Top 5 Small Pets For Beginners 

I don't usually comment, but it's been a very long time since I've watched any of your videos. Something about this one made me just have to watch it, though. Perhaps it was the similarity to the first videos I watched from you way back when, it was nostalgic. I completely forgot how fun and delightfully informative your videos were. Your passion for every animal is really captivating as a viewer - it makes me just as interested as you are, even if you're holding something I'd normally consider very scary. I have to admit, my eyes bugged out of my head at the end when you suggested having a black widow as a pet. I have to watch that video next! And I adored every animal in the video. Thanks, Clint. I hope you and your family are all staying well =) Edit: And I have to add, I never knew mourning geckos were so amazing!! The fact that they're an all-female species is incredible, and I had no idea. I may have to consider them as pets in the future, because that is just as completely rad as it gets.

This is the Mr. Rogers of reptiles.

It's so weird. I hated spiders for such a long time. Then one day this year I was watching a documentary that included coconut crabs. I realized coconut crabs are basically hundred pound nightmare spiders, but I wasn't bothered by them. And my spider fear disappeared in a puff of logic. Now I'm even considering a pet jumping spider.

Clint replying to most of the comments is so wholesome

"Hognose snakes are very handleable." Pissy has entered the chat

I'm getting my first reptile, a crested gecko and I'm naming it Clint, after the GOAT reptile RU-vidr.

"Care is slightly easier than for a cactus." - Yes, I can confirm that. I've never been able to keep a plant a alive, but tarantulas - not a big deal at all. Also: I love these videos! You guys got me interested in reptiles too. Keep up the good work :)

"I totally recommend every single one of those animals to the right person" Clint, you could make a video on a pet rock with the same enthusiasm you've had for every other video so far, so this isn't exactly a groundbreaking statement here.

I'd love to see you release a line of reptile themed neckties! Like ones that look like snakes! 🐍🐍🐍

I have a tarantula or as I call it “my pet cup of dirt”

More people have thrown away living tarantulas than you know. I even heard of somebody's mom throwing their's into the trash, only to find it in the hallway later and it's moult in the trash still lol.

Is it just me, but everyone keeps talking about how goofy hognose snakes and Kenyan sand boa look. Has anyone ever looked at a green anaconda's face? They are so derpy! It really does look like an aquatic sand boa.

It's as if Mr. Rodgers had a son somehow with Steve Irwin

I really appreciate how respectful you are of phobias Learning and watching someone positive like you can REALLY help a lot of people get over their fears of “scary” animals (hell, you’ve got me considering a tarantula! I never would have thought that was possible a year ago), but for some people their fears are a medically significant anxiety disorder! And you never seem judgmental when you acknowledge that some people are very afraid of spiders and snakes. It’s part of why I love your channel so much, it comes from a fundamental place of kindness.

21:20 “You won’t see them very much.” Tell that to my kenyan sand boa, who I catch *climbing* every night.

I appreciate that you conveyed the need for hygiene when handling amphibians. I would like to add something to your message though. It is very important what type of gloves you use! Latex, Nitrile and any powdered gloves are toxic to our slimy friends. There are studies that show disposable plastic gloves can be toxic to tadpoles, with latex being the most toxic. Tadpoles you can imagine are probably more at risk than adult frogs, but I believe the lessons should still be applied to all amphibians. The best option it seems are WASHED vinyl gloves or no gloves at all (wash your hands thoroughly). In my opinion washed vinyl gloves is the better choice - as this will help to stop any cross contamination of things such as Chytrid Fungus if you change gloves between animals. For further reading you can google the following (exact titles as listed below): - Lethal effect of latex, nitrile, and vinyl gloves on tadpoles - Guidelines for the safe use of disposable gloves with amphibian larvae in light of pathogens and possible toxic effects

My first pet was a parakeet, he was only mine. I talked my grand parents into giving me their old bird home. I was in 4 th grade,I remember getting him at the TG&Y. He was green and had an orange bracelet around his foot that said Hartz. I was the happiest I ever was that day. My parents were train wrecks so my Freddie was my best friend. I did my 8 th grade science fair project on him (I got a 94% A on it). I loved his songs and watching him bath. He died when I was 11 th grade. I am 47 and still miss, love and remember my sweet Freddie. He wasn’t hard to care for, I was used to taking care of my brother so a parakeet was easy. And he was so beautiful and was excellent company for a lonely kid.

