7 Best Reptiles and Amphibians for Apartments – The Tye-Dyed Iguana

Would you like to get an exotic pet but don’t have the space for a large terrarium? Then you’ll be happy to know that many reptiles and amphibians require little space, and some don’t even need lighting or basking areas, making them easy to care for.

When it comes to reptiles and amphibians, you have plenty of options for small pets. Every animal on this list can live comfortably in a 10 gallon tank for their entire lives.

Particular varieties of tree frog

Many species of tree frog require large tanks of at least 20 gallon size to allow for their high activity levels, especially at night. And the size of the frog is not always the best way to determine whether they can live in a smaller tank long-term. Fortunately, several tree frogs are just fine in a 10 gallon tank, which is the smallest size recommended for any amphibians.

Here are the tree frogs to get for your apartment, condo, or tiny home.

Green tree frog

The green tree frog is a popular pet. They’re quite small at two inches long or less. You can even keep green tree frogs housed together in one tank, which is rare for many exotic pets.

Red eye tree frog

Red eye tree frogs are similar to green tree frogs, being able to live in groups in ten gallon tanks. They’re only slightly larger at up to three inches long. Both red eye and green tree frogs also require no UV lightning, so you’ll save space on equipment.

Tiger leg tree frog

Like the other two tree frogs listed here, multiple tiger leg tree frogs can be housed in the same terrarium, which is great news for people who want multiple pets but don’t have room for multiple tanks. They grow up to three inches in adult size, but unlike green tree frogs and red eye tree frogs, you will need UV lights for this species.

Fire bellied newt

Another amphibian that’s happy to live in a community is the fire bellied newt. They have a distinctive orange pattern on their underside and require no lighting.

Fire bellied toad

Although they are not related, fire bellied toads and fire bellied newts share many similarities. This toad also has a bright orange underside, and it can live in groups with no tank lighting required.

House gecko

Unlike most of the other species on this list, house geckos shouldn’t be housed in communities. They do best kept alone or as a pair of two, but don’t keep two males together. And of course, as with any exotic pet, keeping males and females together may result in breeding. These geckos do require a UVA light bulb for their tank.

Garter snakes

Garter snakes are fairly common in North America, but if you want a pet, you should opt for one born in captivity to reduce the chance of it carrying parasites or diseases. These snakes are usually fairly small, rarely longer than 4 feet and often closer to 2 feet. Keep garter snakes housed separately and be sure to provide a UVA light in the tank.

Come into The Tye-Dyed Iguana in Fairview Heights to check out our variety of large and small amphibians and reptiles.