Eublepharis macularius, commonly known as a leopard gecko, is a carnivorous, ground dwelling lizard belonging to the family Eublepharidae.Edward Blyth, a biologist, initially described the common leopard gecko as Eublepharis macularius in 1854. Because possessing eyelids is the principal feature that separates members of this subfamily from other giant geckos, the name ‘Eublepharis’ is a combination of the Greek words ’eu’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘blepharos’ meaning ’eyelid’.This is related to the animal’s natural speckled patterns. The stony grasslands and dry, desert regions of the Middle East, eastern, and southeastern Asia are home to these reptiles. By smelling pheromones on the skin of other common leopard geckos, males may detect their sex. Males react aggressively to other males while displaying courting behavior towards females. Leopard geckos are placid, docile, and harmless lizards that are little and lovely. They prefer to burrow in the sand on the ground and are only active at nightfall to avoid the heat of the day. Leopard geckos in the wild dwell in loose colonies. For more than 30 years, leopard geckos have been bred. They are normally solitary, although a male gecko can live alone because they can become hostile if kept in a cage with other males. Snakes, foxes, and huge reptiles are among their predators. Geckos, on the other hand, have exceptional predator-avoidance abilities and because of their leopard-like skin, they can blend in with the desert’s stony grasslands. They can hide for a long period, relying solely on fat storage in their tails. These geckos shed their skin more often than other lizards to avoid or hide from predators recognizing their smells. Because some geckos lack sticky lamella, they are unable to climb smooth vertical walls. Common leopard geckos, also referred to as polyphyodonts, can replace each of their 100 teeth every three to four months.If you enjoyed this article why not take a look about can leopard geckos eat fruit or how often do leopard geckos eat, here on Kidadl!How big do leopard geckos get when they are full grown?The body color of this reptile species, as well as the size from snout to tail, and weight, might vary. Some pet geckos grow to be only 6-7 in (15.24-17.78 cm) in length, while others grow to be 10-11 in (25.4-27.9 cm) long. Leopard geckos are about 3 in (7.62 cm) long and only a few grams in weight on average. Adult leopard gecko males are considered to be larger than females, measuring 7-11 in (17.7-27.9 cm) long and weighing 0.15-0.22 lb (70-100 g), whilst the average female leopard gecko size is 7-8 in (17.7-20.3 cm) in length and female leopard geckos weigh 0.09-0.2 lb (40-90 g). The super giant morph can grow to reach 12 in (30.5 cm) long and 0.39 lb (175 g) in weight. A healthy leopard gecko, on the other hand, weighs roughly 0.15 lb (70 g) on average.Big leopard gecko males and females can be found in a variety of breeds. Hatchling leopard geckos are little and adorable. Leopard geckos are lizards that grow quickly while they are young. This reptile takes about a year to mature into adult size. The leopard gecko pet, on the other hand, will continue to develop until it dies, like with other reptiles. They shed on a regular basis because of this. Leopard geckos can maintain their weight by keeping their tails large during the recovery process. They accomplish this by shaking their tails. Their tails are used as an emergency fat and water source during and emergency. The leopard gecko reptile will drop its tail to create distraction to flee away when confronted by a predator. The tail of a leopard gecko will gradually regrow. The leopard gecko has excellent pet qualities. They are an excellent choice for folks in search for smaller pets to keep in their homes. Adult reptiles can be housed in a long 20 gal (90.9 l) vivarium or tank.How big is a baby leopard gecko?The hatchlings are about 2-4 in (5.08-10.16 cm) in length and weigh roughly 0.14 oz (4 g). During the first six months of their lives, leopard geckos grow quickly. This reptile requires feeding on a daily basis after the first year.These lizards can continue to develop for up to 18 months after they are born, until they reach full size at one and a half years. A 10-20 gal (45.5-90.9 l) glass tank can host a newborn leopard gecko lizard. Despite their hardiness, these reptiles are more vulnerable as newborns. To survive in a smaller environment, a newborn leopard gecko can have a little plastic terrarium. Gastrointestinal (GI) impaction is a life-threatening condition that affects young geckos. When searching for insects, these lizards eat pieces of sand by accident. These lizards are unable to remove or shed their skin if they become dehydrated.When do leopard geckos reach their full size?Their size and growth rate are influenced by their living conditions, genetic features, health, and food consumption. Leopard geckos grow to their maximum size in 18-24 months on average.Leopard geckos are normally 3-4 in (7.6-10.2 cm) long when they are born. Even if this gecko weighs up to 0.11 oz (3 g), it is still considered a baby. For the first 10 months of their lives, young juvenile geckos weigh between 0.11-1.1 oz (3-30 g). At the age of 12 months, a leopard gecko matures into an adult. Weight, not age, determines sexual maturity. Leopard geckos can survive for 20 years or longer, provided their owners give them sufficient nourishment, a safe environment, and keep an eye on them for health problems.There have been reports of leopard geckos living to be 30 years old, although while this is feasible, it is uncommon. In the wild, due to predators, they have a significantly shorter lifespan. Sickness, injury can happen but can be prevented when they are kept as pets.Why is my leopard gecko not growing?There are three many reasons why a leopard gecko is not growing. It is a combination of its diet, present environment, and other miscellaneous