These tiny reptiles have crawled out of their rocky homes in Central Asia and made their way to a local pet store near you.
Leopard geckos are unique in the reptile world for several reasons.
First off, they are small and easy to take care of.
They come in a wide variety of different breeds called "morphs," which offer different colorings and patterns.
They are more docile and "cuddlier" than other lizards, and they sometimes live to be 20 years old.
The leopard gecko is a fun and original pet, and once you get into raising "leos," you'll become a hardcore leo fanatic quickly.
Introducing The Leopard Gecko The scientific name of the leopard gecko is "eublepharis macularius.
" This name comes from the fact that, unlike other geckos, leos have eyelids.
They live in the rocky deserts of Iran, northern India and Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
These little lizards are nocturnal.
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, scurrying all over the desert floor in search of bugs and worms to eat.
In the 1980's, these creatures were brought over by rare reptile collectors.
Since that time, they have become a common pet.
Breeders have been working on creating new and originals leopard gecko strains with interesting and unique patterns.
What makes leopard geckos really special is their "morphs.
" These are special patterns created by specifically bred genetic traits.
You can choose between different colors and patterns, and some leos' patterns change over time.
A few more things about leopard geckos...
- As mentioned before, they have eyelids.
Unlike other geckos, they can close their eyes.
But they still clean their eyes with their tongues like others do. - They make a little barking noise when excited or when fighting.
You won't hear it often, but occasionally they'll do it. - Like other lizards, their tails can detach and grow back.
This is a survival trait, and you should never pull off their tails since it's painful and the tail never quite grows back right.
But still, how many of your friends' pets can do that?