The 13 Cutest Lizards In The World

Lizards are some of the most amazing reptiles in the animal kingdom. Many are highly intelligent, independent animals that can thrive on very little. What’s even cooler is that the cutest lizards are seriously adorable! 

Whether you’re a reptile fanatic or lizards aren’t your favorite subject, there’s no doubt that these lizards are the cutest in the bunch. Let’s dive right into the cutest lizards in the world!

#1 Bearded Dragon

Bearded dragons are some of the friendliest lizards in the animal kingdom. Their calm, easy-going personalities make them amazing pets and they are well-loved for their lazy demeanor. What’s especially adorable about bearded dragons is that they are content to take a ride on your shoulder any time! 

Although bearded dragons might meet the typical standards for cuteness since they aren’t fuzzy, there are still many adorable traits about them. For example, they love to take baths and play games by running to and fro in their enclosures. As babies, they are extremely tiny, which is super cute! 

#2 Leopard Gecko

Did you know that leopard geckos can smile? It’s true! Judging from their appearance, they might be considered the happiest, cutest lizard of them all. They are also extremely docile and friendly, which makes them fantastic pets. They are the perfect example of a starter reptile for a new owner.

Leopard geckos come in a variety of different colors. Their eyes are also large in comparison to the size of their heads, which makes them doubly adorable. It’s widely known that even people who typically despise reptiles can’t deny the cuteness of leopard geckos.

#3 Crested Gecko

With their frog-like toes and tiny bodies, Crested Geckos are some of the cutest lizards ever. They have prehensile tails that can curl around branches and other structures, which helps them steady themselves. After all, they are arboreal creatures, which means they make their homes in the canopies of trees. 

Crested geckos also have a row of sticky patches on the bottom side of their tails, which helps them grip surfaces in the trees. However, if they get spooked, they can drop their tails to escape. Once they drop their tail, they will not grow it back, so a crestie without a tail is even more tiny and adorable!

#4 Panther Chameleon

The Panther Chameleon is perhaps the most beautiful of the cutest lizards on our list. This reptile is well-known for its ability to change colors and has a myriad of bright hues in its repertoire. With tiny eyes and long, fast tongues, there’s no denying that these creatures are seriously adorable.

If you thought adult Panther Chameleons were cute, wait until you see a hatchling! These babies are incredibly tiny, typically weighing less than one-tenth of an ounce and measuring a measly two to four inches long. That means that newborn baby Panther Chameleons are smaller than the leaves on the trees they live in! 

#5 Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Leaf-tailed geckos are among the cutest lizards due to their giant eyes and interesting patterns. They have tiny, circular toes and tiny bodies. Did you know that a fully-grown leaf-tailed gecko only measures between 2.5 and 3.5 inches long? Talk about tiny!

Leaf-tailed geckos only live on an African island called Madagascar. They are arboreal creatures that live high up in the trees. Their small stature is likely an adaptation since their tininess makes them difficult to spot by predators. It also makes it easier for them to hide and allows them to run away quickly since they are so minuscule.

#6 Blue Crested Lizard

As their name suggests, blue crested lizards have bright blue bodies. Their facial features are tiny, with small eyes and a tiny mouth with spikes at the base of their heads. Even though they aren’t soft or silky, they are still among the cutest lizards in their habitats! 

 Blue Crested lizards are also extremely intelligent and are kept as pets in many parts of the world. However, unlike common reptile pets such as bearded dragons and leopard geckos, blue crested lizards are not the friendliest. While there’s no doubt that they are easy on the eyes, they are not ideal for those who want to handle their lizard.

#7 Madagascar Day Gecko

The Madagascar Day Gecko has a long, green body with orange accents on its head and along its back. Their petite facial features and mouth that almost come into a smile make them a great contender for our cutest lizards list. 

As their name indicates, these geckos are native to the island of Madagascar. They spend the majority of their time awake while the sun is out, which means they are diurnal animals. These adorable lizards are also omnivorous and enjoy a diet of insects, plants, and nectars. 

These geckos are among the largest geckos on their island. They can grow to be up to 8.7 inches long as adults – now that’s a big lizard!

#8 Peninsula Mole Skink

The Peninsula Mole Skink might not look very cute at first glance, but they are truly adorable creatures. These amazing reptiles have slim, elongated bodies, tiny facial features, and long, purplish tails. They prefer dry areas and can be found in coastal dunes and other dry places. 

