Reptiles are my favorite pets
Kidsday reporter Logan Zagarino with one of his reptiles. Credit: Zagarino family
Reptiles make a great starter pet. I guess I have more than started because I have 10 reptiles!
They don’t require much equipment. All you need is a 20-gallon tank, calcium sand, a day light and a night light, a UV light, a water dish, a food dish and a place for them to hide in their tanks.
Reptiles teach you responsibility and respect. Every day you must feed your pet and put water in its dish. They are fun to have, and fun to watch. Some like to be held and others would rather be left alone. I have geckos, tortoises, turtles and more. Adult reptiles eat crickets, roaches, wax worms, hornworms and mealworms. You must clean the tank every other week. All living creatures need their space and will let you know when they want to be handled.
Reptiles are good for people because they are entertaining. You can watch them run around the tank and grab crickets for dinner. They can run back and forth in your hands very quickly. They can eat out of your hand. When the reptile is shedding its skin, the color gets dull, and it rubs up against things to get the old skin off.
I like going to the Reptile Expo and Petland to check out other reptiles. Most people can get one; but if you travel a lot, you should not own this type of pet. I love taking care of all of them!
Barbara Wright’s fifth-grade class, Birchwood Intermediate School, Huntington Station