factors.Because leopard geckos are territorial, it is best to keep only one gecko in a single tank. Instead of putting several male leopard geckos in one tank, it is preferable to house one male leopard gecko with a group of female leopard geckos. Keeping more than one leopard gecko in the same enclosure or cage slows down their growth because they may compete for food, water, and hiding spots, causing one of them to become stressed and malnourished, resulting in stunted growth. Owners have attempted to set up an all-male leopard gecko colony. But they found that the larger leopard geckos will not allow the smaller ones to drink from the dish. If kept with other geckos, they will have constant anxiety and apprehension of their surroundings, as other geckos may nip at them or annoy them when they sleep.As a result, they do not always get adequate rest. This will stifle their growth even further. The leopard gecko’s diet must have all of the important micro and macronutrients in the proper proportions per serving. The body is consuming all of the resources and using additional energy for restoring the missing tail, healing the tail, or recovering from illness. This might halt gecko growth. The digestion of the leopard gecko requires heat. As a result, a tank that has an excessively cold temperature means that the food is not digested and that immunity is harmed. Waxworms, crickets, beetles, cockroaches, and mealworms should be offered to leopard geckos. It’s important to remember that mealworms should only be given in small amounts. Because waxworms and super worms are heavy in fat, they should only be given as a treat.Before giving these insects to your gecko, make sure they’ve been gut loaded for at least 24 hours. These insects should also be coated with vitamin D3 supplements if they are juvenile geckos. Dehydration can be a reason that a reptile is refusing to eat. Always make sure that the shallow water dish is full of clear water.Ideal Diet For Optimal GrowthLeopard geckos are carnivores and opportunistic predators that may consume a wide variety of food. Geckos have good night vision, which allows them to search for insects. They mostly eat live insects.The majority of the diet of wild geckos is made up of invertebrates. They can even eat small vertebrate prey such as baby pink mice. If given the chance, they can even consume baby leopard geckos. Breeders of captive leopard geckos have reported that well fed leopard geckos do not cannibalize their young, and that cannibalism appears to occur exclusively in poorly nourished individuals. A leopard gecko’s healthy diet mainly contains crickets, mealworms, waxworms, cockroaches, tomato hornworms, phoenix worms, super worms, beetles, sow bugs, silkworms, and dubia roaches.However, over-feeding can lead to obesity. Feeding large insects to them should be avoided. The amount of feed material that a leopard gecko eats is entirely dependent on its health and age. Baby geckos, for example, can be fed every day, whereas healthy adult geckos only need food every three days. The diet of a leopard gecko is entirely made up of insects. In comparison to the diameter of their heads, hatchling and juvenile leopard geckos require smaller insects. Every other day, juveniles require meals. They require a calcium powder supplement with vitamin D3 every time they eat. The supplement container should say ‘phosphorus free’. One of the reasons a leopard gecko makes a fantastic family pet is that it can be fed by children. Simply coat the insects with calcium powder and place them in the enclosure or cage.What other factors affect leopard gecko growth?Leopard geckos are not very demanding pets, so it is not very difficult to create a housing environment for them. They can live a prolonged life as long as they are given the correct nutrients along with suitable living conditions. There are many factors affecting the growth of a leopard gecko including parasites, habitat conditions, wrong substrate, and disease.These reptiles typically prefer humid subtropical climates, meaning this must be replicated. Failing to provide a similar habitat including inadequate light, a lack of hiding places (sturdy branches, hot rocks) for security, and privacy will affect the leopard gecko’s growth as well as health. A heat gradient should be maintained in the tank. One warm side of temperature reaching 90 F (32.2 C) should be there along with the cool side reaching 75 F (23.9 C) temperature. Ensure the basking bulb is not turned up to be too bright, mostly because they prefer a cool-white light. Leopard gecko species are nocturnal. This is why the lighting should be switched off for 12 hours in the evening. During the day, the tank temperature must be between 75-90 F (23.9-32.2 C) whereas at night, it must be 65-75 F (18.3-23.9 C). 30 to 40% of humidity must be maintained, to facilitate growth, as the natural habitat of a gecko is a desert. You can get this by keeping one soaking bowl in the tank.The soaking bowl should be large enough but not too deep for the leopard gecko lizard to fit in. The wrong substrate will have a negative impact on the humidity levels. The correct reptile substrates such as shredded coconut fiber and shredded bark reptile must be used to preserve moisture and humidity for optimum growth. Diarrhea, severe weight loss, and reduced growth can be seen in a leopard gecko during a parasite attack. Calcium deficiency in a leopard gecko’s body causes a type of disease called metabolic bone disease (MBD). This results in rapid weight loss and low skeletal development. MBD can be prevented by providing calcium-rich food, UVB lighting, vitamin D3 supplements.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how big do leopard geckos get then why not take a look at how often do leopard geckos shed or crested gecko facts.
Eublepharis macularius, commonly known as a leopard gecko, is a carnivorous, ground dwelling lizard belonging to the family Eublepharidae.