I remember my "first" reptile was technically the tiny green anoles I would find in the yard when I was around 9. I would set up a little blue kiddy pool outside with dirt, twigs, leaves, grass and a tiny bottle cap of water and catch them tiny de-winged moths, roaches, and crickets. I would only keep them until they eventually left the pool. The longest I ever had them was when I had two called Camo and Eclipse who stayed for about two days before leaving. Now that I'm 17, I have my first real reptile: a leopard gecko named Saturn. She is my darling and definitely my favorite pet. This is saying a lot since I also own a cockatiel, a dog, two cats, and chickens. Reptiles have always held a very special place in my heart.

I can’t believe I missed the live stream yesterday! Stay safe Clint and family!

This is a great video concept! I highly suggest considering making this into a series - pets for a 20gal, 40gal, 75gal. This is unique content and it's genius!!!

Me: "I am not going to get any pets while I am in med school, I just won't have the time for something like that" Me, watching this video: "Oh crap.... Stay strong Madison, don't do it"

I have mourning geckos and I just hatched my first baby! They are such wonderful creatures

There is a lot missing for tarantulas regarding information, like: Mood/temperament: They can be defensive at times, and temperament varies species to species. Some species are more prone to kicking hairs than others. Screen lids are a no-no, look more into that. Many T’s have died being stuck on the lids. They need lots of substrate, and the substrate must be dirt like. So coco coir and peat moss. There are two types of tarantulas, old worlds and new worlds. Old worlds are very fast, have more potent venom, can’t kick hairs, and are more defensive.

Tarantulas in general are a great pet. I'm a relatively new tarantula keeper and already have 7 (6 are still spiderlings though). The care is so simple and for the most part is leaving them to do their own thing until my phone tells me it's feeding day. The Grammostola Rosea (the one in the video) is unfortunately known to be somewhat hit and miss on temperment. People have got "psycho Rosies" which has put them off tarantulas for life. There's many other species that are widely avaliable now and great for beginners. The Grammostola and Brachypelma genera in particular usually have fantastic temperments across the various species. Dwarf species also exist and they won't get any bigger than 3-4 inches diagonal leg span, so take even less room than a 10 gallon aquarium. Though they're only really avaliable to buy as spiderlings and the slings are absolutely tiny on dwarf species. Overall you need to do your research with tarantulas and pick the one that's best for you. There's so much variety between care, set up, whether you're getting what's known as a display species that will be out all the time or a pet hole. There's a big mindset switch that you need to go through, even after keeping reptiles. A tarantula not eating for months is totally normal. A tarantula burrying itself for a few months is totally normal. One of my spiderlings is named Schrödinger because I literally haven't seen them since I got them. The other reason for research is knowing what you're getting into. There's a big difference between an new world tarantula like the one in the video and an old world. New worlds have those hairs they can kick. They also tend to be slower and have more managable temperments. Old worlds don't. Instead they are fast as hell and have medically significant venom. And by fast as hell I mean some are so fast it's nicknamed 'teleporting'. I'm not trying to put anyone off keeping them. I just want people to be aware there's a huge difference between that "boring brown rosie" and the bright blue P Metallica. An old world can you in the hospital from the pain if it feels threatened and bites. You do NOT want to be tagged by an old world. Arachnoboards has a section dedicated to bite reports of various species for anyone who whats to look further. Last point is scientific names. The vast majority of keepers stick to scientific names for tarantulas as many species have multiple common names, may share common names, or maybe don't even have a common name. This ensures people know exactly what they're getting and can properly care for one. Overall tarantulas are fantastic pets and they're fascinating to watch, especially a heavy webber webbing up the place after a rehouse.

