It sounds like you are looking for a leopard gecko. They don’t get very big and do not take very much to care for.
Once they get used to you are are easy to handle.
They are nocturnal though, which is what some people do not like about them. If you want to seem them move around you have to wait until the evening and wake them up(which is when I reccomend feeding them).
You can house them in a 10 gal aquiarium (although I perfer a 20 long so they have plenty of space), they need a hide box, with moss inside, that gets sprayed down daily to keep it moist. They need a warm environment, you can use heat lamps and undertank heaters for them.
Here are some good sites for them:

If you want a lizard that you only have to feed and look at, that you don’t hold, then go for an anole, they take up very little space and effort. But they are not easy to handle and are very fragile.

Any other reptile needs more care and get larger. Bearded Dragons are great but they get rather large, one adult needs atleast a 40 gal terrarium. Water Dragons need a terraruim that are atleast 5 feet high and wide. Iguanas need huge cages and can get rather agressive.

I hope this helps..GOOD LUCK!!!!

green iguana

There are a number of reptiles that would be a good choice for a first time keeper.

Bearded dragons are a great choice. Very friendly and love to be handled. A little bigger than a foot, but relatively small and easy to care for.

Schneider’s Skinks would also be an idea choice. They don’t get very large (about a foot), and are also easy to care for. Ours love nothing more than to ride around on the top of your head while you do things around the house.

Chinese Water Dragons can be a very good choice too. Like the others that I suggested, they are easy to care for and to handle. The only thing thatmakes me just a bit hesitant to recommend them is they are prone to a condition known as “mouth rot.” This can lead to unexpected vet bills.

There are other choices, many types of geckos and chameleons also fit your criteria.

You might consider going to a reptile show and talk to breeders, rescues, and such and see what strikes your fancy.

As long as you do a little research before buying to ensure that it is a good “starter” reptile, you will do fine.

I would not recommend getting an iguana. They can get to be 6 foot long and live up to 20 years with proper care. They have alot of specialized things in their care, like cage, heating, lighting and diet. I would recommend either a bearded dragon (can get to be 2-2 1/2 feet long) or a leopard gecko. Both are very social and do well with handling. They each do have specialized care also. Do research before getting any pet. If possible, try to rescue one from a shelter instead of purchasing one from a petstore. There are literally hundreds needing good forever homes. Good luck

how about a Green Iugana i have one and he is a good pet

a male name is Ted,Pezz,Joe

a felmale name is Anna,Rose,linda

bearded dragons, geckos and anoles are the best, but if you want something slightly larger (up to 2 1/2 ft) i STRONGLY reccomend the chinese green water dragon

leopard gecko, moutain horned dragon, green anole, emerald swift, african fat tailed gecko, collard lizard

I agree with A.N.T

I recommend bearded dragon but it gets 18-24 in long
and the first dude is wrong unless you get a Rankins dragon

Buy a komodo dragon,name him fluffy,and train him to kill people.

Bearded dragons and leopard geckos make great pets. They have relatively easy dietary and housing requirements (I think leopards are the easiest of the two). They can both live into their teens and both stay under a foot, although some beardies can approach that mark. Both of these lizards can grow to be very tame with gentle handling on a regular basis. Anoles are a good starting lizard too, but you can’t handle them much.