All pets / Reptiles and amphibians

What reptiles and amphibians cost

4 reptiles and amphibians priced the same way: what each costs to get, set up, the first year, a typical year and over its life. Cheapest to keep: Leopard gecko, about $580 a year. Priciest: Bearded dragon, about $1,080. More are added every day.

• Leopard geckoOne adult leopard gecko kept in a 36×18×18 in (about 50-gallon) enclosure with overhead heat and low-level UVB$580 a year, $9,300 over its life
• Corn snakeOne adult captive-bred corn snake (3–5 ft) kept in a 4×2×2 ft (120-gallon) enclosure, fed frozen/thawed mice$640 a year, $13,500 over its life
• Ball pythonOne adult normal or common-morph ball python (3–4.5 ft) kept in a 4×2×2 ft (120-gallon) enclosure, fed frozen/thawed rats$810 a year, $21,100 over its life
• Bearded dragonOne adult central bearded dragon kept in a 120-gallon (4×2×2 ft) enclosure$1,080 a year, $11,600 over its life