Tarantulas will also often make dens or nests, which is a process I've always appreciated watching. They definitely make their enclosures their own!

Idea for next April fool's day. Rate a pet rock, It would be funny if you hated it but kinda out of character.

This video was the one that basically cemented me getting a Sand Boa as a pet. His name is Snoodle and my little man has been happily living here for just over a week now!

I have a phobia of spiders but i pushed myself to watch the spider part i was a little uncomfortable but did it!! I'm kinda proud of myself :)

I am a simple person. I see a Hognose in thumbnail, I click.

The macro shots of the tarantula are beautiful! I love the little stripes on her knees and her itty bitty eyes lol

This is the best thing on RU-vid... in the world.

Thanks by watching a lot of your videos I finally managed to convince my mom to get a snake

"Geckos are great pets!" All My crestie does is crap on me.

This whole channel means so much to me, I found it after my beardie passed. She was my first reptile and first pet that was mine. You helped me get through that. Whenever I’m feeling more depressed your videos help. I’ve stayed up all night watching your videos. I’m so grateful for everyone who works on this channel.

I'm in Israel, and I just caught a mourning gecko by my front door. It's PINK and has a striped tail. You can see all the insides because it's belly is so clear. She's still fairly small, so I'm excited to watch her grow up. I'd love to get her a girlfriend but it's very rare that I see them, and even harder to catch them. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Lucky for me, my dog insisted on going out for a walk at 3am! 😆

this video made me consider getting a spider, wow good job

I got a Kenyan Sand Boa two months ago and am now just absolutely in love. Named them Kalyko (like the type of cat).

"That's so cool. Now I want one." - me after watching literally any Clint's Reptiles video.

I’m constantly shocked by the number of subscribers you have becasye your content hasn’t changed at all! You have always been so genuinely passionate and your videos make me so nostalgic. I’m so glad you are still up goody reptile loving self. Excited to see you grow and spread the word on proper reptile care and education :)

I am super happy to see tarantulas here. ^^ I am being asked to talk to some classes (10 - 18 year olds) about spiders, since I do research at the local university. Do you have any tips for talking about these sorts of things to kids? Doing outreach about animals is kinda a dream for me so I am really wanting to do a good job!

The Clint, thank you for making these videos it’s because of you that I found out that I love reptiles and now I’m trying to get one, I was originally trying to get a corn snake but my mom is afraid of everything that’s not a dog, lol.

"Slightly harder to keep than a cactus" That's a fairly easy to keep animal :P

I will say to anyone who has any doubts... THIS IS THE CHANNEL TO WATCH FOR REPTILE CARE!!! Extremely informative, and not biased on certain care that “works for this keeper” kinda information. This channel truly has the best intentions behind it and I hope that eventually it will be able to cover every reptile and amphibian we could possibly get haha!

I’m so happy that he puts a glove on when he was handling the frogs, the oils on your skin will really hurt any amphibians skin, please do not pick up a frog, toad, salamander, ect.

hi clint, thank you so much for your content over the years. i have bad anxiety and for the past few years that your channel has existed i have been watching. your positivity and intelligence has brought me so much comfort and i cannot thank you enough.

Clint: "I love green tree frogs!" Frog: (puts little green hand over its heart) "Me?"

This guy's passion for animals is contagious! You can tell he would actually be a good friend.

