A proper thermal gradient is not optional — belly heat matters more than air temperature
Leopard geckos are ectotherms that regulate body temperature by moving between zones. Warm end: 88–92°F surface. Cool end: 73–76°F. Belly heat from under-tank heaters or heat cable on a thermostat is more important than overhead heat alone, as digestion depends on warmth from below.
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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.