Gecko fact

Any heat source used for a leopard gecko should be controlled by a thermostat rather than run directly off a wall outlet

Critical to know

Quick answer: An unregulated heat mat or heat cable can overheat and cause severe burns or start a fire.

An unregulated heat mat or heat cable can overheat and cause severe burns or start a fire. A thermostat with a probe positioned at the gecko's basking surface keeps temperatures within a safe, stable range.

husbandrycritical

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.

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.