Reptile For A 10 Gallon Tank Question???

I'm not sure if anyone knows anything about reptiles on here but I’ll give it a shot. I’m looking to possibly get some sort of reptile, I would prefer to have a friendly lizard of some sort that will be happy in a ten gallon habitat. Any suggestions? Also if I can’t house any type of lizard in a ten gallon then what can live happily in a ten gallon. I want something that I can hold or at least touch without it freaking out.

Thank you!

 

I believe a leopord gecko would be fine. (I am stating this based on my experiences with my cousins leopard geckos I may be wrong)

 

Crested gecko (vert 10g).

Consider dart frogs - not really reptile, but still....

 

Okay thank you. Any advice any having a Lepord gecko. Or maybe some pointers on taking care of them. This would be my first reptile. Also I heard about the viper gecko, what about those?

 

Gecko should be fine. Pet store people will tell you iguanas, water dragons and chameleons can live in a ten gallon. They can not. It would be like sticking a common pleco in a 20 gal alone.

 

Are you guys ok? Ive been researching Leopard geckos and own a baby crested gecko. They both need 20 gallon longs at minimum when adults! When babys a 10 gallon could work. Maybe a frog?

 

Not a reptile but I think you could do a hermit crab

 

I agree with CanadianFishFan - the only reptile suited for a 10 gallon enclosure is a baby reptile. Any reptile you put in that tank will outgrow it.

 

You could do some of the amphibians. Fire belly toads, a group of 3 would work

 

okay thank you for the warning. I'm kinda grossed out of the idea of owning a toad. I'm not into hermit crabs but I wouldnt mind one. If I get a 20 gallon what can go in that. preferably a type of lizard!

 

I have my Leo (leopard gecko) in a 20 right now, but for a while he was in a 10 gallon. Depending on where you're getting a Leo (like petsmart or petco) you're going to get a baby Leo anyways and a 10 is good for babies. You'll have a few months before they get to big, and you will have to get a bigger tank, but adults can live in a 20 gal long. If you want something that can stay in a 10, maybe a common gecko. They have them at petsmart for like $10.

 

I'm not sure if anyone knows anything about reptiles on here but I’ll give it a shot. I’m looking to possibly get some sort of reptile, I would prefer to have a friendly lizard of some sort that will be happy in a ten gallon habitat. Any suggestions? Also if I can’t house any type of lizard in a ten gallon then what can live happily in a ten gallon. I want something that I can hold or at least touch without it freaking out.

Thank you!

So uh not to be rude or anything but I don't think your reptile is fish or an invertebrate. Maybe a vertebrate but not and invertebrate.

 

(Cant get the quotes to work ignore me) but if you don’t really want a hermit crab but ‘wouldn’t mind one’, don't get them. They live upwards of 20 years and grow massive. You cannot house hermit crabs in a 10 gallon tank.

 

(Cant get the quotes to work ignore me) but if you don’t really want a hermit crab but ‘wouldn’t mind one’, don't get them. They live upwards of 20 years and grow massive. You cannot house hermit crabs in a 10 gallon tank.

Oh my! Thank you for that. Lol

So uh not to be rude or anything but I don't think your reptile is fish or an invertebrate. Maybe a vertebrate but not and invertebrate.

Yes I’m aware of that. If you don’t appreciate me posting reptile questions on here then don’t come on my post. But thanks

 

The only non-fish animal that I would ever put in a 10 gallon would be a pacman frog because they hardly move, so it's not unfair to them. It's unfair to other animals.

Ultimately, I think you should wait until you have the money and/or space for a larger tank. Bearded dragons are excellent pets with great, fun personalities but they need a 40 g breeder at minimum.

Also, I agree that no one should ever get hermit crabs, unless they really want them and do the research. They're nocturnal and you shouldn't handle them unless necessary, so they can be pretty boring if you're looking for something you can interact with. I have a larger tank for my hermit crabs (75 g + a 40 g breeder with the bottom smashed out stacked on top so they have extra climbing space) than I do for my fish.