I put a down payment on an adorable superconda hognose today, so this video made me 10x more excited! I've taken care of a hoggie at work before and I am so happy that I'll have one in my life again ❤

I was so happy to see a tarantula on this list ❤ thank you for using your platform to talk about these amazing babies, they don't deserve the bad rep

He is the bob ross of reptiles- that’s a complement by the way i love your vids

I find it so amazing how u get time to talk to ur fans it’s so wholesome 😁😁

Hey Clint love your livestreams as ever thank you for cheering me up while going through quarenteen

i just found this channel last night and i LOVE clint's personality, i've loved reptiles all my life and for a few years i've wanted a snake or bearded dragon SO badly, i've helped handle many reptiles and im hoping to own some cool reptiles one day :)

Thank you for this video. I have a 15 gallon tank i found in my basement and I’ve wanted a reptile for a while but I didn’t think anything would fit in it.🐍🦎🐍🦎

This channel has been a blast to watch. So glad I found it. Great work Clint, stay safe in these wierd times and keep doing what you do. Always a blast to see the joy in your face when talking about all of these amazing animals.

I always get excited when Clint posts anything!

Different title: ''Clint brags about his mourning geckos'' ;)

I've been trying to figure out what this guy reminds me of, and I finally figured it out. He's like a pet-focused Bob Ross.

Your enthusiasm is just so contagious!

Clint, you're my savior. Literally, I've been doing my own research about pets that could thrive well in a ten-gallon tank and now I find this video. Thanks Clint!

I'm a beginner keeper and love my little tree frogs, they are great, super happy to see them on the list. :)

Moving to a new apartment in a few months that allows pets so this video is perfect! Really helped me decide on what to get as a first time per owner. Mourning Gecko here we go!!!

I LOVE mourning geckos. Thank you for including them and giving them the recognition they deserve :)

he is the most adorable adults i’ve ever seen. adorable being the passion he has for this sort of thing. i love it.

The carno skull is done printing, and the letter is half written. It should be sent by next week!

I had no idea green tree frogs were so easy! I just got a jumping spider, so once he's settled in more I might do some more research on them. Thanks for the great video! I grew up with pets, but my partner didn't so I wanted to find some easier to take care of pets so we can work our way up to pets that require more care

I love the tree frogs! I work at night and when it rains I can hear them in the bushes out front of the building singing. They're out most mornings by the building lights. I think they know the lights attract a lot of bugs so they sit there and basically have an all you can eat breakfast.

I love it I can feel how enthusiastic you are about these animals and it makes the videos so much more entertaining to watch

I was trying to just watch this video and my leopard gecko just walked over and dislike the video I was like SpongeBob you cannot dislike Clints reptiles video he is what helped me raise you

"Roll over...... Good boy" Clint, can you come train my dogs next?

I don’t even want a pet, but I’ve watched so many of your videos in the past few days. Your joy and excitement in talking about all these cool creatures is infectious. It’s really great to see. Who knows? Maybe someday down the line I’ll decide I’m ready for a pet and it’ll be your videos that help me decide! The fire skink looked especially cute.

I'm a beginner with reptiles and I'm getting a hognose snake soon. I'm so happy that someone finally said they would be good pets for beginners!

A huge red flag I would bring up with tarantulas is that you need to be aware of the requirements and traits of the exact species you are getting. A Chilean rose hair or Chaco golden knee may never kick hairs, while a green bottle blue or many of the Brachypelma genus will kick hair every time you open their enclosure. Also, you can shrug off the venom of most new world species, but a bite from an old world species (in particular those from Australia and the Poecilotheria genus) can seriously mess you up.

Omg this is literally the video I needed 😊

This channel is all about reptiles and yet I LOVE your plants 🌱

I can actually watch a whole video of your's without getting bored. *Love the enthusiasm* ☺️

I don’t feel so bad about calling my hognose hosepipe now 😂

It's amazing seeing this channel grow I was here since the first video I'm pretty sure I'm one of the first 100 subscribers love you channel man stay safe

I have a few channels I watch on RU-vid but I have to say that this one is probably my favorite as you are a great host and my love for animals is unimaginable. I also learn a whole bunch from your channel.

