President-elect Barack Obama's daughters yearn for a puppy, but not every child dreams of a furry pet. Some kids want something scaly.

But which of these pets is best for a beginner? Iguanas are popular but are not suitable for any but the most dedicated of pet lovers Ñ if for no other reason than they grow to be 6 feet or more in length.

If you have a child who wants something more wild, consider one of these relatively easy-to-care-for reptiles.

• Bearded dragon: Babies can be highly reactive, but if handled gently, these tough-looking lizards will settle down to be a calm and friendly pet that can grow to a reasonable foot or so in length.
• Leopard gecko: A popular ad campaign for an insurance company has drawn attention to these lizards. Fortunately, they're good pets and can tolerate gentle handling well. They're smaller than beardies by about half and are fun to watch.
• Corn snake: Captive breeding has produced wonderful colors and color variations of this generally calm little snake that will rarely try to bite.
• Ball python: Another easygoing snake, albeit one that will grow to around 4 feet in length and wrap itself around your neck if given the chance. (Lesson No. 1: Undo a snake by starting at the tail gently unwinding.) As with all pets (even ones that don't wrap around necks), parental research, oversight and supervision are absolute requirements for safe and appropriate pet-child interactions.