 

(Cant get the quotes to work ignore me) but if you don’t really want a hermit crab but ‘wouldn’t mind one’, don't get them. They live upwards of 20 years and grow massive. You cannot house hermit crabs in a 10 gallon tank.

Actually, you can.
The maximum is two small crabs, and they will need a bigger tank after a year or two.

 

Actually, you can.
The maximum is two small crabs, and they will need a bigger tank after a year or two.

Well, yes technically, but I was thinking more long term. I have my two in a 20 and even I think that's small for them. The space really gets smaller once you add all the substrate lol.

 

Well, yes technically, but I was thinking more long term. I have my two in a 20 and even I think that's small for them. The space really gets smaller once you add all the substrate lol.

I have a 55 gallon, and it’s time for a topper.

 

I have a 55 gallon, and it’s time for a topper.

Wow, that’s majestic . I wish I had that much space

 

Short answer, no. Nothing can go in a 10 gallon long term. I breed reptiles for a living. Not even a full grown crested gecko (I breed mainly crested geckos, but I’m not as crazy /rude as some of the people are on Facebook about them). They require at least a 12x12x18 tank with good ventilation and a false bottom. A male western hog nose snake may, or a ring neck snake, but other than that, I can’t think of much.

 

You could do a male Kenyan sand boa. Too small for a female imo but a male could work.

 

Maybe anales or newts or firebelly frogs or African clawed frog

 

Maybe anales or newts or firebelly frogs or African clawed frog

Newts and firebelly toads need land and water area, a 10 gallon isn’t going to be enough space. Anole enclosures need to be at least 20 gallons because they need a proper temperature gradient from one side of the tank to the other.

 

Maybe anales or newts or firebelly frogs or African clawed frog

Newts and firebelly toads need land and water area, a 10 gallon isn’t going to be enough space. Anole enclosures need to be at least 20 gallons because they need a proper temperature gradient from one side of the tank to the other.

Land and water areas are absolutely doable in a 10 gallon tank. Is the OP interested in amphibians, though? They said reptiles. Because if so, some options open up.

 

Land and water areas are absolutely doable in a 10 gallon tank. Is the OP interested in amphibians, though? They said reptiles. Because if so, some options open up.

I think an amphibian would be cool to. What kind of amphibian can I get?

 

You could have 4 or 5 African Dwarf Frogs. They are fully aquatic, and don't need a land area. African Clawed Frogs get a little bit bigger, so you could only have 1 in a 10 gallon tank. They also don't need land. 1 or 2 firebelly newts would work, if you're comfortable setting up the tank as 90% aquatic / 10% land. (Don't get the Japanese Firebelly Newts - they get bigger) If you want a land-based amphibian, look at thumbnail dart frogs - they are a sub species of poison dart frog that only grow to about an inch, so you could keep a pair or trio of those. If you want regular size Poison Dart Frogs, though, you would need a bigger enclosure.

 

You could have 4 or 5 African Dwarf Frogs. They are fully aquatic, and don't need a land area. African Clawed Frogs get a little bit bigger, so you could only have 1 in a 10 gallon tank. They also don't need land. 1 or 2 firebelly newts would work, if you're comfortable setting up the tank as 90% aquatic / 10% land. (Don't get the Japanese Firebelly Newts - they get bigger) If you want a land-based amphibian, look at thumbnail dart frogs - they are a sub species of poison dart frog that only grow to about an inch, so you could keep a pair or trio of those. If you want regular size Poison Dart Frogs, though, you would need a bigger enclosure.

Okay I think I will look into getting a trio of thumbnail dart frogs. They look very cool! It would be in a month or two because I’m having issues with my current tanks.

