Leopard geckos are ambush predators that strike sideways at prey rather than chasing it down over distance
They typically stalk slowly, freeze, then deliver a quick lateral head strike to seize prey, a hunting style suited to their rocky, crevice-rich native habitat rather than open pursuit.
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Most active at dawn and dusk when temperatures in their native Pakistan and Afghanistan are ideal.
A widespread misconception is that the tail acts like a camel's hump storing water.
Autotomy — voluntary tail shedding — is a defence mechanism.
Unlike most gecko species which use van der Waals forces to climb smooth surfaces, leopard geckos have conventional claws.
The moveable eyelid is unusual among geckos.
Hold your gecko up to a light source and look through one ear opening — you can see light through the other side.