Leopard Gecko Eublepharis macularius |
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|---|---|
| Taxonomy | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Family | Gekkonidae |
| Sub family | Eublepharinae |
| Order | Squamata |
| Genus | Eublepharis |
| Species | E. macularius |
| Scientific name | Eublepharis macularius |
| Facts | |
| Origin | Eastern and south western asia |
| Size | 8 - 11 inches |
| Tank size | 24" w x 18" d x 18" h |
| Tank type | Terrarium |
| Colours | Various colours and morphs |
| Diet | Live insects |
| Lifespan | 20 - 30 years |
The Leopard gecko is a nocturnal lizard and throughout the day they make their dwelling underground so to hide from predators throughout the day. These lizards love the heat and rocky terrain and as such they tend to live under large rocks, in crevaces or in caves. The leopard gecko emerges at night so to hunt for insects such as crickets, locusts and spiders.
Generally leopard geckos that are well cared for live around 20 years, although occasionally they have been known to live a beyond this. This must be considered when purchasing a leopard gecko, although some people may see this as a burden but it can only be a good thing. Whether you are just starting out or have many other reptiles you can buy a leopard gecko and which your family can grow up with for many years. Not only this but leopard geckos are easy to care for, and most do not mind being handled once trust has been gained.
Leopard Gecko Morphs and Colourations
There are many morphs of leopard gecko (colourations) although in the wild these reptiles tend to be yellow and beige in colour with patterned black stripes or spots. As Leopard geckos have been bred extensively there are many different morphs available, each of these morphs have different characteristics such as skin pigment (colour), size of the lizard and different patterns. Some of these morphs are: albino, patternless, blizzard, hypomelanistic, giant, jungle, snow and tangerine.
Albino morphs are fully white in colour, almost transparent. Patternless, blizzard and hypomelanistic ("hypo") morphs generally have no dark spots, less spots or a reduction in the spot colour. The giant morph to do with the gecko size and a giant bred gecko would be considered much larger than the average leopard gecko. Jungle morphs normally have a change in the pattern of their dark areas for example spots and stripes. Snow morphs normally have the normal dark spots although have little or no yellow pigment. Lastly, tangerine morphs have an orange pigment on part of their body, typically the head and/or the tail.