 

I didn’t read through everyone’s posts but a very cool amphibious creature that is fish/salamander is an Axolotl... although 10 gallons may be a bit small but should be ok for 1 full grown adult... all they need is a little hiding spot and very cold water... they are classified as an amphibian however they live entirely in water and don’t come out... do some research on them... I have 2 and they are amazing animals!!

 

I didn’t read through everyone’s posts but a very cool amphibious creature that is fish/salamander is an Axolotl... although 10 gallons may be a bit small but should be ok for 1 full grown adult... all they need is a little hiding spot and very cold water... they are classified as an amphibian however they live entirely in water and don’t come out... do some research on them... I have 2 and they are amazing animals!!

Although I would love to have a Axolotl I don’t have enough room for one but thank you

 

Kind of hard to see but here are my 2 goofballs!! Lol

 

They look so cool!

What size tank are they in?

 

I respectfully disagree with keeping an axolotl in a 10 gallon tank - axolotls can get pretty big, up to a foot long at maturity. For juveniles it's probably fine, but the tank would need to be upgraded eventually. And I believe the OP is wanting to avoid that.

 

What size tank are they in?

We have 2 in a 70 gallon... it’s excessive for them but we plan on getting one more... they do recommend a 20 gallon per full grown adult... and we have cool hiding places and stuff for them... but a 10 gallon would last you a few months at least... if not closer to like a year... the only thing is they need a long tank not a tall one... they prefer width over height

 

We have 2 in a 70 gallon... it’s excessive for them but we plan on getting one more... they do recommend a 20 gallon per full grown adult... and we have cool hiding places and stuff for them... but a 10 gallon would last you a few months at least... if not closer to like a year... the only thing is they need a long tank not a tall one... they prefer width over height

I may have to think about getting one and putting it in a 20 long.

 

Sorry kind of a bad photo and they are both hiding in the big ship right now lol
You also need a very very gentle flow of water.. unlike fish, Axolotls HATE water disbences... so an adjustable filter or put something under where the water comes out to disperse it more

I may have to think about getting one and putting it in a 20 long.

They are serious sooooo cool... they can regrow all of their body parts.... they are doing a lot of science stuff with them now to figure out how.. but I read one study where they cut the same leg off of one 100 times and it re grew every time and never so much as left a scar... one of ours... the pink one, my son accidentally caught her with our python when draining the tank and her whole top back fun came off... a month later it was back and you’d never know it was gone... just amazing and they come in sooooo many color options and choices too

 

I may have to think about getting one and putting it in a 20 long.

That's what I did. People say you can keep 1 or 2 in a 20 long, but I only got one, and now that it's in there, I think adding a second would make the tank overcrowded. If you do get 2, and you intend to breed them, get a leucistic and a wild type, because you'll end up with babies of both types, as well as albinos.

 

Land and water areas are absolutely doable in a 10 gallon tank. Is the OP interested in amphibians, though? They said reptiles. Because if so, some options open up.

Yeah it’s absolutely doable but it’s not practical. Newts can get up to 6 inches long, having 5 gallons of land area and 5 gallons of water area isn’t going to be very adequate. The toads only get up to 2.2 inches but both of these creatures prefer to be kept in groups so the minimum for the toads is 15-20 gallons. Breeding and taking care of reptiles and amphbians is my job, so I have a few 10 gallon tanks sitting around that I’ve been thinking a lot about too. They’re just too small to do too much with, we use them as grow out tanks mostly.

 

They are serious sooooo cool... they can regrow all of their body parts.... they are doing a lot of science stuff with them now to figure out how.. but I read one study where they cut the same leg off of one 100 times and it re grew every time and never so much as left a scar... one of ours... the pink one, my son accidentally caught her with our python when draining the tank and her whole top back fun came off... a month later it was back and you’d never know it was gone... just amazing and they come in sooooo many color options and choices too

Yes they are recommended to have a 2@ gallon tank per Axolotl... that’s why I said to him he could get away with his 10 gallon for a while until it grows too big... but that would be months and months...