Slow tail wave means hunting — fast tail rattle means threat or stress
The slow deliberate side-to-side wave is a pre-strike behaviour seen when stalking prey. The rapid rattle — similar to a rattlesnake's — signals agitation or a threat display. Learning to read these behaviours helps you understand your gecko's state before handling.
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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.