I love just how giddy he is showing off and talking about his pets

Yes! Tarantulas getting some love! I have a Cyriocosmus Elegans and she’s my world 🕷

Didn’t expect Gusgus cameo 😂

It is absolutely criminal that you don't have more subscribers. This channel has been one of the most uplifting discoveries in my recent life.

I have Sierran Tree Frogs and I ADORE how active/loud they are. I rescued a few tadpoles in a puddle about to evaporate in my back yard a couple years back. This year I plan to release about 50 froglets into my yard.

I would recommend a curly hair (Hobby Form) over a Rose Hair as the most beginner. They are typically more docile meanwhile some rosehairs are a bit grumpier than others. (this depends on the individual). That being said, I actually started with p.murinus (OBT) as my first tarantula and despite their reputation, I have never had a threat pose from mine. It does retreat when I move the enclosure or something near it but it also has been out a lot resting on the foliage as a good display. I quickly moved to keeping some of the more advanced species and have not had much issue at all.

love hognoses and sand boas🥰

This is the first video I’ve seen by this channel and I have to say... his smile and passion is absolutely heartwarming and amazing. Ik it’s kinda weird but he made me very calm and happy

I got to spend 2 weeks in Hawaii many years ago and we had Mourning geckos hanging out on our windows daily the whole time I was there. So cute.

In the UK it’s really hard to find aquariums like that. I really wish we had more options

I have a lot of respect for the efforts and contributions of this channel. I love Clint's Reptiles! I usually have all respect for the quality of the information it provides. However, where it comes to tarantulas, the information in this episode falls a bit short in some regards. Among other things, I wish it would have discussed the fact that a screen lid (as is most commonly found on 10g tanks) can be very dangerous for terrestrial Ts and so the screen should be replaced with either a ventilated (e.g. drilled) piece of acrylic, or replaced with a more suitable enclosure entirely. Screen is notorious for trapping terrestrial T toe claws and causing injuries, possibly death. If the channel wants to say adult Ts can be housed in a 10g tank, I think it's crucial that it say that the screen part of the lid must be replaced for safety. Also, I wish this video would have discussed the need, if using a 10g tank, to provide an appropriate depth of substrate for terrestrial Ts, so as to reduce fall risk. The height from lid to substrate surface should be no more than 1.5 times the DLS (diagonal leg span) of the T. All terrestrial Ts should have the opportunity to burrow (even if they choose not to), so a minimum of 3 inches of substrate is required in any enclosure. But if using a 10g tank, in order to compensate for the enclosure height, it can sometimes be necessary to have six inches or more of substrate depth to reduce fall risk. Anyone considering a "Rose hair" should know that any sub-adult or adult you find for sale, especially from a pet shop, is almost certainly wild-caught. Please carefully consider the impact of wild-caught tarantulas, particularly to the environment and tarantula populations. There are many captive-bred tarantulas of many different species from breeders (and dealers who buy from breeders) that would make much more ethical (and healthy, and longer lived) pets! I know Clint's Reptiles is usually very contentiousness about avoiding wild-caught animals, which is awesome, so I wish this point would have been covered. Additionally, I wish it would have been made super clear that the commentary only pertains to "Rose hair" tarantulas in particular, and can't necessarily be applied to other T species. There is a whole spectrum of tarantula care requirements, temperament, speed, defensiveness, venom potency, irritation level of urticating setae, etc. "Rose hair" tarantulas are a New World species, which are generally slower and less defensive and less venomous. So while G. rosea/porteri are usually less likely to bite and, if they do, their venom in particular is usually nbd (relatively), other tarantula species (especially Old World species) can absolutely have medically significant venom. It's a common misconception nowadays that ALL Ts have relatively insignificant venom (the 'bee sting' comparison), but this is untrue; Some do, some don't. No tarantula is deadly, but there can be severe non-lethal consequences. I've sometimes seen people unknowingly getting OW Ts with medically significant venom but not realizing their new OW T can deliver an excruciating and possibly dangerous bite, having heard the blanket 'bite like a bee sting' comparison and mistakenly thinking it applies to all Ts. So I wish it would have been made clear that the comments in regards to venom were for this species only, and that venom strength can vary by species. (Same for temperament, speed, defensiveness, care requirements, etc.) I think very carefully clarifying that only the "Rose hair" species was being discussed would have helped a lot. Similarly, I wish it would have been more clear regarding the level of irritation of the urticating setae ("hairs"). Sure, the irritation from the setae of a "Rose hair" is less so than some other species, but it does vary by species. Importantly, people should know that ALL cases of urticating setae to the the eyes and/or respiratory tract need professional medical attention, ALWAYS! And to top it off, with repeated exposure people can actually develop allergies to the urticating setae, worsening their impact. It's important to know that to be exposed to hairs, they don't necessarily need to be kicked off in a "cloud" to be effective. Many Ts shed hairs onto their webbing and/or surrounding substrate as protection from intruders, so any contact with webbing or substrate and bare skin (such as with typical maintenance) can lead to irritation from the urticating setae. Setae on hands can also be transferred to eyes and/or face, so it's important to use gloves when touching substrate/webbing and wash hands immediately afterward (before touching your face). One thing I deeply appreciated about this episode was the choice not to handle the tarantula, for her sake, and underlining the fragility of Ts. The risks of handling for the T are immense! Since Ts get no benefit from handling, but are definitely at high risk for injury from falls and accidents (especially terrestrial Ts) , I think it is in the animal's best interest to not be handled at all and I want to applaud this channel for talking about this. Ideally, she wouldn't have been on the counter, since tarantulas can always startle unexpectedly and are known to blindly jump and a fall from that height could well be deadly. (If a terrestrial T absolutely has to be out, a bed or the floor is a much safer choice.) But Clint didn't have her on his hands and he mentioned the possible danger, and I deeply appreciate that! I think a no-handling policy is the most compassionate path, and I applaud Clint's Reptiles! I love tarantulas to death, but the amount of misinformation out there is truly astounding... even from otherwise reputable sources. I have a ton of respect for Clint's Reptiles and hope they recognize the need for accuracy of information, for the sake of these amazing animals. If anyone wants more information on tarantula care, I whole-heartedly recommend Tom's Big Spiders (YT channel, podcast, blog) and the search function on ArachnoBoards.com. I look forward to many more educational and entertaining videos from this channel! 💚

