Zb 50 Guide to Leopard Geckos

Zoo Med’s Guide to

Leopard Geckos

by Jim Morgan

Zoo Med's Guide to Leopard Geckos

by Jim Morgan

Table of Contents Introduction............................................................1 Native Habitat, Range & Anatomy........................1 Choosing a Leopard Gecko....................................2 Morphs...................................................................3 Handling & Enclosure............................................6 Lighting, Heating...................................................6 Substrate, Feeding & Watering..............................7 Health.....................................................................8 Sexual Dimorphism & Breeding............................9 Incubation............................................................10 Hatching Care, Similar Geckos............................11 Summary, Books..................................................12 ISBN 978-0-9652471-7-7 Copyright Š2013 Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the permission of Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.

Introduction: Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are one of the best reptile pets available and are a great choice for beginner reptile owners. Leopard Geckos were first described as a species by British zoologist Edward Blyth in 1854. Leopard Geckos and other members of the subfamily Eublepharidae are different from most other geckos because they have eyelids.

The name Eublepharis macularius refers to Leopard Geckos having true eyelids and spotted markings.

The Leopard Gecko is a long-lived reptile. They can live an average of six to ten years; however, with proper care they can live twenty or even twenty five years. The oldest known Leopard Gecko in captivity was recorded at twenty nine years old.

Native Habitat and Range: Leopard Geckos are native to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Southeastern Iran, and Northwestern India. They inhabit the dry grasslands and rocky deserts of their range. The climate of this range is very hot and moist during the summer and cool and dry during the winter. They are a nocturnal, ground dwelling gecko that spends the day hiding under rocks or in humid burrows to escape the daytime heat. At dusk they emerge to hunt for insects. Leopard Geckos are common in their native range and have been captive bred in the United States since the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Captive bred leopard geckos are readily available; however, breeders in the United States would benefit from adding wild bloodlines to their current breeding colonies.

Anatomy: The average Leopard Gecko grows to 8-10 inches long. They have a broad head and large ear cavities. Leopard Geckos have rough, bumpy skin.

The “normal” wild type is covered in black spots with brown bands interspersed with the spots. The background color may be tan or yellowish. As hatchlings, Leopard Geckos are more vividly marked. Hatchlings will have alternating broad black and yellow bands across their back and black and white rings on their tails. The black bands will break up and become spots as they mature. Unlike many geckos, Leopard Geckos have five toes on each foot with small claws as an alternative to toe pads, which prevent them from climbing smooth vertical surfaces. On the other hand, their claws give extra traction in terrain and are helpful in digging burrows.

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Eye Ear Tail

Mouth

Vent

Pre-anal Pores (male)

Hemipenile Bulge (male)

Toes

A Leopard Gecko’s tail retains nutrient-rich fat. In times of famine they metabolize this fat reserve and can endure a period of weeks without food.

Similar to other lizards, Leopard Geckos have the ability to drop their tail.

When frightened or grabbed by the tail, muscles at the base of the gecko's tail contract and sever the vertebrae of the tail. The tail continues to wiggle, distracting a potential predator, and gives the gecko time to make a getaway.

The Leopard Gecko will grow a new tail; however, it will be different than the original, appearing bulbous.

Choosing a Leopard Gecko: There are a few important things to look for when choosing a Leopard Gecko. First, is the animal healthy? A Leopard Gecko should have a thick, robust tail. A fat tail is a good indication that the gecko is hydrated, eating well, and in good general health. Healthy Leopard Geckos may also have small fat reserves behind its front armpits. This is an especially good sign in female geckos. The gecko’s eyes should be open and clear, and the gecko should be alert. Ensure that all toes are accounted for as shedding problems commonly lead to missing toes.

Second, consider what morph to acquire. Leopard Geckos are available in hundreds of different colors and patterns called morphs. Take some time to research all the morphs available.

Finally, is it a male or female?

This may not make a difference if only one Leopard Gecko is to be kept, but if more than one Leopard Gecko are housed together, this may be an important thing consider. Two male Leopard Geckos will fight and cannot be housed together. Multiple females will live together in harmony. A male and female pair or a harem (a male with multiple females) can also be kept Zoo Med’s Guide to Leopard Geckos

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together. Leopard Geckos have a high level of social tolerance but do not necessarily require a companion.

