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This page is about the prevalent Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)


  • The Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is a crepuscular ground-dwelling lizard found in the deserts of Asia and throughout Pakistan, to the north-western parts of India. Unlike most geckos though Leopard Geckos possess movable eyelids. It has also become a well-established and popular pet in captivity.
  • The Leopard Geckos native habitat is the rocky, dry grassland and desert regions of south-Asian Afghanistan, Pakistan, north-west India, and some parts of Iran. Winter temperatures in these areas can fall to lower than 10 °C (50 °F), forcing the animals underground into semi-hibernation, called brumation, and living on fat reserves. Leopard geckos are crepuscular reptiles; they are limited to the burrows during the day but become active at dawn and dusk when the temperature is favourable.
  • Leopard geckos are large for a gecko. Hatchlings tend to be up to 8.4 cm (3.3 inches) in length and weighing about 3 grams while the adult geckos can grow up to 27.5 cm (11 inches) in length and weigh about up to 65 grams.
  • Leopard geckos are ectothermic. They absorb warmth and energy during the day as they are sleeping, so they can hunt and digest food at night. In addition, they have short legs, which enable them to be quick and agile while their small nails allow them to climb twigs and rocks. Unlike many other geckos, but like other Eublepharis, their toes do not have adhesive lamellae, so they cannot climb smooth vertical walls.
  • Like all reptiles, leopard geckos shed their skin. In the few days before the shedding, the skin will turn colour to a translucent whitish grey. Adults shed an average of once a month, while juveniles will sometimes shed twice as much.[9] The gecko will eat its old skin after shedding, revealing a brighter coloured one.

    Click HERE for a Leopard Gecko care sheet.