Reptiles with shortest lifespans?

[Zonlover]

Are there any reptiles(or amphibians, I guess, but reptiles are preferred) that live around 5 years? Is that wishful thinking?

 

[Mizzely]

Anoles perhaps?
Long tailed lizards
Chameleons tend to not live long I believe

Or you could adopt an older reptile

 

[budgieluv3]

Although they live 10 to 20 years, If you want a reptile I would wholeheartedly suggest a leopard gecko.

 

[Mizzely]

I adore my gecko girl. She will be 7 in February

 

[Ali]

Mizzely has good ideas. Pygmy chameleons are adorable and live to about 3 years, other chameleons don't live too long either. Long taied lizards and anoles are not long lived either.

My local pet shop has some tiny sand geckos which are adults. They are about 1.5 cm long and won't any bigger. They have short lifespans too, and there is not a single caresheet on them anywhere.

As Mizzely said, adopting an older reptile is a great idea. There are so many out there that need new homes where owners can't keep them anymore, and there is even a rescue in the UK dedicated to reptiles!

 

[Destiny]

Chameleons have notoriously short lifespans in captivity, but I suspect this is due to poor husbandry and difficulty meeting their unique needs, rather than a naturally short-lived nature.

Small mass-produced lizards, like green anoles, would probably be your safest bet for a lizard that is not likely to survive for that many years, no matter what you do for them. They are also a relatively easy reptile for a first time owner.

On this list of short lived pets, the only reptile is the chameleon, but I would not recommend them for your first lizard. They are fragile and have very specific care requirements.

11 Pets With a 5-Year Lifespan (or Less)

Learn about pets that have an average life expectancy of approximately no more than five years, plus some common misconceptions about them as well as animals that live longer.

pethelpful.com

Personally, if you absolutely must have a short-lived pet, I would not get a reptile. With proper care, most species will live much longer than 5 years and your choices will be very limited.

If you really want to have a reptile, but don't want one that will live forever, there are many options if you are able to commit to something in the 10 to 15 year range. Bearded dragons are my personal favorite recommendation for a good beginner lizard. Easy care requirements, easy to hand tame, big but not too big, and unlikely to live longer than 10-15 years.

 

[Kassiani]

Mizzely has good ideas. Pygmy chameleons are adorable and live to about 3 years, other chameleons don't live too long either. Long taied lizards and anoles are not long lived either.

My local pet shop has some tiny sand geckos which are adults. They are about 1.5 cm long and won't any bigger. They have short lifespans too, and there is not a single caresheet on them anywhere.

As Mizzely said, adopting an older reptile is a great idea. There are so many out there that need new homes where owners can't keep them anymore, and there is even a rescue in the UK dedicated to reptiles!

What in goodness sake do you feed a creature that is only 1.5 cm long?

 

[taxidermynerd]

What in goodness sake do you feed a creature that is only 1.5 cm long?

I'd imagine maybe flightless fruit flies?

 

[Mizzely]

Flightless fruit flies would be my guess also

 

[Ali]

Flightless fruit flies would be my guess also

I'd imagine maybe flightless fruit flies?

Yup, and micro crickets, which are even smaller than fruit flies. I feed both to the dart frogs

 

[Ali]

Chameleons have notoriously short lifespans in captivity, but I suspect this is due to poor husbandry and difficulty meeting their unique needs, rather than a naturally short-lived nature.

Small mass-produced lizards, like green anoles, would probably be your safest bet for a lizard that is not likely to survive for that many years, no matter what you do for them. They are also a relatively easy reptile for a first time owner.

On this list of short lived pets, the only reptile is the chameleon, but I would not recommend them for your first lizard. They are fragile and have very specific care requirements.

11 Pets With a 5-Year Lifespan (or Less)

Learn about pets that have an average life expectancy of approximately no more than five years, plus some common misconceptions about them as well as animals that live longer.

pethelpful.com

Personally, if you absolutely must have a short-lived pet, I would not get a reptile. With proper care, most species will live much longer than 5 years and your choices will be very limited.

If you really want to have a reptile, but don't want one that will live forever, there are many options if you are able to commit to something in the 10 to 15 year range. Bearded dragons are my personal favorite recommendation for a good beginner lizard. Easy care requirements, easy to hand tame, big but not too big, and unlikely to live longer than 10-15 years.

I saw that website, but didn't link it, as it seemed to me to have quite a bit of false information. An African pygmy hedgehog that only lives to 5 either became unfortunately ill or was cared for properly

 

[Zonlover]

Yup, and micro crickets, which are even smaller than fruit flies. I feed both to the dart frogs

Crickets smaller than fruit flies?!? How do they not escape from the enclosure?

 

[Zonlover]

I saw that website, but didn't link it, as it seemed to me to have quite a bit of false information. An African pygmy hedgehog that only lives to 5 either became unfortunately ill or was cared for properly

I read it too, even before Destiny linked it, and I was suspicious about that as well.

 

[Ali]

Crickets smaller than fruit flies?!? How do they not escape from the enclosure?

They do! I have fruit flies all over my bedroom

 

[Ali]

I read it too, even before Destiny linked it, and I was suspicious about that as well.

I only noticed the hedgehog bit, I haven't read the rest properly, but that is definitely incorrect information

 

[Zonlover]

I only noticed the hedgehog bit, I haven't read the rest properly, but that is definitely incorrect information

Zebra finches and guinea pigs were on the list, although they did say that zebra finches was pushing the five year limit.

 

[Ali]

Zebra finches and guinea pigs were on the list, although they did say that zebra finches was pushing the five year limit.

Zebras are usually about that on average. I suppose guinea pigs are probably about right

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Chameleons don’t live much past 5-7 years, but they are cranky little buggers, and very delicate. We have one (I think he’s a panther chameleon) and my wife is forever fussing over everything with him - food, humidity, lighting, his plants, the proper balance in his little bioactive habitat.

I have a leopard gecko and she is very chill and pretty easy to care for, but they do tend to live quite a while longer than you’re looking for - unless you adopt an older one.

 

[Ali]

We have one

Woah woah woah! You can say something like that without posting a picture

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Woah woah woah! You can say something like that without posting a picture

I don’t have many! This one is from 2.5 months ago when he really didn’t have any color to speak of (and he’s asleep). He’s just a baby. I’ll try to get a more recent picture of him.