ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – How would you like your closest companion to stretch longer than a school bus or flaunt more than 500 legs?

If you’re looking for more of a thrill than what you get from teaching your dog to play dead or watching your cat take a hit of cat nip, step into the world of fanged arachnids, toxic toads and “Jurassic Park”-like reptiles.

“Reptiles and amphibians are out of the ordinary,” said Patrick Powers, manager at Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley, Calif. “They are great for people with allergies to dog or cat hair because they lack any hair. … A snake owner could feed their snake, go away for 2 or 3 weeks and not worry about the snake starving to death.”

Exotics extend beyond snakes and lizards. Birds and marine life can also add an out-of-the-ordinary element to your living room.

“Parrots are just fascinating and highly intelligent and they just amaze me every day,” said Carolyn Gonzalez, co-owner of Omar’s Exotic Birds. “They really know when you’re stressed or when you’re happy; very intelligent animals.”

If you’re intrigued by these exotic animals, we’ve compiled facts and figures to help you select the right lizard, snake, turtle/tortoise, fish, parrot, frog/toad, or creepy crawler for you.

Put a little slither in your home

When your lifestyle is a bit too rushed to give a dog or cat the attention they deserve, you may want to consider a cold-blooded species.

Reptiles are some of the easiest pets to maintain. Some snakes require food once every other week. Turtles and tortoises can even help with the yardwork by eating weeds and grasses.

In the long-run, these animals are also fairly inexpensive; many of them cost less than $30 a month to maintain after initial set-up. Other than the occasional nail trim, they don’t require shots or grooming.

Plus, most of these animals will outlive your typical dog or cat some will even outlive you.

SNAKES

Many snakes can live more than 40 years something any future snake owner may want to consider.

Snakes are territorial animals that prefer small spaces. A 15-foot snake can comfortably fit into a 6-foot-by-4-foot cage, said Chris Giacoletti, owner of Reptile Island in Yorba Linda, Calif.

Putting a snake in a large cage can actually cause stress. The animal won’t be able to find its food and you’d have to hand-feed it, something Giacoletti doesn’t recommend.

Handling certain species of snakes is not dangerous. Ball pythons are the best snake to handle, said Jon Levine, owner of Jon’s Jungle in Aliso Viejo, Calif.

“It’s in your best interest to handle them often,” said Levine. “It keeps them calm and used to it.”

Levine said you should never handle a snake immediately after feeding it and you should always wash your hands to eliminate any food smells before putting your hand in the cage.

The biggest concern for beginner snake owners is the potential size of a snake, said Levine. Ball pythons make good beginner pets because they only grow to about 5 feet long much smaller than a reticulated python, which can grow to over 30 feet in its first year.

COST: Ball pythons at chain pet stores like PetCo and PetsMart will cost around $20.

Some pythons that are specially bred to have colors not even found in the wild can cost over $100,000, said Levine. A snow ball python, a snake with bright white scales and orange-reddish eyes, goes for about $20,000 at Jon’s Jungle.

CARE REQUIREMENTS: A starter kit, including cage, bedding, under-cage heating and shallow water bowl, costs $200-$400. Giacoletti said you should be prepared to buy a larger cage after 6-12 months to house your growing snake.

Ball pythons should be fed once every two weeks. If you want the snake to grow quickly, you could feed a ball python once a week.

Cages only have to be cleaned out after the snake defecates, which usually happens a couple days after the snake eats.

Shallow water bowls should be cleaned daily.

Buying bedding specifically made for reptiles is good preventative maintenance for a snake, said Giacoletti. Bark bought at home improvement stores can be a cheap alternative for bedding, but the bark may contain mites, the biggest culprit in transmitting diseases to snakes, Giacoletti said.

Cages should be kept at about 85 degrees. If the temperature in the cage drops too low, the snake becomes susceptible to respiratory problems, Giacoletti said.