At their longest, the Peninsula Mole Skink only grows to be about eight inches long, which is about the same size as a standard banana. Their diet is primarily carnivorous and consists of crickets, roaches, and even spiders!

When Peninsula Mole Skins are ready to sleep or need to hide from predators, they bury their tiny bodies in the sand. In some cases, they might also find refuge in oak and sand pine scrubs.

#9 Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink

With a name like the Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink, it can be difficult to imagine a cute creature. However, these tiny lizards are some of the cutest lizards in their class! They have dark-colored bodies except around their eyes, which are surrounded by bright orange, similar to a raccoon.

The Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink looks like something out of a fairytale. Its bright orange eyes, dark skin, and spiked back closely resemble a tiny baby dragon. While these lizards can be kept as pets, they are considered exotic options and are not suitable for beginner reptile keepers. 

#10 Oriental Garden Lizard

Oriental Garden lizards are among the cutest lizards with colorful bodies. They have a lifespan of five years and are arboreal, which means they live in trees. Even though they might be cute, they are extremely territorial animals and can become quite aggressive when they feel threatened. 

These adorable, pint-sized cuties are solitary animals that live in trees, shrubs, and even among human settlements. Like chameleons, they can change the color of their scales at will and do so often to protect themselves from predators. In the mating season, male lizards often display vibrant colors on their bodies to attract females to mate.

#11 Common House Gecko

Common House Geckos are adorable, tiny creatures that are native to Southeast Asia. As adults, they are astoundingly small at 150 mm long and weigh only 25 to 100 grams. They are named house geckos because they are often seen climbing the outer walls of houses on the hunt for insects and other prey. 

One of the things that Common House Geckos are most famous for is their voice. Locals say they make an unmistakable chirping sound. As is the case with most other small lizards, Common House Geckos don’t enjoy being handled and are quite skittish. Although they’re not common house pets, they can be kept in small terrariums for up to seven years before dying.

#12 Desert Horned Lizard

Desert Horned Lizards have small, flat bodies that earned them the nickname “horny toad”, even though they aren’t toads at all. In fact, they are some of the cutest lizards in the desert. Their sand-colored skin, small eyes, and tiny spikes are just a few things that make this lizard seriously adorable. 

These adorable desert dwellers are nocturnal, which means they spend most of their awake time after the sun goes down. This allows them to avoid predators while simultaneously making it easier for them to spot prey with low risk. They are insectivorous and enjoy a diet of ants, crickets, and other small bugs.

#13 Maned Forest Lizard

The Maned Forest Lizard is among the cutest lizards in Indonesia, where they are primarily found on islands. They find refuge and safety high up in the canopies of trees in the rainforest, where they make their homes. They are bright green with tan accents and prefer to stay within 100 meters of a water source.

Since they live high in the trees, they eat a diet of insects that live there, too. Unfortunately, deforestation and climate change have hurt the numbers of Maned Forest Lizards. Consequently, they are on the ICUN Red List of Threatened Species. 

Summary Of The 13 Cutest Lizards In The World

What Lizards Like to Be Touched?

There are over 6,000 species of lizards found throughout the world, ranging in size from large, like the monitor lizards, to small, like the gecko. Not all species can be or should be touched, like the Gila monster and the Mexican bearded lizard. Here are some of the top species that you can touch – and they enjoy it:

• Bearded dragon – these dragons belong to the genus Pogona, of which there are eight species. This is considered one of the more popular beginner dragons due to their inclination to be the most receptive to human touch. Not only do they enjoy feeding from your hand, but they enjoy hanging out on your shoulder.

• Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)- known for being a very friendly gecko (look at that adorable smiling face above), this little lizard may even eat food out of your hands. They are nocturnal though, so if you want to experience their affection, you will need to handle them at night.

• Blue-tongue skink – belonging to the genus Tiliqua, this skink enjoys being out of its tank and being handled by their humans. Like all lizards, they need to get used to you, and regular interaction increases your bond.

• Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) – known as the American iguana or simply iguana, this lizard is capable of growing up to six feet and is a very popular pet. They are fond of having their heads petted and should they tire of or feel uncomfortable with this gesture, they will let you know by whipping their tails back and forth.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Hadrani Hasan/Shutterstock.com