Leopard Gecko

lizard · desert · pet · Asia

Spotted like a leopard. Leopard geckos have golden or tan skin covered in dark spots and stripes that look like a leopard's markings. These pretty patterns help them blend into rocky desert ground where they live.

Desert home. These geckos come from the dry, rocky grasslands and deserts of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. They hide under rocks and in burrows during the hot day and hunt at night when it's cooler.

First pet lizard. Leopard geckos are so good at living in captivity that they became the first domesticated species of lizard. People have bred them in captivity for so long that pet leopard geckos are now super common in homes around the world.

Eyes without lids. Unlike most lizards, leopard geckos have no eyelids. Instead, they have a clear scale covering each eye that they keep clean by licking it, just like we use our eyelids.

Tail that stores food. If a leopard gecko gets scared, it can drop its tail to escape predators. The tail also stores fat that the gecko uses for energy during times when food is hard to find.