Cedar and untreated pine shavings are avoided as leopard gecko substrate due to aromatic oils that can irritate the respiratory system and skin
Kiln-dried or specially treated reptile-safe wood products exist, but raw cedar and pine are a well-established exception to avoid.
See the full facts guide, or browse all 593 info pages.
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.