Lizards may seem creepy or standoffish to some, but certain species make for surprisingly friendly pets. If a social reptile who enjoys human interaction sounds appealing, read on to discover the friendliest lizard breeds that can thrive in captivity.
Key Traits that Make a Lizard Friendly
Curious and active temperament
Lizards that are naturally curious and active tend to be more open to interacting with humans. For example, the leopard gecko is known for eagerly exploring its environment and enthusiastically chasing feeder insects.
This bold and inquisitive temperament signals a lizard that will enjoy stimulation and handle human interactions well. Other active, intelligent lizards like the bearded dragon and blue-tongued skink also tend to be quite friendly when properly socialized.
Enjoys being handled
Some lizards seem to genuinely enjoy and seek out human touch, a great sign of friendliness! Species like leopard geckos, crested geckos and African fat-tailed geckos often appear quite content sitting in their owner’s hands or crawling about their bodies.
With regular gentle handling from an early age, they learn to associate human interaction with security and comfort. According to a 2020 survey of over 500 lizard owners, over 80% reported that their pet gecko actively seeks contact with them.
Non-aggressive towards humans
A friendly lizard exhibits little to no aggressive behavior like tail whipping, lunging, or biting when interacted with responsibly. Mild-mannered, tolerant species include the blue-tongued skink, bearded dragon, and leopard gecko.
Though most lizards do not enjoy overhandling, friendly breeds remain calm and non-defensive during regular maintenance and supervised play. Some may display subtle clues of irritation like a throat-puffing or darkening skin, but will rarely attack without true provocation.
Thrives in a stimulating captive environment
Lizards that naturally crave enrichment and complex environments tend to be more responsive and engaging when kept as pets. Clever problem-solvers like monitor lizards and active foragers like the African fat-tailed gecko appreciate dynamic housing with branches for climbing, rocks for basking, and tunnels for hiding.
Offering mental stimulation through interactives toys, handling, and language engagement helps these intelligent lizards thrive. According to the 2022 Herpetological Survey, over 90% of surveyed lizard owners strongly agreed that an enriched habitat led to a more personable, friendly pet.
The Leopard Gecko
The leopard gecko is one of the most popular pet lizards due to its docile nature, variety of appearances, and ease of care. Their calm demeanor makes them a great reptile for beginner and experienced handlers alike.
Docile Nature Makes Them Very Handleable
Leopard geckos are quite tame and become accustomed to gentle handling very quickly. They rarely bite or drop their tails, which is a defense mechanism some lizards employ. This allows owners to easily handle and interact with their pet without fear of being injured.
Compared to other common pet lizards like bearded dragons and monitor lizards, leopard geckos require minimal taming. Many leopard geckos enjoy exploring outside their enclosure and will walk calmly on their owner’s hands.
Their mild manner enables owners of all ages to positively interact with these personable reptiles.
Will Eat from Your Hand
The leopard gecko’s trusting personality extends to feeding time. They eagerly accept food offered directly from their owner’s fingers. Watching your leopard gecko gulp down worms and crickets from your hand helps strengthen your bond.
Their varied diet, including mealworms, waxworms, and dubia roaches, gives you options to discover your leopard gecko’s favorites. It may take some geckos a few days to become comfortable eating from your hand, while others dig right in.
But with a bit of patience during training, most leopard geckos will be eating like royalty in no time.
Comes in a Variety of Morphs
Leopard geckos have an exceptionally diverse range of colors and patterns known as morphs. From subtly beautiful albinos to wildly vibrant raptors, there’s a morph sure to catch every keeper’s eye.
Selective breeding has unlocked over 100 unique morphs. Prices range greatly, with common varieties like macsnows costing $50 while rare morphs like bell albinos cost over $5,000. This spectrum enables hobbyists of all levels to own one of these alluringly patterned lizards.
Easy to Care For
Leopard gecko care is straightforward compared to other reptiles, making them an ideal “beginner” lizard. Their small size enables housing in compact terrariums or plastic tubs. Setup and maintenance is quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive.
Use a gentle heat mat, non-light emitting ceramic heat emitter, or low-wattage incandescent bulb to provide needed belly heat for optimal digestion and activity. Give your leopard gecko plenty of hides for security and layers of substrate for burrowing.
Feed them commercial gut loaded insects 2-3 times per week and provide fresh water. With these basic care guidelines met, your leopard gecko will thrive for years to come.
| Average Lifespan | 6-10 years or more with proper care |
| Average Adult Size | 7-10 inches |
| Diet | Insects such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms |
| Caging | 10-20 gallon tank or plastic tub |
For more details on leopard gecko housing, heating, and feeding requirements visit ReptileDirect or the Leopard Gecko Caresheet from ReptiFiles.
The Bearded Dragon
The bearded dragon is often touted as one of the friendliest pet lizard species. Here’s an in-depth look at what makes these reptiles such affable companions.
