What lizard is like this?

[KingKrush421]

Hello! First post :)

So I’m looking into getting a pet lizard. I currently own a pet snake (boa) and Iv had other high upkeep exotics (piranhas, Degus). I’m no expert by any means but I’d like to think I’m beyond a novice in terms of abilities to provide what’s required :)

Anyways, I live with my girlfriend and she hates me reptiles but has compromised with me. She doesn’t care what I bring home as long as there are no insects involved.

Are there any lizards that don’t require insects as the bulk of their diet? I know this may be a silly question.

Every time I ask around in person, almost always the automatic response is leopard, crested or gargoyle geckos. Although they are awesome creatures, geckos seem a little TOO novice for my liking. Not to say they don’t require care but I would enjoy being a little more involved with my pet :)

Would there be any lizard that meets this criteria?

[trailblazer295]

The only other ones I know are monitors and maybe BTS. But they are larger end of the scale. Nothing on the smaller more beginner end of things that doesn't eat insects. I'm not a fan of the insect feedings either.

[HMS Terrapin]

Iguanas, if your interested in the more exotic types you can look at the cyclura species

[SerpentineDream]

Be advised that large lizards have large bites. Their jaws are incredibly powerful.

I was bitten on the index finger by my 6-foot green iguana. My finger popped open like a ripe grape. It's permanently misshapen. You want a critter with a good temperament IF you intend to handle it. It can vary from one individual to the next of course, but there's a reason bearded dragons are so popular. They are super mellow. I am a fairly experienced keeper but still love some of the beginner species. I enjoy the heck out of beardies because they have such great temperaments. Like corn snakes... I choose to add other species but corns never get old to me. Some of the more common species have interesting morphs for you to choose from. Just saying, popular isn't always bad.

Have you considered a jeweled lacerta, Timon lepidus? They are uncommon, similar to a beardie in temperament IF you put in the work to tame them and the males especially are beautiful. Bonus: They can make you bleed all right, but a bite won't turn your digits into ground beef.

ETA: Shoot, I forgot that they are omnivorous. They eat fruits and vegetables but also like bugs such as beetles and crickets. They also raid bird and mouse nests. You might be able to make substitutes for the protein portion of their diet with mealworms, freeze dried crickets or perhaps F/T pinky or fuzzy mice if those don't bother you so much.

[TRD]

I second that.. if one wishes to take good care of the common bearded dragon, it can be quite the choir (most people take horrible care of the diet and needs tbh). They are acceptive of mishaps if corrected, and can be handled without the risk of losing digits. But yes, they eat insects, as do almost all lizards. You could take a strictly carnivore, but then you have to deal with a freezer full with frozen mice and stuff.

Veranus and the larger Iguana's can either rip your fingers straight off or cause some severe damage, so I wouldn't go that road, you may not like what you find when a 4-6' animal hangs off your arm.

[akane]

Crested geckos are the only very small, easy to care for lizard I know that mostly eats a commercial mix but geckos do benefit from supplemental insects and many omnivorous lizards of even larger size do like to hunt insects. Most lizards need small food and most didn't evolve to hunt rodents or use low energy plants as the main part of their diet when they are fast and insects are everywhere in every climate.

There are more herbivorous lizards if you don't need to start with the easiest beginner lizard because they tend to be more complex than keeping the basic insectivores. There are the uromastyx quite commonly. Bigger cage demands but not a huge lizard Uromastyx Care Sheet (http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Uromastyx-Lizard/)
Not tiny but chuckwallas and desert iguanas are in the iguana family while nowhere near the typical iguana size. A few skink options might work. Solomon island skinks or most commonly the monkey tailed skink are more herbivorous. Some feed blue tongue skinks their protein using store bought meat instead.