My son turned 8 yesterday (wtf?) and all he wanted was a pet. He's allergic to cats and mildly allergic to dogs, and we couldn't have a dog anyway with our skiing lifestyle. He had been begging for a turtle, and we had been pushing him towards fish. Went to Petco yesterday and dealt with a surprisingly knowledgeable and helpful salesperson, and she sold us on a low-maintenance breed of Gecko lizard called the Crested Gecko. It is temperate so it doesn't need a heating lamp, it doesn't need live food, can go a few days between feedings, is about 8" long fully grown, and it goes potty in the same spot every time so it's easy to clean up after it. Sounds perfect!
These things are cool, they're pretty mellow and friendly. They can jump like frogs, and live for about 10 years. We left the store without it so that my son could sleep on the decision and he woke up still really wanting it. I have to admit that I want it too!
Any cautions about Gecko or general lizard ownership?