Leopard Gecko

If you have an interest in Reptiles then today we will discuss a unique kind of reptile. It is a lizard but different from most of them. We are talking about Leopard Gecko. These small reptiles can be domesticated and survive in the wild. Read this blog to learn how to care for them as a pet.

Introduction 

• They are solitary animals who spend the majority of their time in their burrows, only out to feed at sundown when the desert temperature is cooler.
• Because of its capacity to store fat in its tail, the leopard gecko is a remarkably hardy animal both in the wild and in captivity. Let me tell you that geckos are wild and domesticated. 

Scientific Name

Eublepharis Macularius is the scientific name of this species. 

Kingdom

Animal

History

• They are attractive, low-maintenance, and friendly species that are interesting as pets and in the wild.
• They are famous for being the first species of lizard to be widely domesticated.
• These plucky tiny geckos were brought from their native habitats to households all around the world and maintained as pets starting in the mid-1970s.

Appearance

Perhaps its most distinctive feature is its leopard-like patches. Small brown or black spots are uniformly dispersed over the head, body, and tail of the normal “wild type” leopard gecko. These markings start out as horizontal stripes or bands as hatchlings, but as the gecko grows older, they extend out into dots.

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Color

• Do you know? While the ordinary yellow and brown wild-type geckos are the most prevalent, there are currently over 100 different leopard gecko “morphs,” or distinct breeds established via careful, repeated selective breeding.
• Patternless geckos and albino geckos are two possible color variations, while geckos with orange, red, white, lavender and even full black colors are becoming more common.

Size & Weight

• In terms of geckos, Leopard Gecko are medium-sized species. They are only 3 to 4 inches long and weigh a few grammes as hatchlings.
• They do, however, grow swiftly, reaching peak size at the age of 18 months.
• An adult gecko is 7 to 11 inches long and weighs 50 to 80 grammes, with females being slightly smaller on average than males.

Behaviour 

• Both in the wild and in captivity, these species are mainly nocturnal. They are crepuscular, which means they are most active late at night and very early in the morning.
• In their natural habitat, they hide in burrows and rocky outcrops during the hard, hot days and come out to hunt and procreate at night.
• Apart from reproducing, these geckos are typically solitary creatures, however, they have been seen living in small, ill-defined colonies on occasion.
• They have a different defence strategy to help them survive in the environment.  Their skin tone, which helps them blend in with their rocky, sandy home surroundings, is perhaps the most obvious.
• They also have exceptional hearing and vision, with particularly superb night vision to assist them to navigate their harsh desert surroundings at night.
• They lose their skin every 4 to 8 weeks, depending on their age, like most reptiles. Due to their rapid growth, young geckos shed more frequently. They frequently eat their shed skin as a source of nutrients and to conceal their smell so predators cannot find them.

Diet, Food & Water

They are generally insectivorous in the wild that feeds on insects and other invertebrates. They are strict insectivores, meaning they eat only tiny insects. However, because they are opportunistic predators, they aren’t choosy, especially in the wild.

In the wild and in captivity, some of their favourite foods include:

• Beetles
• Snails
• Roaches
• Centipedes
• Crickets
• Locusts

It requires fresh liquids at regular intervals to stay healthy. Water is required by geckos for digestion, defecation, and other functions. Leopard geckos, on the other hand, do not require lots of water to survive. It may not require water because they can obtain it from their food.

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Habitat

• They are found in parts of Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran and are native to the Middle East. They thrive in sandy deserts and stony, arid grasslands. 

Housing

• They must be kept in glass terrariums to ensure their safety and prevent escape. Leopard Geckos, unlike some other geckos, have trouble climbing glass.
• A wire mesh lid that allows for sufficient ventilation and light should be used on the terrarium.

Life Expectancy

Wild Gecko’s Lifespan

• Their average lifespan is approximately 3 to 8 years, despite their tough and durable character.
• In comparison to males, females have a slightly shorter life expectancy. This is due to the physical and emotional strains that come with breeding and egg-laying on a regular basis.

Pet Gecko’s Lifespan 

• When compared to the wild, pet leopard geckos fare far better. They live for about 10 to 20 years on average.
• Females have a shorter lifespan than men because they frequently deposit (infertile) eggs even if they haven’t had contact with a male. As a result, their bodies are repeatedly stressed, resulting in shorter lifespans.

Heat, light, humidity

• The temperature should be between 77 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (25-32 degrees Celsius). Heat rocks should be avoided since they can burn the gecko if they grow too hot.
• The relative humidity should be between 30 and 40%. Because these creatures are crepuscular, they do not require UV lights.

Reproduction 

• They achieve sexual maturity between the ages of 18 and 24 months. They are not always devoted to one mate and thus will mate with a variety of geckos during their lifespan.
• When they achieve sexual maturity, they will seek for partners by releasing and smelling pheromones produced by femoral and pre-anal pores on their hind legs.
• Males frequently battle and fight for female partners, and they engage in traditional wooing practices.
• Females will lay a clutch every 15 to 22 days throughout the breeding season, which lasts four to five months. For their initial clutch, female leopard geckos may deposit one or two eggs, resulting in eight to ten eggs for their first breeding year.

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Common Health Problems

They are tough creatures. They rarely suffer from illnesses or injuries throughout their lives. The following are some of the most frequent health issues:

• Calcium Deficiency & Metabolic Bone Disease 
• Mouth Rot (Stomatitis) 
• Respiratory Infections
• Egg Binding
• Prolapse
• Parasite Infestation
• Shedding Problems
• Tail Rot

Leopard Gecko Natural Predators 

Snakes, birds, spiders, and creatures introduced by humans, such as dogs and cats, are all predators of this species. 

Gecko Vs Lizard

• Leopard Gecko are lizards, yes! Geckos are distinguished from other lizards in that they lay eggs in pairs rather than in enormous batches, and they may communicate using chirps and barking noises.
• Most geckos don’t have eyelids and have sticky toes that help them climb. There are about 6,000 different lizard species, with 1,500 of them being geckos.

Gecko for Sale

• This creature is available at a variety of prices. One can be purchased for as little as $15 or as much as $3,000.
• On the other hand, a pet leopard gecko costs between $30 and $75. You should not pay more than $50 for a pet from a local pet store, PetSmart, or Petco. 

Fun Facts 

• They shed their skin and consume the dead part so that their predators won’t notice it since the consumed skin doesn’t emit any smell indicators.
• Its tail has the potential to save lives! The tail of this lizard detaches if it is bitten or stuck on something, allowing the animal to flee quickly if it is pursued. The Leopard Gecko’s tail may also store fat, allowing it to survive if it runs out of food.
• This lizard is one of the few that has eyelids. It can close its eyes and blink since it has eyelids.
• They have the ability to bark, which is unusual.
• Leopard Geckos, unlike humans, lack a sex chromosome that determines whether they are born male or female. The incubation temperature determines their gender before it is born. At 90°F, the majority of Leopard Gecko eggs will hatch as males, whereas at 80°F, the majority will hatch as females. The eggs will hatch into half male and half female Leopard Geckos if the temperature is between 85°F and 90°F. 

Reference Link

• https://g.co/kgs/wFUpbw

Leopard Gecko-FAQ