Gecko fact
Leopard geckos typically sleep with their eyes closed, tucked in a hide
Good to know
Quick answer: This is possible because they have movable eyelids, unlike geckos with a fixed transparent brille that always appears open, even while resting..
This is possible because they have movable eyelids, unlike geckos with a fixed transparent brille that always appears open, even while resting.
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Leopard geckos are crepuscular, not nocturnal
Most active at dawn and dusk when temperatures in their native Pakistan and Afghanistan are ideal.
The tail stores fat reserves, not water
A widespread misconception is that the tail acts like a camel's hump storing water.
Dropped tails grow back, but never look the same
Autotomy — voluntary tail shedding — is a defence mechanism.
Leopard geckos cannot climb glass — they have claws, not sticky lamellae
Unlike most gecko species which use van der Waals forces to climb smooth surfaces, leopard geckos have conventional claws.
Leopard geckos can blink — most gecko species cannot
The moveable eyelid is unusual among geckos.
You can see through a leopard gecko's head via the ear canals
Hold your gecko up to a light source and look through one ear opening — you can see light through the other side.