A LEOPARD CAN CHANGE ITS SPOTS

Leopard geckos are easily one of, if not the best pet reptile. Easy to care for and full of personality, these docile lizards have been celebrated as the perfect ‘first reptile’ for decades. As a new keeper, understanding heating, lighting, dietary requirements, and their impacts on health can take up a large amount of the preliminary research. As such, some of the more complex aspects of leopard gecko natural history can often be overlooked.

Leopard gecko species

There are five distinct species belonging to the Eublepharis genus. The common names for these animals will differ across the world, but essentially, this means there are five different species of leopard gecko.

The most popular leopard gecko worldwide is Eublepharis macularius. This species has several recognised subspecies, each from different locales with slightly different characteristics. For example, the E. macularius montanus is pale in its colouration with hues of blue, whereas E. macularius afghanicus has brighter yellows. Of course, with most of these subspecies only being identified in the late 70s, many of the leopard geckos in captivity today are hybridised to some extent.

Eublepharis angramainyu, sometimes referred to as the Iranian leopard gecko, is a species that absolutely dwarfs every other species of leopard gecko and ‘super giant’ morph. This species comes from the western foothills of the Zagros Mountains through Iran, Iraq and Northeast Syria and can reach up to 30cm in total length. This is almost a third larger than most E. macularius we see in pet shops. With their impressive size also comes an attitude to match. Despite leopard geckos being renowned across the world for their docile (even friendly) personas, E. angramainyu remains somewhat defensive. Analysis of stomach contents also suggests that the Iranian leopard gecko will actively feed on scorpions, solpugids and large spiders.

Although far less common than its leopard gecko cousins, this species has been bred in captivity within the last few decades. Despite their truly stunning appearance, the Iranian leopard gecko has less appeal as a ‘pet’, meaning breeders will often favour the more reliable species within the genus.

Eublepharis hardwickii is another species that has a clearly distinguished appearance. Possessing dark bands across its body, with small spots between, this is one of the most attractive looking leopard gecko species. Its native range is much more Eastern than other species and is found in forested areas in Eastern India. With heavy monsoons throughout the rainy season, the natural history of this species is clearly very distinct from its Middle Eastern cousins. Although currently considered ‘Least concern’ of the IUCN, the forested habitats of this species are under greater threat of human interference than the baron scrublands further West.

Leopard gecko natural history

Leopard geckos come from a vast area comprised of countless habitats and biomes, which contributes to their hardiness in captivity. Muhammad Sharif Khan published a paper in 2009 detailing some of the key wild observations he had made of leopard geckos (E. macularius) in Pakistan. In the paper he explains “the gecko specifically inhabits holes and crevices in stony mixed gravel terrain… that extends into the adjacent mudflats where it hunts insects and caterpillars in sparce grass and bushes in mesic to xeric sub mountain conditions.” Whilst this gives us a great idea of the type of enclosure we should create, there are limitations to captivity.

For example, in the wild, several geckos will inhabit the same cracks and crevices in loose colonies. These will be in underground holes and crevices that are organised into resting places and a lavatory (keepers will notice how their own gecko will pick a designated corner of the enclosure to use as a toilet). Whilst they rest here together, territorial disputes are extremely common. There will always be a dominant male in the group, with young rivals at a serious risk of violent disputes. This is something we should avoid by keeping a single individual, or a pair, or a small group of female geckos in captivity.

Mohammed continues: “Almost all geckos at the site come out as the sun sets and are scattered to forage individually, returning to the site one-by-one just before dawn. However, in forested sites they become semi-arboreal, (and may climb several feet) hiding beneath loose tree bark… In urban areas leopard geckos regularly colonise man-made structures… one of the favourite urban habitats are around water pipes where leaks provide moisture to the soil to keep humidity, while gaps in fillings around pipes provide resting and hideout places.”

This field research is important to consider when we look at our leopard gecko set ups. A decade ago, it was advised that we should only provide a ‘humid hide’ during the shedding process. Now, it appears beneficial for us to provide a ‘dry’ and a ‘humid’ hide continually, to provide our animals with choice.

In Pakistan temperatures and humidity can vary drastically, with seasonal monsoons bringing humidity up from a regular 40%, right up to 80%. Temperatures also generally fluctuate from 25°C in March right up to 45°C in June and July. By observing wild leopard geckos, we can see that they avoid extremities, opting to stay in their communal hides if it is too dry, cool or windy. Therefore, providing a temperature gradient as well as multiple hides with microclimates, is vital to ensuring our pet geckos have choice.

A Leopard Can Change Its Spots

Optimal leopard gecko care

Despite a broad spectrum of species and morphs, leopard gecko care is very similar across the board. Although simple to achieve, advancements in research and product development means that creating the optimal conditions to keep leopard geckos can become a rewarding challenge and one that all prospective keepers should aim for.

Being such popular pets for such a long time, leopard gecko husbandry can be a bit of a mine field for prospective keepers. Advancements in our understanding of keeping these animals means that there is a lot of outdated information circulating the internet. Furthermore, leopard geckos are extremely hardy and will survive in even the most basic of set ups, meaning keepers can be seemingly successful with a sub-standard set up and advice from over a decade ago. Some of the key advancements in research for leopard gecko owners old and new are as follows:

Lighting: Provide UVB. Despite being crepuscular animals, leopard geckos benefit from UVB not only because it helps them synthesise D3, but it regulates their circadian rhythm (helping them distinguish between day and night). They require only a small amount (Ferguson zone 1) but without it, you are essentially blocking out the sun entirely.

Substrate: With the correct calcium, vitamins and minerals there is almost no risk of impaction as they will not actively seek out nutrients from sand. If you have mastered the vitamin and lighting side of things and are confident you have a happy and healthy gecko, try to provide natural substrates. Leo Life is an excellent one, designed specifically for leopard geckos.

Enclosure: A glass or wooden vivarium is excellent. A plastic container or fish tank might be suitable for a temporary or juvenile tank but should never house the animal its entire life. For most adult reptiles, bigger is always better. A 3-foot vivarium is a great size to aim for and will provide a forever home.

Diet: Wild leopard geckos will typically prey on grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, scorpions and centipedes. As they reach maturity, they’ve been reported to also eat thread snakes, newborn mice and bird nestlings. In captivity we can now replicate this with specialist vacuum-packed insects from ProBugs and ‘pinkie’ mice. The fat and protein content of specialist foods can be extremely high, but variety provides enrichment, so rotating feeder insects occasionally and providing a ‘treat’ every few months is beneficial in many ways.

Supplements: Supplements are key to the health of reptiles and amphibians in captivity. A recent paper suggests that gut-loading insects with beta-carotene can lead to higher hepatic vitamin-A concentration in leopard geckos. Vitamin-A is crucial to protecting geckos from some of the more common health issues faced in captivity. Therefore, a calcium and multivitamin should be used to dust prey items, but gut-loading insects is absolutely the best way to ensure their nutritional value is of the highest quality and thus, ensure healthier animals.

Scepticism: Ultimately, there will be people who disagree. People have and do breed leopard geckos effectively in plastic tubs with a single heat mat. Much of the discourse around these conditions is a tapestry of misinformation, commerciality, and stubbornness but all of it is rooted in some element of truth. Geckos can survive without UV, paper towels are easier to clean, impaction does happen under the wrong conditions. We should not let these prevent us from providing the very best conditions for a leopard gecko, which is one that simulates the lowland arid deserts of Southwest Asia best.