Hi, I currently have a leopard gecko but my little brother wants a lizard. I always thought they looked pretty cool so I was just wondering if they are easy to look after because I will have to supervise him I dont want him to get really bored then me having to do all the looking after. I have done some research and they seem pretty easy I just want some first hand experience, also I can get them relavily cheap so do you think just one is enough of should I get 2?

Many Thanks, Benn.

1st question would be, how old if your brother? Anoles aren't really animals that you want to handle, because they are skittish and will run. They are fast and would easily escape. I might suggest starting out with having him help you with your gecko and see how well he does with that, and see if he gets bored...

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hello. My daughter is six years old and she "helps" me with our leopard gecko and my water dragon(and our other pets) but mostly she just observes she really loves to watch them eat!
I think it would really depend on the age of your brother...
The suggestion of helping with your gecko is a great one then if he gets bored you will know

Yeah, how old is he, and how much work will he be doing? Will he understand that they are a 'look but don't touch' type of pet?

(And yes anoles can be housed together if you have the right male : female ratio)

But I also want to point out that they aren't always as cheap as you think they are because they need special lighting that needs frequent changes.

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Lacey made some good points. The anoles themselves aren't that expensive, but when you add the cost of UVB lighting, a cage, screen lid, decor, and all that fun stuff it can add up (especially with the UVB lights, which leopard geckos don't need). They're also fast, delicate, nervous, and hard to catch. They're not a good pet for young children. They can be housed together if you get females, but males are territorial and must be housed alone.

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Ok Cheers I will let him help out with my leo for a while. my brother is 11 at the momment. thanks for your help.

Eleven is not too young in my opinion - but it all depends on his maturity level! If he can handle the maintenance, a leopard gecko or anole might be a great pet for him to have. I think you're on the right track right now. Let him help you with yours - or even let him take care of yours completely for a little while. If he keeps up with it and doesn't lose interest, then he can probably handle one of his own.

Maybe he can even save up and help you to buy supplies for it. That would be a great way to teach him about the care and expense involved in maintaining a reptile.

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I would have to chime in on this.
Most youngsters are going to want an animal that they can handle. A "look but don't touch" lizard, such as an anole, is going to present severe challenges which may result in either the lizard being handled and escaping or being injured.
Or your brother losing interest in it altogether because it isn't something he can handle.

Also, as was mentioned, is the need for UVB lighting.
Those bulbs aren't cheap and replacing them every 6 months is costly.

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Hmmmm well im getting another leo soon so I will let him look after that for a while and see how he does. thanks for all your help.