FOR BEGINNERS: Ball pythons are best for beginners, said Levine. Ball pythons are hardy, OK to handle and grow to only 5 feet. When ball pythons feel threatened, they will ball up instead of getting into a defensive posture and striking.

Giacoletti also suggests corn snakes for beginners. Corn snakes are naturally docile, inexpensive because most are bred in captivity, and come in a variety of colors.

Corn snakes go for about $20 and only grow to about 3-4 feet.

CAUTIONS: The most important part of owning any reptile is the beginning set-up.

“If you can’t afford a good set-up, you shouldn’t even buy the snake,” said Giacoletti.

And snake life spans are a serious consideration. “The animal’s going to live for a very long time. You’re going to have it for a while and they’re not the easiest pet to get rid of,” said Levine.

TURTLES AND TORTOISES

TURTLE VS. TORTOISE: Turtles are generally found in or around water, while tortoises are found on dry land, said Patrick Powers, manager at Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley.

Most turtles have webbed feet, while tortoises have stumpy feet, similar to an elephant.

Turtles are primarily bug eaters with some vegetation in their diet. Tortoises are vegetarians.

Sharon Paquette, adoption chair and vice president for the Orange County chapter of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club, said turtles and tortoises are not typically a “hold me, touch me, carry me” pet. They’re a “look at me” pet.

“They’re very relaxing, because they just go at such a slow pace,” Paquette said. “You can’t help relax just looking at them. They’re not noisy. They’re a lot easier than parrots or something like that.”

The bigger tortoises enjoy human contact they like to be around people and want to be petted, she said. If you’re not home as much, a California desert tortoise is a good pet because it can graze on grass and doesn’t need constant feeding from you. A pond of water turtles also doesn’t require feeding every day.

Paquette said the California desert tortoise can average an 80-year lifespan if it’s well cared for. Red-eared slider water turtles can live an average of 45-60 years. The African sulcata tortoise averages up to 150 years.

Water turtles and box turtles average about 40-50 years, said Powers.

COST: You can pay as little as $2 for a red-eared slider turtle, Paquette said. Some adult tortoises can cost up to $10,000, she said. Paquette said Galapagos or Aldabra tortoises can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Powers said red-eared slider turtles are about $15. Box turtles start at about $50. Russian tortoises range from $60 and up. Leopard tortoises are $150 and up.

CARE REQUIREMENTS: The majority of turtles and tortoises are grazers, which means they’ll eat weeds and grasses, Paquette said. Water turtles and box turtles will eat vegetation and meat, including night crawlers, meal worms, fish, goldfish and guppies.

Space-wise, you’ll need a yard, patio, aquarium or pond, depending on the species.

Water turtles require a pond (about $125) or a 40-gallon aquarium with a heavy filtration system and artificial sunlight ($400), Paquette said. To save some money, you can even use a kiddy pool.

Tortoises need exercise and sunshine, so a yard is crucial.

Veterinary costs should be minimal unless they get sick, according to Paquette. If they’re sick, they’ll need antibiotics, which can be a challenge with an animal that can close itself up in a shell. Plus if they do get sick, it can be as costly as a dog or cat. There are no vaccines.

FOR BEGINNERS: California desert tortoises are easy to care for with the right environment, Paquette said. They need a yard to roam in.

Red-eared sliders are pretty hardy animals. Russian tortoises are also hardy and don’t require a large area like the desert tortoise.

Box turtles are also good pets for beginners. They don’t need a very large area, although they do need some moisture and require some meat protein in their diet.

For the more experienced: If you want something small, the Asian water turtle, a type of box turtle, stays under 6 inches, Paquette said. But you need a little more experience to know how to take care of these less-hardy turtles, because you need to monitor water temperature and pH levels.

The leopard tortoise is also gaining popularity. This tortoise doesn’t hibernate and doesn’t get real large. But it does need a heated house all year round, which can add an expense.