Morphs: There is an astonishing variety of Leopard Gecko morphs available in the reptile hobby. Each of these morphs Wild Type Leopard Gecko has its own specific genetics and traits that affect color, pattern, and even the size of Leopard Geckos. Multiple morphs can be 'mixed' or 'bred' together to make combination morphs. Due to the extensive list of Leopard Gecko morphs, only a few of the most popular will be described here.

Wild Type or Normal This is the typical form as it occurs in nature. Coloration is typically tan to medium yellow with stripes or bands of gray or lavender with black spots.

High Yellow This morph is very similar to a normal but with a higher amount of yellow pigmentation.

High Yellow Leopard Gecko photo courtesy of Steve Sykes, geckosect.com

Tangerine "Carrot Tail" This describes the varying degrees of orange coloration on a Leopard Gecko. Animals labeled as Tangerine (or "Tang" for short) will have orange as a background color as opposed to the typical light yellow color seen on normal Leopard Geckos. The intensity of the orange color may vary from a yellow-orange to nearly red on some specimens. "Carrot Tail" is a term used to describe a Leopard Gecko that has an area of orange that starts at the base of the tail. The amount of "carrot" varies from just a small band at the base of the tail to a solid orange tail.

Albino There are three strains of albinos. Albinos are generally recognized by their lack of black pigment. Having red eyes is not a requirement in Leopard Geckos to be considered albino.

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Albino Leopard Gecko

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Albinos are usually characterized by their light-colored eyes and tendency to have brownish markings on them. The three types of albino Leopard Geckos are called Tremper Albino, Rainwater Albino, and Bell Albino.

Patternless "Murphy's Patternless" Patternless Leopard Geckos may also be referred to as leucistic. They are known for their lack of pattern as adults, and as babies they Patternless Leopard Gecko photo courtesy of Steve Sykes, geckosect.com have a unique spotted appearance.

The color of a Patternless is generally yellow over the whole body. They may have orange coloring at the base of the tail.

Blizzard The Blizzard morph is patternless and white or gray in color. Blizzards are similar to the Patternless morph in appearance. They may occasionally have varying degrees of a yellow on the body. Blizzards do not have any pattern, at any stage of maturity, and do not exhibit a noticeable amount of "carrot tail" like the Patternless morph.

Mack Snow and Super Snow Mack Snows exhibit reduced or eliminated yellow and orange color with reduced banding. Mack Snows can be black and white, although some specimens show varying degrees of yellow. Super Snows are characterized by their unique, high contrast black and white pattern and their solid black eyes. This pattern does not present itself on a hatchling Leopard Gecko, but usually develops within a month or so.

Blizzard Leopard Gecko photo courtesy of Steve Sykes, geckosect.com

Super Snow Leopard Gecko

Jungle, Bold Stripe, and Reverse Stripe Jungles are characterized by their broken bands of pattern and no two are identical. A Leopard Gecko is only a true Jungle if the rings around the tail are broken. Bold Stripes appear similar to Jungles, although the dark pigment runs only along the outside ventral surface of the animal's body and Zoo Med’s Guide to Leopard Geckos

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tail. The amount of striping can vary, and some geckos will have a striped body without a striped tail and vice versa. Reverse Stripe appear similar to Bold Stripe although the darker pigment runs down the spine.

Jungle Leopard Gecko

photo courtesy of Steve Sykes, geckosect.com Hypomelanistic "Hypo" and Super-Hypo Hypomelanistic is a term used to describe the lack of dark color on non-albino Leopard Geckos. A “Hypo” Leopard Gecko displays a greatly reduced amount of dark pigment on its body, although some spots may be present. A Super-Hypo is essentially Super-Hypo Leopard Gecko a Hypomelanistic that completely lacks any spots on its body.

Enigma The Enigma morph is a very unusual morph. The genetics of this morph act as a “morph enhancer” and tends to increase the colors and patterns of other morphs.

There are a few common features Enigma Leopard Gecko which that identify Enigmas. When they hatch, their spots tend to be blotches rather than bands. Their tails are normally all white. As they grow, their spotted patterns increase and turn into speckles. Most Enigmas will exhibit spectacular orange pigmentation. For a more in depth description of the Enigma morph visit LeopardGeckoWiki. com.

Giants and Super Giants This Leopard Gecko morph affects size and can be in combination with any morph. The Super Giants are the largest Leopard Geckos, with a record weight of 156 grams and a length of nearly 12 inches.

