pet reptile.

rengber, Flickr Name: Water Dragon Personality: Docile and interactive, but occasionally slightly aggressive to one another (not toward their owners), according to Tricia's Water Dragon. Care: Water dragons require a large (and costly) enclosure, at least six feet long, two to three feet wide and and five to seven feet tall. They'll need a pool of water about half the dragon's height, as well as regulated temperature and humidity. About.com suggests a diet primarily composed of crickets, mealworms, waxworms, earthworms, grasshoppers, butterworms, locusts, and possibly small feeder fish. Adults can also be fed pinkie mice and kingworms, and some veggies and fruits may be included. Common ...

Flickr/LOLren Name: Garter Snake Personality: These small snakes are calm and docile. Care: This is a fairly low-maintenance snake. Because they're small, they don't require a huge tank (one about twice the snake's length should do), and in fact, a tank that's too large can make the snake feel exposed, according to gartersnake.info. While there should be water available, the tank should not be too wet. Make sure to provide areas for the snake to hide as well, and keep the tank a little warmer than the air temperature. Unless your garter snake eats mice, you'll need to provide a varied diet of earthworms, feeder guppies and platies. Common Health Issues: Intestinal parasites are a common ...

Flickr/Squamata55 Name: Ball Python Personality: These snakes are generally docile and easy to handle. Care: Ball pythons are not very active so they don't need huge enclosures -- a 30 gallon tank is appropriate for an adult python -- but the tank must be secured tightly or the snake can escape, according to About.com. These pets require an ambient temperature of around 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and a basking temperature close to 90 F. A large, sturdy dish of water should be kept inside the tank to allow the snake to soak and rehydrate itself. Every five to seven days, a young snake will need to be fed several small mice. An older snake requires larger prey, such as rats, every 10 to ...

Flickr/foxypar4 Name: Red-Eared Slider Personality: Most of these turtles are quite calm, but some can be aggressive and snippy. Care: This is not a turtle you can put in a plastic bowl and be done with. Red-eared sliders require a bit more work. They grow to be about 12 inches long and need either a very large tank (over 100 gallons) or a pond to call home, according to About.com. They need water (75 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit) in which to swim, an ambient temperature of 75 to 80 F, and a basking area with a temperature closer to 90 to 95 F. They also need proper lighting and filters. You'll need to clean the water and tank often (because red-eared sliders are messy), and, of course, ...