If you are looking for a lizard that would make an excellent pet you will find it in the Leopard Gecko. The Leopard Gecko is a hardy and beautiful Lizard that can become very docile when handled even somewhat regularly.

The Leopard Gecko is extremely well known for being a good pet to those who have never owned a lizard before in that it does not require an extreme amount of maintenance. The Leopard Gecko can make an excellent pet for both children and adults alike. In the wild they live in mountainous regions, typically at high elevation of around 7000 feet. The Leopard Gecko comes out of its rocky hiding place at dusk to hunt, but because of its evasive hiding pattern and tendency to dwell in these rocky environments they are not too easy to spot in the wild. In captivity it is important to try to mimic their natural environment as much as possible. For this reason providing decorative rocks and other hiding places is strongly recommended. An adult Leopard Gecko can be kept in a terrarium as small as 10-gallons, thus they do not take up extreme amounts of space. For substrate, paper towels, newspaper, and astro-turf are good substrates, because they aren't accidentally ingested like sand, wood shavings, and wood chips may be. If a Leopard Gecko ingests too much substrate, even the "digestible" substrates, they can cause impaction, which is fatal in some cases. It is important to note that adult males should not be kept together due to aggressive behavior. It has been reported that baby Leopard Geckos should not be housed in cages with logs that have small holes in them because the might climb in them and get stuck. A number of females and one male can be kept together when adequate space and plenty of hiding spots are provided. If you take good care of your Leopard Gecko they can live as long as 20 years, though the average lifespan is between 10 and 15 years.

One of the most distinguishing features of a Leopard Gecko is its thick tail, where water and fat are stored. Male Leopard Geckos tend to be stockier than the female Leopard Geckos with a wider and larger head as well. When a female Leopard Gecko is gravid you can actually see the eggs developing in her. Both male and female Leopard Geckos reach an average length of no more than 10 inches. When they hatch, a Leopard Gecko typically has a black-banded pattern on their skin. As they reach about one month old the bands begin to break up into spots. The background color of a Leopard Gecko's skin varies. Their body is typically a variation between purple and yellow stripes with a purple tail but it is not rare today to see Leopard Geckos with yellow, orange, tangerine, purple, blue, aqua, or even patternless skin. In a patternless Leopard Gecko there are no spots. This should not be confused, however, with the albino Leopard Gecko who is an off shade of yellow. Because Leopard Geckos are such a popular breeding lizard you can now find new and unusual patterns. If you are looking for a Gecko that comes in a variety of different looks, the Leopard Gecko is definitely something to look into.

The Leopard Gecko is native to Pakistan, Eastern Iran, Afghanistan, and Northwest India.

Leopard Geckos do require a terrarium set up to accommodate their temperature needs since they are a cold-blooded species. The best method of controlling temperature is to put a reptile heat pad underneath half of the terrarium. The temperature will then average 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit on one side and 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit on the other side. Humidity is easily maintained by spraying the tank with water on a bi-weekly basis. It is important not to get the tank too wet as this can cause health problems. Low humidity is better than too much. Hide boxes should be placed on both sides of the terrarium so that the Gecko has an opportunity to adjust its body temperature as desired.

Leopard Geckos should be fed daily in their first few weeks of life. For a young Leopard Gecko small crickets covered with calcium supplement is ideal. In older Leopard Geckos cricket size can increase, they can eat wax worms, crickets, mealworms, and pinkies. It is recommended that insects be gut-loaded before feeding. Some hobbyists suggest that the Leopard Geckos be given food that is supplemented with calcium to help insure healthy bones in this animal. Water should be placed in a solid, low dish. Tall dishes may be easily spilled.

Leopard Geckos do relatively well breeding in captivity. Generally, they reach sexual maturity at two years of age. A male placed with a number of females is capable of fertilizing eggs in many of them. When it is apparent that she is gravid the female should be supplied with a nest box. The floor should be covered in sphagnum moss and holes large enough for her to enter should be cut in the side. Leopard Gecko eggs usually come one or two to a clutch and the female will typically lay a clutch two to five times a year. Incubation ranges from 39 to 60 days and hatchlings weigh an average of 3.6 grams.

As with most reptiles, the incubation temperature determines sex in Leopard Geckos. Eggs incubated at 80 degrees Fahrenheit will be mostly female and those incubated at 87 to 90 degrees most will be male. A temperature of 85 degrees should give nearly equal numbers of male and female offspring. If a female hatches who was incubated at the "male temperatures", she will generally not be suitable for breeding and have a typically more aggressive disposition.