Giant & Normal Leopard Gecko

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Handling: When handling a Leopard Gecko it is best to be seated on the floor, and let your gecko crawl through loose fingers, in hand-over-hand motion for 10 to 15 minutes per day. Never grab or hold a gecko by its tail. Pulling on a leopard Geckos tail may cause the gecko to drop its tail. Always remember to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after handling any reptile.

Enclosure: A 10 gallon terrarium will house one adult Leopard Gecko comfortably.

Zoo Med's ReptiHabitat™ Leopard Gecko Kit is a great choice because Leopard Gecko setup it comes with most of the supplies needed. A 20 gallon terrarium should be used if more than one Leopard Gecko is kept together. It is a good idea to have a screen top on your gecko’s enclosure that will prevent the gecko from escaping, support a light fixture, provide good ventilation, and keep out possible intruders such as a house cat. Live or artificial plants, rocks, logs, and hiding places can also be added for a natural looking terrarium and will provide your gecko with places to hide and climb, creating behavior enrichment.

Lighting and Heating: Leopard Geckos should be provided a temperature gradient in their tank. A temperature gradient will allow the gecko to select the temperature that best suits its needs. This can be accomplished by heating one end of the cage and allowing the other end to be cool. The warm side should be 90° F and the cool side should LF-19 Mini Combo Deep Dome Lamp Fixture™ 73°-78° F. There are many ways to heat your Leopard Gecko's enclosure. Zoo Med’s Mini Combo Deep Dome Lamp Fixture can be used with Day Light Blue™, Night Light Red™, and Moonlite™ heat bulbs. Zoo Med's Repti Therm® U.T.H. (under tank heater) pad or Zoo Med's Repti Heat Cable can also be used. Heating devices can be controlled with Zoo Med's ReptiTemp® NR-60 500R Thermostat or the ReptiTemp® Nightlight Red™ RH-4 ReptiTherm® Rheostat.

Reptile Bulb Undertank Heater

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Leopard Geckos are active at night; therefore, they do not require a UV light, but current research has shown that they may benefit from some exposure to UVB. A ReptiSun® 5.0 UVB bulb can be used for this. Leopard Geckos should be provided a 12 hour day / 12 hour night cycle.

Substrate: Sand offers the most natural substrate for sub adult and adult Leopard geckos.

Zoo Med's Vita-Sand® and ReptiSand® are good choices. Zoo Med's Excavator® Clay Burrowing Substrate can be used for a natural FS-C5 Reptisun® Compact Fluorescent enclosure and to provide fun tunnels for Leopard Geckos to enjoy. Excavator® substrate will allow XR-10 Excavator® Clay Burrowing Substrate

Leopard Geckos to dig tunnels and burrows just like they do in nature. The keeper can watch their Leopard Gecko performing natural digging behaviors. This substrate can be molded to create multilevel terraces and burrows in NT-B40 Reptihabitat™ 40 gallon setup with Excavator® and LF-25 Dual Deep Dome Lamp the Leopard Gecko’s enclosure. Make your reptiles feel like they are "at home" in their natural habitat. Excavator™ holds its shape so burrows and tunnels won't collapse. Zoo Med’s Repti Cage Carpet™ and Eco Carpet™ is always a ZM-42 Can O' safe bet for young Leopard Geckos.

Worms™ Leopard Geckos need a humid place to hide. Zoo Med’s Repti Shelter™ filled with Eco Earth® coconut fiber, New Zealand Sphagnum Moss, or Terrarium Moss™ is a good way to provide this. This humid hiding place will help prevent shedding problems and can be used by females for egg laying.

ZM-48 Can O' Pillars™

Feeding and Watering: Leopard Geckos are insectivores which make them easy to Zoo Med’s Guide to Leopard Geckos

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ZM-41 Can O' Crickets™

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feed. They will eat crickets and mealworms enthusiastically. Leopard Geckos can also be fed Zoo Med's Can O' Pillars™, Can O' Worms™, and Can O' Crickets™. Vitamins and calcium supplements are also very important. Zoo Med's Repti Calcium® and ReptiVite™ can be used to dust feeder insects.

Leopard Geckos may come from an arid environment, but they do require water. A shallow water dish with fresh water must be available at all times.

