Did you know? Leopard geckos are great jumpers

Did you know?  Leopard geckos are great jumpers.  I witnessed my gecko jump from the floor of a standard 30x12x12 tank up to the top of the tank, 12 inches high.  It startled me at first.  Never in a million years would I have imagined this docile, slow moving gecko (our Zeus) would be able to jump that high.  Ever since that day I have not left any tank uncovered while unattended.  This serves as a warning to those that think their leopard geckos can’t get out of their uncovered terrariums. Continue reading “Did you know? Leopard geckos are great jumpers”

Did You Know? Leopard Gecko’s Sex Is Determined By Incubation Temperature

incubation temperature sexing leopard gecko nature spirit's incubator

Leopard Gecko Sex and Incubation Temperature

Did you know that leopard gecko’s sex is determined by incubation temperature?  When the eggs are incubated at higher temperatures around 88-90 degrees, you will hatch out mostly males.  When the eggs are incubated at lower temperatures around 80-82 degrees, you will get mostly females.  And lastly if the eggs are incubated at around 84-86 degrees, you will get a mix of both sexes.  While temperature sexing is mostly accurate, Mother Nature likes to play tricks against the odds sometimes.  You could hatch out a female at high temperature, just as you could hatch out a male at lower temperature.  They are rare, but it happens from time to time.

How soon can you tell a leopard gecko’s sex?

It’s rather hard to tell for sure what a leopard gecko’s sex is until they reach adulthood (1 year old).  But there are signs you can look for.  Males develop two distinct bulges early on.  Although females do develop bulges as well, sometimes they are not as distinct.

The for sure way to tell a leopard gecko’s sex is either 1) when the female starts to ovulate for the first time, which is usually during 8-12 months old, or 2) the male has matured enough to develop darkened “V” pores.  The first is obvious, males don’t go through ovulation, so they won’t have these pink circle dots on their belly.  If you see pink dots on a gecko’s belly, then that’s a female.  The darkened preanal pores is the best for sure way to tell if a leopard gecko is a male.  While females will have a V in the same area, only males will have darkened (chocolate brown/black) spots there.

How do you sell temperature sexed geckos using incubation temperature?

When a gecko is labeled to be temperature sexed, it usually means the gecko is too young to determine the sex just yet.  So the breeder has labeled a gecko as temperature sexed female or male based on their incubation temperature. Continue reading “Did You Know? Leopard Gecko’s Sex Is Determined By Incubation Temperature”

Did You Know? Leopard Geckos Do Not Urinate They Excrete Urates

leopard gecko urate feces

Did you know that leopard geckos do not urinate?  Leopard geckos are arid creatures.  In the wild, they have evolved to adapt to dry environment.  They do not urinate, they excrete urates as means of water conservation.  When urates are created, there is minimal water loss in leopard gecko’s body, while waste such as uric acid and other chemical compounds are excreted.  Urates are the soft but solid white chunks that get passed usually along with feces.  When crushed urate often turn into powdery substance.  A healthy leopard gecko should pass white urates, as yellow urates often indicate dehydration.

Can leopard geckos pass urate without feces?

Yes, you see it quite often during the breeding season when both male and females stop feeding.  They will still excrete urates without feces.  Do not be alarmed if you see a white urate by itself. Continue reading “Did You Know? Leopard Geckos Do Not Urinate They Excrete Urates”

Did You Know? Leopard Geckos Are Crepuscular

leopard geckos are crepuscular super giant tremper sunglow apollo

Did you know that leopard geckos are crepuscular?

It has long been thought that leopard geckos are a nocturnal species.  But leopard geckos have been observed to come out at fading light during dusk & dawn, the very definition of a crepuscular species.  Where as nocturnal animals only come out at night, and they shy away from light completely.  Nocturnal species also have distinct features such as very large eyes and ears so they can see & hear at night.  So the next time someone tells you leopard geckos are nocturnal, you can correct them by saying leopard geckos are crepuscular, they are most active around dusk & dawn during twilight.

What about diurnal species?

Leopard geckos are very much different from diurnal species such as iguanas, bearded dragons, and chameleons.  Diurnal species are awake during the day and sleep at night.  They bask under full spectrum sunlight, using UVB for Vitamin D3 synthesis.  They absorb light and heat through their backs.

Since leopard geckos are crepuscular, do they need basking light?

Do leopard geckos require basking light?  The answer is no. They get very limited exposure to sunlight in the wild, as they are only active during dusk/dawn and at night.  So the little UVB they get, they would get during fading light.  Leopard geckos burrow deep under ground to sleep during the day, and they wake up in the afternoon/evening to go hunt for food.  They are also able to navigate at night using natural moonlight. Continue reading “Did You Know? Leopard Geckos Are Crepuscular”