ok i have done

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

yeaa i hate putting animals in small cages i couldnt bring myself to keep my garters in 30 gallons so i beeged my mom to get them 65 gallons i think if im going to get a lizard im gunna wait till i get some money from garters babies after burmation then maybe i can build a bigger cage

personally I'd go for something a bit more personable
I too look at the varanids and think they're beautiful
I have these plated lizards that are a good size
I haven't measured them, but they're bigger than the beardie
they're not that hard to keep
they're just quite a bit shyer than the beardie and they hate being handled
they do come out to bask and stay out with just us in the house, but anything at all can make them disappear
I have really mixed feelings about them
I don't think I am sufficiently into lizards to want ones that are really shy
what's the point of having animals you hardly ever get to see
I have a few snakes that I look for in the substrate a couple of times a week to make sure they're still alive
not sure how I feel about them either
I know I often feel like I'm intruding
and I can well understands a captive large lizard being grumpy a lot
after all - how much space can they be given unless you're an institution with funding - and even then
when the museum of natural history her had their lizards exhibit and displayed live animals, pretty much the majority of them were in enclosures that I would consider inadequate
think about it, Reed
how much square footage do you have to work with
and please don't plan to put an animal in something that some care sheet has designated as the smallest enclosure size you can get away with
the minimum for a single adult beardie is 2'x4'
any lizard larger than that is going to need more space
with your mom's spending limit it's gonna be tough to come up with an enclosure that size - especially if you blow all the money on the lizard
anyway - just my opinion
good luck with it all

[drache]

i think if im going to get a lizard im gunna wait till i get some money from garters babies after burmation then maybe i can build a bigger cage

I think that's an excellent idea
and if you're good at building, you can save a bundle

[zooplan]

a book
an enclosure
enough time
a pet

Thats what I think is the right way to successful maintenance.