A35-8 Reptivite™

A34-8 Repti Calcium™

Health: Leopard Geckos are very hardy and tolerant of their environmental requirements, so it is unusual to have many health issues with them. With good nutrition and proper care they can live long lives; however, even with a good husbandry and diet, illness can still occur.

Impaction- Impaction is normally caused by the gecko ingesting substrates to try and make up for a dietary deficiency. Low temperatures and dehydration can cause inadequate digestion which may contribute to impaction problems. To prevent impaction, use an appropriate substrate, keep the enclosure the correct temperature, feed appropriate sized food, offer the gecko Repti Calcium® and ReptiVite™, and keep fresh water available.

Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)- Metabolic Bone Disease is the body’s inability to absorb and use calcium. This can cause bones to become soft resulting in severe deformities, broken legs, and soft jaws. MBD can be prevented by keeping the animal in a proper environment and offering the correct diet. Providing Repti Calcium® and ReptiVite™ supplements with vitamin D3 will also help prevent MBD. A UVB light bulb such as ReptiSun® 5.0 will allow a gecko to produce its own vitamin D3 to help metabolize calcium.

Shedding Problems- Shedding problems are the most likely health issue with Leopard Geckos. This is commonly from not having a humid hiding place. Leopard Geckos may get old skin stuck especially around the toes and tail tip. This can lead to circulation problems and may result in missing toes. Problems with shedding can also cause eye infections.

Zoo Med's Repti Shedding Aid works well to loosen up the old skin and can be used once a month as a preventative.

This problem is easy to prevent by increasing the humidity.

Parasites- Leopard Geckos can be affected by internal and external parasites. Symptoms of internal parasites include Zoo Med’s Guide to Leopard Geckos

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MD-31 Repti Shedding Aid

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loss of appetite, bloating, sudden weight loss, and constipation. Internal parasites may need to be treated by a veterinarian. Mites are external parasites that can affect Leopard Geckos. Keeping the cage clean and using Zoo Med’s Mite Off will normally remedy a mite infestation.

Sexual Dimorphism: Leopard Geckos have sexual dimorphism and it is easy to distinguish males from females. Males are generally larger, with broad heads. Males have two distinct bulges behind the vent at the base of the tail called hemipenes (male reproductive organs).

In addition, Males have a distinctive V-shaped row of pre-anal pores in front of the vent. As the gecko matures, they become quite prominent.

Females will not have hemipenile bulges but may have very faint preanal pores. Juvenile Leopard Geckos can be very difficult to sex until they are six to twelve months old.

Breeding:

Leopard Gecko female

Leopard Geckos are a great choice for a reptile breeding project. With all the Leopard Gecko morphs available this species can be a very fascinating project for anyone interested in genetics. Before breeding Leopard Geckos make sure the geckos are full grown, healthy and at a good weight.

It is recommended by some breeders that males be a minimum of eight months old and have a weight of 45 grams and females be a minimum of one year old and at weigh least 50 grams.

Leopard Gecko male

Mating may seem to be a violent affair with Leopard Geckos. When a male encounters a female that is ready to breed, he will begin to pursue her. He will rapidly vibrate his tail and will begin scent marking. He will begin biting her, often at the base of the tail at first. The male will then move forward a little with each bite in hopes of achieving a neck hold. This biting behavior is usually harmless to the female. The male will then curl his tail under the female’s tail and copulation will take place.

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After breeding the female Leopard Gecko will need a place to lay eggs. Zoo Med’s Repti Shelter™ makes a good nesting site. The Repti Shelter™ can be filled with Eco Earth® coconut fiber, New Zealand Sphagnum Moss, or Terrarium Moss to provide a humid place for the female to lay eggs. The female will lay her first clutch of two eggs CF3-NZ New Zealand RC-30 Repti Shelter™ within four weeks of mating.

Sphagnum Moss™ Naturalistic shelter After the first clutch she will continue to lay two eggs every two to four weeks. A female Leopard Gecko can lay up to eight clutches in a breeding season.

Incubation: Now that your gecko has laid eggs, the eggs need to be removed and placed in an incubator like Zoo Med’s ReptiBator®. When removing the eggs from the nest it is important to keep them in the same position they were laid. Place the eggs in a container with moistened media.

