06/01/2026
Wildlife Wonderings
The Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Our guest reptile for today's Wildlife Wonderings on Wednesday, June 3, is from the Middle east. Let's give a big welcome to the Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius). This saurian is a ground-dwelling gecko native primarily to the rocky dry grassland and desert regions of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. It is a popular pet, and due to extensive captive breeding it is smetimes referred to as the first domesticated species of lizard.
There are five subspecies of E. macularius: Eublepharis macularius afghanicus, Eublepharis macularius fasciolatus, Eublepharis macularius macularius, Eublepharis macularius montanus, Eublepharis macularius smithi.
The native habitat of the Leopard Gecko includes the rocky, dry grassland, and desert regions of south-Asian Afghanistan, Pakistan, northwest India, western Nepal, and some parts of Iran. Leopard Geckos inhabit arid and semi-arid areas with sparse vegetation and clay or sandy soils, as well as rocky habitat where crevices can be used as shelter. They reportedly avoid areas where the primary substrate is sand. Leopard Geckos may also be found in arid forests of Nepal and Pakistan, and are reported to shelter under loose bark of trees in these environments. Winter temperatures within the range of the Leopard Gecko can be quite low, below 50 °F, forcing the animals underground into semi-hibernation, called brumation, living on fat reserves.
Leopard Geckos are opportunistic predators that eat a variety of prey items. Invertebrates are presumed to make up the majority of wild geckos' diets, but they will also eat small vertebrate prey if given the opportunity, including mouse pups, smaller reptiles, and even hatchling Leopard Geckos. Breeders of captive Leopard Geckos report that sufficiently fed Leopard Geckos will not cannibalize young, and that the cannibalistic behavior appears to take place only in poorly fed animals.
Leopard Geckos are small lizards that derive their name from their spotted coloration. Hatchlings are on average 7-10 cm (2.8-3.9 in) in length and weigh about 2-5 grams. Adult females are about 18-20 cm (7.1-7.9 in) in length and weigh about 50-70 grams, while adult male geckos are about 20-28 cm (7.9-11.0 in) in length and weigh about 60-80 grams.
Unlike many other species of geckos, Leopard Gecko toes do not have adhesive lamellae, so they cannot climb smooth vertical walls.
In the wild, Leopard Geckos live for an average of 4.9 years, while in captivity they can live for more than 20 years with the proper care.
Leopard geckos are polyphyodonts and able to replace each of their 100 teeth every 3 to 4 months. Next to the full grown tooth there is a small replacement tooth developing from the odontogenic stem cell in the dental lamina.
Leopard Geckos have distinctly thick tails that store fat; similar to the way in which camels' humps serve as reservoirs of fatty tissue, the fat stored in the tails of Leopard Geckos acts as an energy reserve that the geckos can use as nourishment if there is not an available food supply. When hunting, a Leopard Gecko may lift its tail in a twitching or wagging motion as it approaches its prey; after the gecko eats its prey, the tail will then return to a relaxed position.
Like most geckos, Leopard Geckos have an ability called autotomy: their tails can regenerate when lost; however, the regenerated tails appear stumpy and never have the same appearance as the original tail.
Leopard Geckos typically breed in the summer. Females can store s***m over the course of their breeding season, and produce up to three clutches from one or two copulations. Females can lay about six to eight clutches of two eggs; eggs are laid approximately 21 to 28 days after mating. The average amount of time it takes for a newborn to hatch is anywhere between 35 and 89 days, although it is usually closer to the latter. Baby Leopard Geckos will have an "egg tooth," a calcareous tip at the end of its snout to help break their egg shell. Their "egg tooth" will fall off within one to two days. In addition to this, their skin will usually shed within 24 hours of hatching. The Leopard Gecko hatchling will not be able to eat until after the first shedding.
For more information about these fascinating creatures, join us in the Nature Center at 12 p.m. on June 3. Our resident Leopard Gecko "Skittles" is looking forward to meeting you in person!
