What Are the Different Types of House Lizard?

Many different types of house lizard exist — the term can refer to any lizard which is suitable to be kept as a pet. One major house lizard is the house gecko, commonly found in tropical countries. The bearded dragon, leopard gecko, blue-tongued skink, green iguana, and the Carolina anole are five other types of house lizard that many people keep as pets. The rock agama is a unique type of house lizard, popular because it shares similar colors to fictional superhero Spiderman’s costume.

One lizard which is actually named for its pervasiveness in people's homes is the house gecko, commonly found in tropical countries — particularly in southeast Asia. Adult house geckos can grow up to around 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) in length, and can therefore be kept in a relatively small enclosure. As a result of their propensity for climbing, they are happiest when kept in a vertical enclosure with some branches for climbing and hiding places.

Beaded dragons are another popular type of house lizard. This is because they are relatively friendly, in the sense that they don’t usually mind being handled by their owners. They are also generally quite active within their enclosures, which can make them more entertaining to keep as pets. It is important to note that bearded dragons can grow up to a maximum of around 23.6 inches (60 centimeters), which means they need an enclosure of around 35.4 x 20 x 20 inches (90 x 50 x 50 centimeters). A mixture of insects and vegetables make up the bearded dragon’s diet, making it more difficult to feed than some other types of house lizard.

The leopard gecko is a common type of house lizard particularly suitable for people with little experience caring for lizards. The biggest leopard geckos can grow up to around 10 inches (25 centimeters) in length, and two could be kept in a 24 x 16 x 16 inch terrarium (60 x 40 x 40 centimeters). Leopard geckos eat insects, and their diet is composed primarily of crickets, which is generally easy for owners to deal with. They are nocturnal, which means that they are most active in the night, when most humans are asleep.

Many other types of lizard can be classified as a suitable house lizard. One notable species is the rock agama, which features a blue and red skin similar to the costume worn by the fictional superhero Spiderman. These lizards are popular pets, along with other breeds such as the blue-tongued skink, the Carolina anole, and the green iguana. The green iguana is amongst the largest of the house lizards, growing up to 78.7 inches (2 meters) in length.