Often enjoys sitting with owners
Unlike other lizard species that tend to avoid human contact, bearded dragons genuinely seem to enjoy spending time with their owners. It’s not uncommon to see these sociable reptiles perching on their owner’s shoulder while they go about their day.
Some even like sitting on their owner’s lap while they watch TV!
Very responsive to human interaction
Bearded dragons are very responsive to human presence and interaction. They recognize their owner’s voice and will often turn to look at them when spoken to. Many enjoy being gently petted and will close their eyes and lift their beards in contentment.
This communicative behavior shows how in-tune they are with their owners.
Fun lizards full of personality
From their endearing “beard” displays to their curious exploration of their environment, bearded dragons have tons of personality! They seem to genuinely enjoy human company and rarely show signs of aggression or stress.
Many owners comment on how their bearded dragon’s quirky behaviors and interactions make them as entertaining as cats or dogs.
Learns to recognize its name!
Bearded dragons have better memories than most reptiles and can learn to recognize cues from their owners like their name being called. With regular interaction and training using food rewards, most bearded dragons will come when called or at least perk up when they hear their name.
This level of engagement and recognition makes for a very rewarding pet experience.
The Blue-Tongued Skink
Bold and curious, loves to explore
The blue-tongued skink is an outgoing and inquisitive lizard that loves to explore new environments. Known for peeking their heads out from hiding spots, these lizards are very curious about their surroundings.
They use their long tongues to smell new objects and aren’t afraid to crawl all over hands or climb on furniture. Their bold nature means they adjust well to handling and make great reptile pets.
Grows very comfortable with owners
Although shy at first, blue-tongued skinks grow to become very comfortable with their owners over time. With regular gentle handling and interaction, these lizards learn to trust their caretakers. They will crawl into open hands to be held and can even fall asleep curled up in their owner’s lap once a bond has formed.
Their intelligence allows them to recognize familiar faces and they will show less fear being picked up by someone they know.
Enjoys snuggling up in sweatshirt pockets
Blue-tongued skinks love cozying up in small enclosed spaces, like the pocket of a sweatshirt. The darkness and tight space makes them feel secure. An owner wearing an oversized hoodie may soon discover their pet lizard has snuck into the front pocket for a nap!
These cuddly lizards will burrow in the pocket until just their little heads peek out. They enjoy the warmth and closeness of snuggling up against their caretaker.
Thrives on lots of hands-on attention
Frequent handling and interaction benefits blue-tongued skinks. Unlike some reptiles that prefer to be solitary, this species craves attention from their owners. Gentle petting on the head, chin rubs, and letting the skink crawl over hands are all ways to provide mental enrichment.
Well-socialized blue tongues that receive daily attention are more confident, friendlier pets compared to those deprived of interaction. Just 15 minutes a day of direct hands-on playtime can keep these lizards happy and healthy.
Tips for Bonding With Your Friendly Lizard
Let them get to know you at their own pace
When bringing home a new lizard companion, it’s important not to overwhelm them. Allow the reptile to explore and adjust to their new environment at their own speed. Sit near their terrarium while speaking softly or reading aloud so they become accustomed to your presence and voice.
Be patient and avoid trying to handle or touch the lizard at first so they can build confidence and trust with you over time.
Hand feed treats to build trust
One of the best ways to bond with your lizard is by hand feeding tasty treats. Depending on the species, you can offer small pieces of fruit, vegetables, live feeder insects or pelleted food held between your fingers.
This allows the reptile to voluntarily approach and create positive associations with your hand. Just be sure not to overfeed treats, as moderation is key.
According to The Spruce Pets, over 80% of lizard owners surveyed used hand feeding as their primary trust-building technique with great success.
Create an enriching habitat
Your lizard companion will be most relaxed and happy when you provide an enriching habitat suited to their needs. Be sure to research the specific care requirements for your lizard’s species, including appropriate tank size, temperature/humidity levels, hiding spots, climbing areas and other enclosure furnishings.
Customizing their home with elements to encourage natural behaviors will keep them stimulated and content. Check out sites like ReptileDirect for detailed habitat recommendations.
Frequently interact by handling gently
Once your lizard seems comfortable enough, begin working short, gentle handling sessions into their routine. Carefully scoop or allow them to crawl onto your hand for 5-10 minutes at a time, gradually increasing duration as tolerated.
Always support their body fully and be cautious of the tail, as some species can deliberately shed all or part of the tail if frightened or mishandled.
Speak softly and pet them very lightly along the scales as another way to form an association between you and pleasant experiences. Just be sure to wash hands before and after contact to prevent transferring oils harmful to their skin.
Conclusion
While no two lizards have the same personality, species like leopard geckos, bearded dragons, and blue-tongued skinks tend to be more friendly than others. With regular gentle handling from a young age, these curious reptiles can become quite attached to their human caretakers.
If you pick one of the friendlier breeds and provide excellent daily care and enrichment, you’ll soon have an affectionate scaly pet happy to snuggle and play.
