)

Depends. I have seen them for 400 but that is a bit pricey I mean an adult male goes for 395.


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## fabregasreptiles (Jan 20, 2011)

wait. wats a pygmy mulga. is that just a varanus gilleni???

as they r quite small, they aren't close to beardies as far as handling goes


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## cris (Jan 20, 2011)

Reptilerookie321 said:


> yeah, but how do they go handling cris? Can you tame them out to a certain point? Cheers guys i'm putting all ideas into consideration. And how much would i pick a hatchie pygmy mulga up for?


 
They are too small, fast and squirmy to handle IMO but they seem to adjust really well to people and interact well on a no touching basis. 99% of lizards arnt suited to handling. Pygmy Mulga Monitors are usually around $250 plus or minus around $50. That said they arnt available that easily, lizard breeders dont tend to rip people off as much as snake breeders and you ofen have to look around and wait rather than just paying a stupid amount.


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## Dannyboi (Jan 20, 2011)

fabregasreptiles said:


> wait. wats a pygmy mulga. is that just a varanus gilleni???
> 
> as they r quite small, they aren't close to beardies as far as handling goes


 Yeah I'm pretty sure Pygmy Mulga is a name used for Varanus Gilleni.


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## cris (Jan 20, 2011)

fabregasreptiles said:


> wait. wats a pygmy mulga. is that just a varanus gilleni???
> 
> as they r quite small, they aren't close to beardies as far as handling goes


 
Yeah a Pygmy Mulga Monitor is called _Varanus gilleni_. Wasnt having a go at you in the above post, it just gets a bit confusing when people start using small parts of a name that can fit heaps of differant species.


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## jameswhelan (Jan 20, 2011)

I brought 3 juvi netteds and they are pretty cool funny little things. That size setup would be alright for em. Monitors are cool and very interesting, they generaly take a long time to gain trust in u, years even.. but I find this more rewarding. I'd be getting a bigger monitor if I were u, they can handle better when mature and use this setup while it's a young hatchie. Netteds are kinda tame at times with being held but if u want somthing that you'll never get bored of go get a decent monitor. Up to you


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## Chicken (Jan 20, 2011)

Alright thanks guys, im starting to lean towards a netted or painted as i first mentioned, maybe not a monitor right now. Anyone know much about painted's? Are they handleable, social?? Cheers


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## shortstuff61 (Jan 20, 2011)

jameswhelan said:


> I'd be getting a bigger monitor if I were u, they can handle better when mature and use this setup while it's a young hatchie. Netteds are kinda tame at times with being held but if u want somthing that you'll never get bored of go get a decent monitor. Up to you



Fair call. I think most people would advise at least 1 small monitor species first, but it's not like it's your first lizard, and they don't get big over night... You've got dragons, geckoes, frogs and an Antaresia, do yourself a favour and get a small monitor. As James says, you will not get bored. You can still have occasional minimal handling of an adult Storr's without scarring the thing for life, but mostly they are just amazing to watch as they go about their business, especially feeding. A Storr's or Pygmy Mulga will do fine in that size enclosure and there are some (Gillens) on the 2nd page of RDU for $250.


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## jesskie (Jan 21, 2011)

Eastern Water Skinks are active look good n are easy to care for


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## Chicken (Jan 21, 2011)

Haha I'd expect you to write that jess! Cheers shortstuff, ill have a good look at both storrs and gillens and ill try and make a decision. Thanks everyone.


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## Jk888 (Jan 21, 2011)

any levis =D


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## Chicken (Jan 21, 2011)

cause they handle well dont they jk888 lol? But nah i think a 3 ft cage is too small for a levis


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## Jk888 (Jan 21, 2011)

best handlers ever! =D , hmm what i could do with a 3ft cage =D i could fit a few quads in there =)


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## W.T.BUY (Jan 21, 2011)

Any small dragons arnt going to be great handelers but you allready have beardies so why not just get s species you can look at. Painted dragons would be great for that size enclosure. Social little critters as well.


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## Jk888 (Jan 21, 2011)

brevis arent too bad but as all animals are each has a different personality and my not like being touched whereas others love it


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## Dragon_Lover_85 (Jan 21, 2011)

Personally i like the ctenophorus species'. They are all active entertaining attractive and with enough handling in my exp most can be quite tame. At the end of the day its personal opinion champ.


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## jesskie (Jan 22, 2011)

Haha  I think everyone expected me to write that


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## Reptileman67 (Feb 21, 2011)

hey i reckon that a shingleback woyld be a great lizard they are very easy to take care of a love being handled, you might need a bigger enclosure when it grows up. You could also look at getting some knob tailed geckos though im not sure weather they are class 1 or 2 but they make a good pet and a fairly easy to take care of.
keep up the good work


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## Chicken (Feb 21, 2011)

cheers reptileman, i've got my hands on a baby ackie monitor which i'm loving, thanks anyway the stumpy's are a nice lizard my mate has a couple.


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## Grogshla (Feb 21, 2011)

i have a black soil dragon in the same sized enclosure. Fits her great!


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## Southern_Forest_Drag (Feb 21, 2011)

W.T.BUY said:


> Any small dragons arnt going to be great handelers but you allready have beardies so why not just get s species you can look at. Painted dragons would be great for that size enclosure. Social little critters as well.


 
Agree go with some painted dragons if you can get your hands on some, one of my fav species i owned wish i keept them.


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## BigWillieStyles (Feb 23, 2011)

I have started making an enclosure the exact same size and was also wondering what I could put in it. I think I am just going to get a Juvenile bearded dragon and maybe upsize when it gets larger. I decided I want something that wont mind being held or let out to wander the house.If holding the lizard wasnt that important, I would definitely be thinking about getting a trio of N. Levis. I reckon it would be a great size for a lizard that size and I could really have some fun creating a nice desert terrarium. They would be great fun to breed, and you could easily place a partion to divide young from adults


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## thomasbecker (Feb 24, 2011)

If you want something that you can hold and let it sit, then id suggest either blue tongues, beardeds, stumpies, shinglebacks or cunningham sinks. They would all fit in your sized enclosure, but might need to upgrade when fully grown


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