Leopard Gecko Adaptations - I

This post is not a care sheet but rather a look at the adaptations of the Leopard Gecko which will hopefully provide an insight into how to appropriately care for your animal in accordance to its evolutionary adaptations to its environment.


Quick Description


Leopard Geckos can live up to 20+ years if taken care of properly, and reach an adult size of 7-10 inches in length. Most adults are yellow to greenish yellow with a white and grey banded tail and dark brown to black spots.

Hatchlings are generally yellow with large black blotches on their backs which fade into the spotted pattern as they mature. Their colouring is to blend in with their natural habitat and to camouflage themselves from predators.


Gecko Toes and Eyelids


Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularis) are a nocturnal and largely crepuscular species They originate from the desert areas of Pakistan, Western India, Afghanistan, Iraq and parts of Iran. They have a number of specialised adaptations to thrive in their environment including claws instead of pads, suitable for walking on land, allowing them to gain more traction from the desert floor and allow them to more effectively manoeuvre around their environment enabling them to efficiently clamber over low level debris such as rocks and shrubs. The added traction is also useful when fleeing from a predator. Eyelids are another specialised adaptation which is not commonly seen in the gecko community. These eyelids have a row of raised scales which act as eye lashes which aid to protect the animals’ eyes from sand particles that may be kicked up by wind.


Sand as a Substrate?


When housing a Leopard Gecko it is strongly advised to avoid sand as a substrate as sand poses the threat of impaction. Although Leopard Geckos come from an arid environment, they naturally live in scrubland which has a hard baked surface with only a very fine sprinkling of sand making it virtually impossible for the Leopard Gecko to get a mouth full of sand in the wild. For this reason the Leopard Gecko has not evolved the appropriate adaptations to shift sand from its system after accidental ingestion in a captive environment, which unfortunately has resulted in many deaths. The gecko may consume the sand by many different means including, hunting, general investigation (licking) or intentional ingestion. The Leopard Gecko will intentionally consume its substrate in an attempt to increase its blood calcium levels if these levels are low, this highlights the importance of correct supplementing. Death is caused by sand clogging up the geckos´ intestines and, if severe enough, can rupture the intestinal wall. Some sands claim to be digestible, the Leos stomach is simply too small to fully digest the sand and impaction can certainly still occur. Calci sand is often debated as one of the worst makes of sand available on the market for reptiles as this form of sand actually encourages the animal to consume it, exponentially increasing the risk of impaction. Play sand is also another brand claiming to be safe due to the grains being small and ´apparently´ easier to pass through the body, but in reality there is no such thing as safe sand. Although there has been some success when using sand as a substrate I would not recommend it for this reason, nor would I recommend any loose substrate for that matter. Commonly used alternative substrates include slates, tiles reptile cage carpet and even paper towel.


Food and Supplementing


In the wild Leopard geckos are opportunist hunters meaning that they will not actively seek out food but will eat as they see the opportunity to do so. This behaviour can work against them in a captive environment as they are prone to obesity as a result of being over-fed (and usually under exercised), this may lead to future health problems. A Leopard Geckos ´wild´ diet consists of a variety of insects, small lizards, small mammals and bird eggs. Most owners feed their gecko on exclusively one species of insect, I however prefer to offer a variety to increase the nutritional intake of the animal.

Insects available for the leopard gecko include:
Crickets (Black and Brown species)
Mealworms
Silkworms
Locusts
Cockroaches
Phoenix worms
Wax Worms
Pinky Mice

Wax worms should be fed only as an occasional treat as they are very fattening, can become addictive and do lack in nutrition, they are the equivalent of junk food. Pinky mice are typically fed to breeding females for the protein, calcium and fat content.

A varied diet would be much more beneficial to the gecko than just feeding it one species of insect. Insects should also be gut-loaded 24-48 hours prior to being fed to the gecko to increase their nutritional value. Insects can be fed on a variety of foods including: Prickly pears, Mustard greens, Carrots, Squashes, Apples, Spring greens, Potato peal, dog/cat biscuits, fish food flakes (preferably tropical) etc...

Fruit and vegetables which should be avoided include acidic/citrus fruits (e.g. orange, lemon, tomato) as these foods cause diarrhoea in the insects resulting in dehydration. Other foods to avoid are spinach and broccoli which are calcium binders.

Foods like Carrots, squashes and mustard greens are rich in beta-carotene which is converted into vitamin A within the body, something that the insects naturally lack.

Vitamin D3 is irradiated by sunlight and essential for the absorption and secretion of calcium and phosphorus. Calcium works with phosphorus and is the 5th most abundant mineral in the body. It is a primary structural of bone mineral and responsible for developing the rigidity of bone and teeth, blood clotting and the transmission of nerve impulses. The Ca:P ratio is extremely important and should 2:1. There are supplements available which will provide you with this ratio. Many species of reptiles require calcium supplements, particularly gravid females as the formation of eggs within their bodies requires a lot of calcium. If the animal were to be deprived of this mineral the body would extract calcium from the bones causing deformation within the skeleton. This is called Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and can be fatal if not treated. Vitamin D3 in conjunction with calcium supplements may help to prevent this disease. When supplementing the gecko it is important to be aware that over supplementation can cause toxicity, so over supplementing is just as bad as under supplementing.


Continued in next post....