Tail thickness is one of the most reliable at-a-glance indicators of a leopard gecko's body condition
A wide, rounded tail base signals healthy fat reserves, while a thin, pencil-like tail is a warning sign of insufficient feeding, illness, or parasites and should prompt closer monitoring or a vet visit.
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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.