Yeah, definitely illegal on the possum front, good call. Raccoons and possums are both extremely attractive as pets, but it’s not good for them or for you.
As for frilled lizards, I have to admit I know very little about keeping lizards. I’m a snake and amphibian care person. If there’s anything inherently wrong with keeping them as pets, I don’t know.
The big thing I can imagine being a problem is space; they need pretty big, specifically-filled vivariums to thrive.
It’s a lot to take on for a first pet. I would suggest getting a simpler, more “first-time” friendly lizard to start. Learn about lizard care, and then eventually move up to more complicated reptiles. Geckos and Bearded Dragons require research too, but it’s much easier to find accessible, reliable information on their care.
I know when your heart is set on a specific animal, it can be disappointing to wait to get it, but take a page from my book. As a kid, I wanted nothing more than a red-eyed tree frog. I finally got one without knowing much about its care, and it quickly died.
Had I waited, and had my parents waited, we could have owned a long-lived, healthy frog.
So yeah. That’s my suggestion. Start Smaller. But if your SET on it, reach out to frilled lizard owners online. i’m sure there are forums and blogs about them. Talk to those people. I really don’t know anything about them.
@socialjusticeichigo do you know about frilled lizards?
Small fuzzy animals and, to a slightly lesser extent, dogs and cats are more my area but I’ll reblog this to @petcareawareness and see if anyone has anything to offer.
Does anyone have any helpful information on frilled lizards?
@unhappy-walrus, do you know anything?
– Dark
Frilled lizards get over 2 feet long and need a lot of space to climb. You’re looking at an enclosure at least 5 feet long and 6 feet tall, minimum. They also need a lot of live insects as their food. Yes, you can keep them healthy in captivity, but you basically need a zoo exhibit to manage it. That’s going to be extremely expensive. Also, they only flare their frill when extremely stressed, so you shouldn’t be seeing them flare.
May I suggest dart frogs, if you want a striking herp pet? They require plenty of research, but can be kept in an enclosure only a couple feet square with no problems. They’re tiny, will happily live and breed in a well-structured, planted enclosure that size. They’re hands-off pets, but gorgeous, and can be fed flightless fruit flies that you grow in jars.
If you want a lizard, bearded dragons. Big and calm, so great for handling. Enclosure needs to be 3 feet long by 2 feet deep/wide for happiest pet, but that’s a lot smaller than a frilled lizard enclosure, and they’re much easier to keep. They eat live insects and various fruits and veggies.
Crested geckos are neat, can live in a smaller enclosure than a bearded dragon (2 feet tall and a bit less wide is fine), can have their enclosures planted beautifully, and can be fed a prepared diet that includes no live insects. Not so good for handling, too jumpy, but pretty and fairly large.
Leopard geckos can live in an enclosure about as large as a crested’s, but on its side, and are great for handling. Live insects as food.
Do your research, whatever you pick! As much research as your brain can hold. There are lots of good lizard options, and lots that are smaller than a frilled lizard.
I suggest going to a reptile show/convention and looking around, see what gets your attention. Do /not/ buy based on impulse or only advice from the seller, just use the show as a showroom of sorts. Go in, look for something you like, take pictures and notes on the name, ask for some advice, and go home to do your research. I don’t know one off the top of my head, but there’s probably a lizard common in the hobby (you want common, it means available captive-bred) that resembles a frilled dragon.
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