Im having a very hard time deciding what reptile I should get Im very torn between a Leopard Gecko or a Ball Python. I was also considering a Blue Tongue Skink but they are a quite a bit more expensive to buy. Are there any owners here that can help with my decision?
A ball python or blue tongue skink require much larger tanks. The care for either of those is more involved than for a leopard gecko. Skinks have specific dietary requirements that you will need to do some research on. BPs are very fussy about their humidity and also can be reluctant to eat for long periods of time.
Other reptiles you might want to consider are corn snakes (and king snakes, milk snakes), rosy boas, western hognose snakes (not legal everywhere- check local laws). All of those are less annoying to care for than BPs. For geckos, you have crested geckos, gargoyle geckos, pictus geckos commonly available and easy care.
All of that said, leopard geckos are great and definitely worthwhile first reptile.
Mexican indigo.
Mangrove snake. Cheap, very active, fun to handle.
Where are you from, OP? Have you considered getting a native snake species? Gopher snakes are found all over the US. Even full grown adults caught from the wild convert easily to captivity, let alone the captive-raised snakes.
>>2461308
They're also extremely gentle and easy to handle compared to all other snakes btw
The hardest part of finding these guys in the wild is finding them in open space. They're pretty shy and prefer brush. Also distinguishing them from a rattlesnake is crucial.
>>2460960
This. The only thing I'd warn against for BPs is that their high humidity can sometimes be tough to maintain. Other than that, they're great.
I have a leopard gecko. She's a little picky with her crickets sometimes, but she's a total sweetheart.
i have 3 leopard geckos and they are generally lazy and sleep a lot
>>2461308
Ontario. I just looked into it and eastern milk snakes look pretty nice but seem pretty hard to find