Can you guess what the most popular pet reptile is in West Islip?
A few hints: It's got a beard, it eats both live insects (think worms) and some select vegetables, can live to 10 years and it's very friendly.
If you guessed the Bearded Dragon, you guessed right.
As Martina Scheben illustrated to Patch this week at Repxotica, a two-year-old venture on Udall Road that she runs with her husband Bob, the Bearded Dragon is one docile, fun-to-hang-with reptile.
To prove her point she introduced Patch to Diablo, who clearly is misnamed given there's no devilish nature to be found in the four-legged creature.
Diablo calmly sat on Scheben's shoulder, then enjoyed a worm and simply seems to enjoy life. As Scheben noted, the Bearded Dragon is often described as the 'dog' of the reptile pet kingdom due to its nature.
But the Bearded Dragon is for the experienced reptile owner as it does require care and attention, just like a few of the rare and exotic reptiles the store offers for sale.
For those just starting out as a reptile owner, and especially those in the pre-teen age years, the best bet is the Crested Geiko, which is a calm and easy to take care of reptile.
"It's got a 99 percent success rate as the first reptile pet choice," she noted.
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