Leopard Gecko

Scientific Name: Eublepharis macularius

Fast Fact:
Unlike many of its relatives, the leopard gecko cannot climb vertical surfaces—one reason for its popularity as a pet!

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The sex of leopard geckos can be determined by their incubation temperature. Eggs in a 90 degree environment will be almost all male, while those at 80 degrees will be primarily female. An incubation temperature of 85 degrees will result in an almost even number of males and females.

STATUS: Leopard geckos are neither threatened nor endangered.

HABITAT: These lizards can be found in southeast Afghanistan, northwestern India, Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq. They live in arid regions, especially rocky deserts and sparse grasslands, as well as in mountainous areas up to 7,000 feet above sea level. These nocturnal reptiles hide from the heat of the day in holes and crevices, emerging to hunt for food at night. They are rarely found off of the ground.

DIET: Leopard geckos eat other lizards, insects, spiders, and scorpions (they are immune to scorpion stings). They also eat the nutritious skin that they shed.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Leopard geckos get their name from their leopard-like spots, dark brown on a white or pale yellow background. The geckos are about six to ten inches in length with males having a broader head and thicker neck than females. Their long, thin legs enable the animals to keep their bodies off the ground when they run. Unlike most of the 675 species of geckos, leopard geckos have eyelids, which allow them to blink and close their eyes while sleeping. They also differ from other geckos by having claws instead of the toe pads that other geckos use to climb vertically. Although leopard geckos do vocalize, they are not as loud as some other geckos. They have a life span of up to 20 years in captivity and reach sexual maturity in 16 to 25 months. Females can produce up to five clutches of one or two eggs each breeding season, which runs from January through September.

Tricky Tails

You may have seen a lizard in your yard without a tail. Like many lizards, the leopard gecko’s tail will break off when grabbed by a predator. Amazingly, the tail will easily break at a crack in the vertebra while the surrounding muscles will also separate instantly. A muscle closes around the artery at the break-point and prevents excessive blood loss. A new tail is usually regenerated. Unfortunately, since the tail is used to store fat for use when food supplies are low, the animal still loses a valuable resource.