Breed: Leopard Gecko
Average Size: They can grow from 6 to 11 inches.
Appearance: Leopards can be cream to yellow colored lizard with black spots and/or stripes similar to the markings of a leopard. Breeding in captivity has produced different color morphs, including high yellow, tangerine, striped, no spots or stripes, lavender, solid white or gray, and albino.
Lifespan: Leopard geckos can easily live 10-15 years in captivity with proper care and have even been documented to live over 25 years.
Habitat: Leopard geckos are very low maintenance. The substrate in their tanks/vivariums should be changed monthly, but the water bowl needs to be cleaned weekly to keep the water clean from sand, skin, and dead crickets. Geckos do not like to be exposed so provide a place to hide and if using a glass aquarium converted to a vivarium be sure to cover the back side with possibly a natural scene. They need some sort of a heat source since they are cold-blooded plus it helps with digestion. There are different substrates to use but here are some of the preferred ones. Kitchen paper towels which are readily available but don’t look very natural. Newspapers are a cheap option but some worry about the dark dye in the paper since geckos like to lick. Repti Carpet is like an Astroturf for your gecko. It is easy to clean and last a long time. Bird sand or play sand is inexpensive but it is a good idea to provide extra calcium to your gecko in a dish or in its food to avoid it eating the sand.
Food: Leopard geckos can be fed staple a diet consisting of crickets, mealworms, superworms, roaches, silkworms, phoenix worms, fruit flies, or horn worms. Waxworms are very fattening, and should rarely be offered to geckos as to avoid obesity, and/or fatty liver disease. Leopard Geckos will not eat vegetables however it can be a good idea to put some in there vivarium for the crickets to feed upon, this way they won't bite your leopard gecko. Another recommendation is feeding young leopard geckos mashed, raw egg yolks and egg whites for extra digestable protein. They also need a clean water source.
Temperament: They are generally docile, and can learn to accept handling. They rarely bite, and tend to move slowly once acclimated to their surroundings. Geckos are nocturnal creatures meaning they spend the day hidden under rocks or in dry burrows to escape the daytime heat, emerging at dusk to hunt insects. When frightened or disturbed, muscles at the base of the gecko's tail constrict and snap the vertebrae, severing most of the tail. The tail spasms which distracts the predator as the gecko makes its escape. Although the leopard gecko will grow a new one in time, the regenerated tail will differ from the original, appearing bulbous and inferior.
Special Traits: Geckos will shed on their own but if they don't you should NOT pull the skin off because you risk pulling out their claws and injuring them. If the skin doesn't come all the way off their toes, soak the feet in water and then try to gently roll it off with a cotton swab. Unlike other species of gecko, leopard geckos have small claws instead of adhesive toe pads, which prevents them from climbing vertically. However, their claws give extra traction on the ground and are helpful in digging.
Other Important Info: The leopard gecko is one of only a few gecko species that have eyelids. This helps the gecko keep its eyes clean and particle-free in its dusty environment. Like most other geckos, the leopard gecko can clean and moisten its eyes using its tongue. When a leopard gecko ingests its substrate it can lead to impaction which can lead to internal bleeding. Look at the leopard gecko's under-belly, if it seems like the specimen has unusual coloring or bulging get the gecko to a herpetology vet.
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