Hailing from the semi-arid and desert regions of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal, the leopard gecko is a ground-dwelling lizard that’s commonly kept as a pet. As the name suggests, this lizard has a color morph with a white or pale-yellow body that’s covered with leopard-like dark brown spots.
Whether you have a leopard gecko or are thinking of getting one, we’ve put together some interesting facts about these lizards that may surprise you. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy reading about these cute little lizards that make good pets.
Top 10 Facts About Leopard Geckos
1. They Eat Their Own Shed Skin
Leopard geckos shed their skin periodically like other lizards, which isn’t unusual. What is a bit odd about leopard geckos is that they eat their shed skin but won’t clean up after themselves! It is thought that these geckos eat the dead skin so their predators are less likely to detect them, as the eaten skin won’t give off any scent cues for a predator capable of tracking them through scent.
2. They Have a Useful Tail
A leopard gecko’s tail can be a real lifesaver! This lizard’s tail detaches if they feel as though they’re attacked so that they can make a fast getaway. The tail is also a fat reserve, which is useful for times when they cannot find food. Perhaps even more surprising is the tail’s weight – it can weigh up to a quarter of their body weight! Finally, unlike other lizards that drag their tail along wherever they go, leopard geckos carry their tail and use it to coordinate their strides for normal movement.
3. These Lizards Have Eyelids
Unlike some other lizards, leopard geckos possess eyelids. Though they have an upper and lower eyelid like us, their lower eyelid is somewhat more mobile than the upper eyelid (which distinguishes them from us). People who own leopard geckos love their little eyelids and adore how their lizards look like they’re winking when they blink!
Unlike other geckos with no eyelids, a leopard gecko’s eyelids surround the eyeball to give the eyes an expressive, almost human look. The next time you see a leopard gecko, take a close look at their eyes to see if they’re blinking at you!
4. They Make Many Sounds Including a Bark
Leopard geckos make certain sounds, possibly to express how they’re feeling. This lizard can make a lot of sounds like chirps, screams, clicks, and squeaks. They also make a barking sound which can alarm you if you’re a new leopard gecko owner! When they’re “happy,” a leopard gecko makes a squeaking noise. This may happen when you pick up a leopard gecko to show it some love. However, do note that our perception of what their sounds mean is purely subjective. A gecko may very well make distress calls (which we perceive as “happy” calls) when they’re handled.
5. They’re Without Sticky Pads on Their Feet
Unlike many geckos, leopard geckos are not good climbers, and it’s not because they’re clumsy lizards. Other geckos, like crested and tokay geckos, have sticky pads on their feet so they can easily climb on a variety of surfaces, including walls. But leopard geckos don’t have these footpads because they have small claws instead.
These small claws allow leopard geckos to climb on rocks and large branches, but they won’t venture too high. You’ll never run across leopard geckos in the wild walking up a wall because these lizards simply aren’t capable with those clawed feet of theirs! In addition, their hefty tails makes climbing a very difficult activity.
6. Their Sex Is Determined by Temperature, of All Things
Like so many other lizards and reptiles, this gecko’s sex is determined largely by their incubation temperature.
| Incubation Temperature | Female Chance | Male Chance |
| 79°F (26°C) | 100% | 0% |
| 86°F (30°C) | 70% | 30% |
| 93°F (34°C) | 95% | 5% |
| 90°F (32.5°C) | 25% | 75% |
- Source: PubMed
7. They Can Live for Two Decades
If you’re thinking of getting a young leopard gecko, you should know that these lizards can live for over 20 years when kept as pets. This is something to think long and hard about because two decades is a long time to care for a pet. So be sure you can handle it.
If you’re guessing that leopard geckos living in the wild have shorter lifespans, you would be wrong! It is thought that wild leopard geckos may reach a lifespan of around 30 years or so. Meanwhile, the confirmed record of a leopard gecko kept as a pet was just over 28 years.
8. Some Geckos Change Color as They Get Older
The leopard-like spots you see on leopard geckos may go away as these lizards age. This is something that surprises many first-time owners as they watch their leopard geckos gradually lose their spots and become mostly one-colored.
By the time a leopard geckos is fully mature, they will look a lot different than what they did when they were young. It takes about a year for this change to happen, and it usually occurs after the first “adult” shed. If someone tells you that a young leopard gecko with lots of spots will always look like that, you’d best correct them to say this isn’t true for all geckos!
Some leopard geckos (called hypos) eventually lose most of their spots as they age, although some may have a few left around the mouth, neck, and on the tail.
9. You Can Shine a Light Through Their Ears
Perhaps the most interesting anatomical trait about leopard geckos is that due to the unique positioning of their auditory canal, it’s actually possible to shine a light through one of their ear openings and see it exit through the other!
10. There Are Over 100 Leopard Gecko Morphs
While most people are used to only seeing leopard geckos with white or pale yellow bodies covered with dark brown spots, there are many more color variations of these geckos called morphs.
A morph is a variation in size, coloring, pattern, or other physical features of a leopard gecko. While some of these morphs are created naturally, most are developed by breeders who are simply trying to come up with new colors for these popular lizards.
There are over 100 leopard gecko morphs, with more being developed all the time, which means the total number of morphs that may be created is anyone’s guess!
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned some fun and interesting facts about leopard geckos, you can appreciate these popular lizards even more! If you plan on getting a leopard gecko, be sure to set up a proper habitat for your little friend so they can live a long and healthy life.
You’ll surely enjoy having one of these lizards as a pet because leopard geckos are colorful, easy to handle, and fascinating to watch!
Featured Image Credit: Reinhold Leitner, Shutterstock
Contents
- Top 10 Facts About Leopard Geckos
- 1. They Eat Their Own Shed Skin
- 2. They Have a Useful Tail
- 3. These Lizards Have Eyelids
- 4. They Make Many Sounds Including a Bark
- 5. They’re Without Sticky Pads on Their Feet
- 6. Their Sex Is Determined by Temperature, of All Things
- 7. They Can Live for Two Decades
- 8. Some Geckos Change Color as They Get Older
- 9. You Can Shine a Light Through Their Ears
- 10. There Are Over 100 Leopard Gecko Morphs
- Conclusion