I know I'm late but poison dart frogs have been an awesome pet. I've never really kept reptiles or amphibians before, just fish, and while the initial setup is some work, once you get the humidity and tank setup, care isn't really any more complex than misting the tank and feeding them some fruit flies a few times a week. And they're absolutely stunning.

I love my Kenyan sand boa so much. she, my first pet reptile. I'm so happy my husband brought her for me as a gift even if he was not fond of snakes at first. I love how calm she is when a handle her and I like watching her trying to dig in my hand or the blanket. ;3

I got an awesome leopard gecko 2 weeks ago. Loving the vids right now :-)

I love reptiles.. i think their so miss understood and very ❤able.. I am known as the girl you ask anything about animals at school.. and i take it as a complement

Your hognose is absolutely adorable! I've always been terrified of snakes but after doing some research, and seeing this ones adorable face and seeing how personable they can be, I wouldnt mind getting a hognose. The frog and the sandboa are gorgeous too, but something about that hognose draws me. Thanks for all that you do and informing newbies to the reptile world like myself of the pros and cons of owning and caring for reptiles.

I get so much joy from watching him love these beautiful critters. Never before now have I considered adopting a spider and snake, and bearded dragon… 🌞😁🥰

Aw man who missclicked the like button?

We need another room tour!

I love how much this guy smiles :)

Thanks to your videos, I have gone from just cats and dogs to having five ball pythons, one Western hognose, and I'm looking at getting my first phiddipus audax! 😁 Thank you Clint for bringing these misunderstood critters into a new light! 💕