Getting to Know the Wonderful Leopard Gecko

PetsExotic Animals

  • Author Michael Corben
  • Published November 18, 2010
  • Word count 528

Leopard gecko being a lovable lizard is quickly dominating the world of reptile lovers. This is not hard to understand because leopard geckos are unique in the reptile world for various reasons. First off, these wonderful lizards are small and they are very easy to raise and take care of. You can choose from a wide variety of different breeds called "morphs". Leopard gecko morphs come in different colors and patterns. Leopard geckos are more docile and "cuddlier" as compared to other lizards, and their life expectancy would reach up to 20 years provided that proper care is exercised.

These tiny lovable lizards are nocturnal. This means that they are more active during the night. During the daytime, they sleep beneath whatever cover they can find. This usually means rock outcroppings or natural burrows in the ground. At night, they come alive, crawling all over the desert floor searching for bugs and worms to eat.

What makes leopard geckos more special is their "morphs." Morphs are special patterns which resulted from breeding genetic traits. You can choose from variety of colors and patterns, and some leos' patterns change over time.

Leopard geckos shed off their skin regularly. To make shedding easy for them, keeping them in a moist habitat is very important. Sometimes shedding their skin around the eyes is difficult for the gecko. And take note that completing the shedding process in the eye area is very crucial because unshed skin in these areas may lead to leopard gecko blindness.

Although leopard geckos are tough, they need to be handled gently. Remember that leopard geckos are tiny creatures. They consider anything which is larger than them as leopard gecko predators. If you do not exercise extra care in handling these pets, they can be threatened. This may be very stressful to your pet. Stress can be detrimental to their health. As an owner, the least thing that you would want your gecko to experience is to get stressed. Therefore it is important for you to know how to handle your gecko properly to avoid any unwanted stress.

Another amazing thing about leopard geckos is that they have eyelids which allow them to close their eyes. Thus, unlike other geckos, leopard gecko sleeps with their eyes closed. This is one of their distinctive characteristics because other geckos do not have eyelids. Thus they do not have the capability to close their eyes. But similar to other geckos, leos can still clean their eyes using their tongue. This is what makes them different from other varieties of gecko. They produce a little barking sound when they are excited or when they are fighting. You won't hear it very often, but occasionally leopard geckos do it. Similar to other lizards, leopard geckos has the capacity to detach their tail from their bodies. This is their defense mechanism when threatened.

Listed above are just some of the many wonders of a leopard gecko. You will never experience it all unless you own one. So if you are one of those reptile fanatics, you may want to consider raising a leopard gecko and discover a lot of wonderful things about this lovable lizard.

Michael Corben aims to help people who wish to learn more about Leopard Geckos and how to provide the best care. If you’d like to learn more on leopard gecko pets, visit [http://www.mygeckosecrets.com](http://www.mygeckosecrets.com)

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