Generally, lizards require more time than snakes, since they typically eat more often, are more active and have more lighting requirements. Some lizards such as the leopard gecko and the bearded dragon are pretty good for beginners. Others, such as the green iguana, are popular but problematic. About 90 percent die within a year, he says. Besides, he notes, mature males can get very aggressive, and have been known to attack menstruating women.
Turtles also pose challenges.
Thousands of salmonella cases have been reported, mostly as a result of children not taking proper hygiene precautions. And, if you drop a turtle and break the shell, it can be repaired but may have to be rebroken periodically to allow the animal to grow. Good sources of information are the series of books published by Herpetocultural Advanced Bivarian Systems and various Web sites developed by Melissa Kaplan. Bugs and spiders. Start with something simple such as crickets, says Louise Kulzer, who's part of the Scarab Association, a Seattle-area group that studies arthropods such as beetles and certain spiders.