Reptiles are now more popular pets than dogs, a fact that appeared as a result of a survey carried out in early 2008. Ok so while we all know that the most popular breed of dogs are German Shepherds and Labradors the most popular reptiles reptile pets. Like many things pet related, you need to make the right choice, and just as choosing the wrong breed of dog can cause problems, the same is true of reptiles.

The most popular tend to be the easiest to look after, and as such are great first reptiles, so here they are:-

Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragon is the common name for any agamid lizard in the genus Pogona. They are native to Australia, and are normally the first reptile people get as pets.

Bearded Dragons are popular pets, notably the species Inland or Central Bearded Dragon. These Lizards are also affectionately called "Beardies" by those who keep them. They are a popular among children, because of their non aggressive nature, along with the low investment in time required to keep them.

Bearded Dragons have broad triangular heads and squat bodies, the adults reach approximately 18 to 24 inches from head to tail with males and females being of similar size, although males usually sport a bigger head and a thicker tail base than the females.

Bearded Dragons have a distinctive series of lateral spines going horizontally from the head to the base of the tail. Their colour ranges from light tan to dark brown, depending on their native soil, often with highlights of black, brilliant red, or gold, and can change somewhat depending upon their internal condition, mood or temperature getting darker when cool. Some captive populations have been selectively bred for more brilliant colorations.

Bearded Dragons are omnivorous, capable of surviving on a wide variety of food sources, including both vegetable and insect food. A typical diet for captive them includes leafy greens and vegetables, and regular meals of feeder insects.

All species are from Australia, but they have been exported across the globe and bred successfully in captivity. Bearded Dragons live about 8'15 years with proper care in captivity, though some can live up to 20 years old

Corn Snake

The corn snake, or red rat snake, is a native to North America rat snake that kill their prey by crushing. The name "corn snake" comes from the fact that they have markings that look a lot like corn. They are found throughout the south-eastern and central United States. Their laid back nature, reluctance to bite, smallish adult size 1.2 to 1.8 metres, attractive pattern, and relatively simple care make them popular pet snakes. In the wild, they usually live around 10-15 years, but often live up to the age of 23 years in captivity. Like all rat snakes, corn snakes are non-venomous.

They have a diet primarily consisting of rodents, mostly mice and rats, which they kill via constriction. They are accomplished climbers and may scale trees in search of birds and bats. Pet Corn Snakes are usually fed by their owners on a diet of commercially available rodents, mainly mice, while younger and smaller specimens may eat live or dead rat or mouse pups of various sizes. Frozen mice are preferable, as live prey can have the potential to carry disease or injure the snake if it has not been raised on live prey.

The Corn Snake was one of the first snakes to be kept as pets by people, and remains one of the most popular. Large volumes are bred yearly to ensure that there is a large captive-bred population, lowering the need to collect specimens from the wild. keeping more than one together is inadvisable in captivity, as these are naturally solitary animals.

Owners of Corn Snakes have stressed the need for a home with no chance of escape. Corn Snakes are excellent escape artists and will often escape from any cage that is not properly fastened. More beginners lose their snakes to escapes than death. They are good at climbing, squeezing out of tiny holes, and can also use their bodies to push the screen top off of a poorly-fitted aquarium.

Royal or Ball Python

The Royal Python or Python Regius is a non-venomous python species originating from Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular as a pet snake. Adults normally do not grow to more than 90-120 cm long, although some examples have reached 152 cm and even 182 cm, around 6ft, but this is very rare. The build is stocky while the head is relatively small and the scales are smooth.

The colour marking is typically black with light brown-green side and dorsal blotches. The belly is a white or cream that can or can not include scattered black markings. However, those in the pet industries have, through selective breeding, developed many mutations with different colours and patterns.

The name ball python refers to the snakes tendency to curl into a ball when worried or scared. The name royal python is supposed to come from the story that Cleopatra allegedly wore the snake around her wrist.

Ordinarily when wild, the diet consists mostly of shrews, mice and rats. Younger snakes have also been known to feed on birds. Captives usually do well on domestic rats and mice, either live, pre-killed, or frozen-thawed

There are certainly many more types of reptiles kept as pets, and no doubt the most popular will change, but any of the three named above will make great pets, and a great introduction to keeping reptiles.