Leopard Geckos are usually cream to yellow colored with markings of black spots and stripes like a leopard. The markings at birth are different from the adult. For the first year, the skin has dark and light yellow bands from head to tail. Breeding in captivity has produced more colorful and varied patterns, referred to as “morphs.” In the wild, leopard geckos grow to a length of about 6 to 8 inches. They can grow several inches larger in captivity.
Leopard Geckos are different from most other geckos in two distinctive ways. For one, Leopard geckos have eyelids. Most other geckos do not have eyelids. However, like other geckos, Leopard Geckos can clean their eyes with their tongue. The second difference is that most geckos have adhesive toe pads, while the Leopard Gecko has small claws.
The Leopard Gecko is like most other lizards in that it can loose its tail when frightened. The tail wiggles around while the gecko runs to safety. The new tail grows back, but it looks different from the original one. The new tail is fatter and lavender to gray in color with spots instead of lines.
A female Leopard Gecko can lay two leathery eggs every two weeks during the mating season. If the incubation temperature is 85 F or less, more females will be born. An incubation temperature of 87 F or more usually result in more males.
A Leopard Gecko can expect to live 10 to 15 years in captivity, although one resident of the St. Louis Zoo lived to the ripe old age of 29.
