Scientific Name: Eublepharus maculariusThe Leopard Gecko has been a readily available pet for severalyears now. They are normally a very mellow and inquisitive geckowhich makes them great pets. They are fairly low maintenance tooand can even recognize their keeper.Description: Though the Leopard Gecko has been bred intoseveral different types of morphs (albino, tangerine, etc.) youaverage Leopard Gecko looks as you might guess from its name – asunny yellow with brown, dark purple, or black spots.Unlike most geckos, they do not have sticky feet and are grounddwellers. When healthy, they have a very plump tail about the samewidth as their stomach, tapering off to a tip. They can also losetheir tails (even just segments of it) and it will regenerate.Regenerated tails have a smoother appearance and tend to beslightly shorter than the original. Their fat tails serve as a backup supply of nutrition. So when food is not accessible their bodieswill start to use up the fat stored in the tail. This is one waythat helps them survive in their native wild.My male leopard gecko, Jack, was nearly starved to death by hisprevious owner. He was an adult when I got him, but his legs wereas thin as tooth picks and his tail wasn’t much better.Food: The Leopard Gecko is a hardy eater. Itseems many people feed their Leos strictly on mealworms, but thisis not recommended as a healthy diet not only due to the lack ofvarious nutrients, but because a diet of just mealworms can be veryfattening. An obese Leo is not a good thing.I recommend a diet with dusted crickets as the staple, feedingmealworms and waxworms on the side.3-4 crickets twice a week is fine for an adult. Juveniles need toeat a bit more frequently because they are growing.Waxworms and mealworms are especially good for weight gain andbreeding females.Tank Setup: The Leopard Gecko comes from areasof the Mid-East like Pakistan and Iraq, so sand makes a goodsubstrate for adults. Sand should be avoided with babies, however,due to the risk of impaction (the sand accidently being swallowedand getting stuck in the geckos intestines). Alternatives to sandinclude reptile carpets and paper towels.They will need a heat lamp on one end of the tank to keep theirtemps between 80 and 85 degrees. They also need a water bowl andfood bowl (for the waxworms and mealworms).A nice hollow cave or log will make a comfortable bed a nd retreat.Bedding this with a bit of moist moss is a great way to promotehealthy shedding. This, however, is the only place that should bekept moist except for an occasional misting of the tank (I only dothis every month or so). Too much humidity for these arid geckoscould lead to respiratory problems.
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