Vermiculite is a commonly used media to incubate reptile eggs. This can be acquired from a specialty reptile shop or at a garden center. If you purchase it from a garden center, be sure that it does not have any fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Put a small amount of vermiculite RI-10 ReptiBator® Digital Egg Incubator into the incubation container about one inch deep. Add water to the vermiculite at a ratio of 1:1 vermiculite to water by weight. Use your finger to make small indentations for each egg. Then set the eggs in place without rotating them. Cover the eggs approximately half way with some of the moist vermiculite. Now add a lid to the container and place it in the incubator.

The eggs should be incubated at 80° - 91° F. Leopard Gecko eggs have temperature determined sex. This means that the gender of a hatchling can be selected by incubating at a certain temperature. Usually eggs that are incubated at 90° F will be male and eggs incubated at 80° F will be female. If the eggs are incubated at 85° F the chances are 50/50 for either male or female. The eggs will usually hatch in 30 to 105 days. Males will generally hatch faster than females because of the higher incubation temperatures.

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CC-10 Repti Cage Carpet™

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Hatchling Care: Caring for hatchling Leopard Geckos is fairly similar to caring for sub adults and adults. They should be kept in an enclosure with the same temperatures that adults are kept at. Hatchlings should be kept on a non-particulate substrate Baby Leopard Gecko such as paper towels, newspaper, or Repti Cage Carpet™. Hatchlings shed very frequently so a humid hiding area should be provided to help prevent shedding problems. It is also very important to offer appropriate sized foods on a daily basis.

Similar Geckos: The African Fat-tailed Gecko (Hemitheconyx caudicinctus) is very similar to the Leopard Gecko. They are also a nocturnal, ground-dwelling gecko. Like Leopard Geckos Fat-tailed Geckos are members of the subfamily Eublepharinae. The Fat-tailed Gecko is native to West Africa. Their habitat is dry and arid like that of the Leopard Gecko, although, in captivity they need a higher humidity and a substrate that has sand and soil. The dietary needs of African Fat-tailed Geckos are the same as Leopard Geckos.

African Fat-tailed Geckos are also available in many color morphs and are regularly available as captive bred.

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Albino African Fat Tailed Gecko

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Summary: Leopard Geckos are an amazing pet that will make a fantastic addition to any household. Hands down, Leopard Geckos are one of the most popular reptiles available in captivity. A combination of their beauty, docile nature, and easy care make them a joy to keep. Leopard Geckos come in an unbelievable variety of colors and patterns. Captive bred Leopard Geckos can be found in pet stores, at reptile shows, and from private breeders. This book is a guide to basic Leopard Gecko care, if you think a Leopard Gecko may be the right pet for you, or if you are interested in breeding Leopard Geckos, check out these sources for more advanced information.

Books: The Herpetoculture of Leopard Geckos: by Phhilippe de Vosjoli, Ron Tremper, and Roger Klingenberg, DVM The Leopard Gecko in Captivity: By Robbie Hamper Leopard Geckos: By Friedrich Wilhelm Henkel, Michael Knothig, and Wolfgang Schmidt

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Zoo Med Leopard Gecko Products:

RC-30 Repti Shelter™ Naturalistic shelter

NT-L10 Leopard Gecko Kit

CF3-New Zealand Sphagnum Moss™

RI-10 ReptiBator® Digital Egg Incubator

CC-10 Repti Cage Carpet™

ZM-42 Can O' Worms™

ZM-48 Can O' Pillars™

EE-08 Eco Earth® Coconut Fiber Substrate

XR-10 Excavator® Clay Burrowing Substrate

ZM-41 Can O' Crickets™

MA-M Mopani Wood

WFC-30 Repti Rock Food & Water Dishes

Zoo Med’s Guide to Leopard Geckos

ZM-14 Leopard Gecko Food

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More Zoo Med Leopard Gecko Products:

MD-31 Repti Shedding Aid

Rh-4 ReptiTherm® Undertank Heater

FS-C5 ReptiSun® 5.0 UVB

WC-8 Reptisafe™ Water Conditioner

WO-18 Wipe Out 1™

HT-500R ReptiTemp® Thermostat

MR-60 Moonlite® Reptile Bulb

A35-8 Reptivite™

A34-8 Repti Calcium™

LF-19 Mini Combo Deep Dome Lamp Fixture™

NR-60 Nightlight Red™ Reptile Bulb Item #ZB-50

DB-60 Daylight Blue™ Reptile Bulb Printed In China

Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc. | 3650 Sacramento Dr. | San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Phone: (805) 542-9988 | Email: zoomed@zoomed.com

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