One of the largest popular tortoises is the African sulcata, Paquette said. They’re definitely for experienced keepers who know what they’re getting into. They get up to 150 pounds in captivity, with a 30-inch shell length. You’ll need heavy-duty fencing and a large yard for grazing. You may also need to bring in supplements like hay. It takes about five years for them to get to 60-80 pounds. They’ll rearrange your patio furniture, take out your landscaping and burrow into your yard.

CAUTIONS: Make sure your gates are secure and locked, because tortoises can get out, Paquette said. Also secure them from wildlife like raccoons, which will kill them.

Turtles and tortoises aren’t aggressive. If you get bitten, it’s usually an accident either because they confused the color of your nail polish for a flower or you got in their way when they were eating.

Don’t keep two male African sulcata tortoises together because they’ll fight. Same goes for the California desert tortoise.

Never mix any species of turtles or tortoises; it can stress them out. Plus, one species’ parasites could be deadly to another species.

Powers said that with all reptiles and amphibians, while it’s rare, there is the possibility that the animals might transmit bacteria. It is always recommended that anyone who handles a reptile wash their hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water before and after handling the pet to prevent the passing of any harmful bacteria. Keep your hands away from your face, especially your mouth, until you have washed any part of your body that has made contact with the reptile.

All turtles and tortoises under 4 inches are illegal for pet stores to sell unless it is for scientific or educational purposes. So it is legal for the pet store to carry them as long as they’re not sold to the general public except for teachers or researchers, Powers said.

LIZARDS

There are hundreds of different lizards. Some lizards live in dry deserts, while others enjoy the humidity of a tropical climate.

The best pet lizards are the bearded dragon, a desert lizard, and the leopard gecko, a tropical lizard.

These lizards are non-venomous and are tolerant to handling, said Powers. Lizards are like snakes. If you handle a lizard more often, the pet will begin to feel more comfortable and realize that the people handling it aren’t going to hurt it, said Powers.

Some lizards, like the bearded dragon, even develop social characteristics similar to a cat or dog.

“They’ll sit on your shoulder and hang out, get excited when you walk in the room and scratch at the cage until you pick it up,” said Giacoletti.

Pet lizards are smaller and have a shorter life span than snakes and turtles. Generally, lizards live 10-20 years and can grow 6-24 inches long, said Giacoletti.

COST: Baby bearded dragons are about $40. Rare bearded dragons, like the yellow or lemon bearded dragon, can cost $200-$300.

Baby leopard geckos start around $20.

CARE REQUIREMENTS: A basic starter kit for bearded dragons starts around $200-$300 at Reptile Island. That includes a 30-gallon cage, proper lighting, a branch for your lizard to get closer to the lights, water bowl and bedding. As an adult, the lizard will require a 40- to 60-gallon cage.

Bearded dragons feed on crickets while they’re young, and different types of worms as the lizard gets older. Crickets should be sprinkled with a vitamin powder supplement before daily feedings.

To help the lizard produce essential vitamins, there must be sufficient UVB lighting in the cage. Without UVB lights, a lizard can’t produce vitamin D and is prone to calcium deficiency, said Giacoletti.

Leopard geckos are omnivores and feed mostly on crickets, worms and veggies. UV lighting is not required, but leopard geckos still need a heat source, preferably undercage heating, said Giacoletti. A starter kit, including cage, heating, shallow water bowl and plants, will cost about $100.

A humid climate will help keep your leopard gecko healthy. Damp bark is the best substrate or bedding to support a humid cage, said Powers.

Live plants are better for a leopard gecko cage, but not required.

CAUTIONS: “The most important thing people should realize is that (lizards) have mouths, which means they can bite,” said Powers.

Although lizards can become more tolerant of humans, they can still scratch, bite or, in some cases, tail whip you to defend themselves, he said.

Another, less painful defense mechanism for lizards is defecating or urinating on you when the lizard gets nervous.

Also, beginners should stay away from iguanas. They can be aggressive, grow to over 14 feet long and weigh up to 20 lbs, said Giacoletti. Adult iguanas require a 6 foot by 4 foot cage that is 6 feet tall.