09-05-2025
How the Lizard King Built a Reptile Empire Selling $50,000 Geckos
Shortly after graduating from high school, Brian Butler started loading trucks at a UPS freight facility in Denver. Working nights for the next 16 years, he sometimes found himself so strapped for cash he had to choose between buying groceries and paying his mortgage.
Today he's got a $350,000 pad overlooking the Caribbean, two homes in Denver and a six-figure stock portfolio. The source of his wealth? Crested geckos, docile creatures that resemble diminutive cartoon dragons. 'I bought a condo in Belize,' the 37-year-old says. 'Every time I visit, I think to myself, 'I sell lizards on the internet. How the hell did I end up here?''
