Leopard geckos have quickly become one of the most beloved modern pets due to their low maintenance requirements and adorable charm. These little reptiles are charming companions and responsive to handlers, making it possible to train them as early as age 3 to interact with people and vice versa! The best guide to finding Geckos for sale.
Producing a black leopard gecko requires breeding two hypermelanistic parents together who should also be compatible.
Health
Eublepharis lizards include black leopard geckos. Breeding these reptiles can be challenging due to male territoriality; therefore, if you plan on owning multiples, it’s recommended that they each live in their habitats to ensure females don’t fall pregnant from other males and ensure they are cared for by both parents.
Like many reptiles, black leopard geckos may develop certain health conditions that may become life-threatening if not addressed immediately. Without immediate treatment, these issues may even result in death for these reptiles.
Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) in leopard geckos can occur due to inadequate calcium and vitamin D3. Like rickets, MBD softens bones, causing them to soften over time and resulting in deformed jaws, making movement and eating impossible. Providing sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D3, together with low-intensity UVB lighting solutions, can prevent this problem.
Gastronomic parasites can also present health challenges to black leopard geckos, leading to poor growth, weight loss, inappetence, and diarrhea. In comparison, some parasites can be treated with medication alone or through veterinary visits and even potentially euthanasia procedures.
Dysecdysis, or abnormal skin shedding in leopard geckos, is increasingly prevalent. Poor diet and humidity levels, and substrates such as sand restrict water uptake can trigger this condition. Geckos with dyssecdysis often show dry patches on their head, eyes, and toes, which gradually constrict blood flow and eventually result in severe eye problems.
Black leopard geckos may develop tail autotomy, in which their tail drops as a defense mechanism against predators. To prevent this condition from arising, never handle them by their seat, and don’t feed insects that glow or contain pesticides; also, try getting used to being touched before attempting to grab their seat. If you notice your gecko has lost its tail, gently reattach it!
Care
Black leopard geckos require relatively minimal care compared to other reptiles yet still require specific consideration for successful captive life. Creating the ideal environment requires at least a 10-to-20 gallon enclosure with a lid to prevent escapes, reptile carpet or paper towel as substrate (sand can cause impaction issues in geckos), as well as anything they might ingest, which may clog their intestinal tract and result in severe infections.
Water and humidity are essential components for Leos. A shallow water dish must always be available, along with a humid hide filled with damp moss or similar material to provide the appropriate microclimate for shedding. Regular monitoring will help ensure their habitat conditions stay within acceptable ranges.
Black leopard geckos should eat an insectivorous diet similar to that found in nature to stay healthy. Mealworms and crickets should be gut-loaded before feeding to contain all necessary vitamins and minerals, with waxworms or superworms making up part of their daily meals as protein sources but should only make up part of their regular meal plan.
Like all reptiles, black leopard geckos are vulnerable to various diseases and illnesses due to improper care or habitat setup. Common issues include bacterial dermatitis, retained skin (dysecdysis), respiratory infections, and more severe problems like cancer. Ensuring the terrarium is regularly cleaned and disinfected and checking for signs of illness can help keep these issues at bay.
Black leopard geckos thrive with a high-quality diet, suitable habitat, and regular maintenance. Keep an eye out for signs of illness such as loss of appetite, mucous accumulation in the nose, abnormal feces, and bumps or sores on the skin – should any such issues arise, please seek medical advice immediately from your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.
Diet
Leopard geckos are insectivorous lizards that feed on insects, spiders, and small vertebrates. When kept captive, however, their diet must be supplemented and varied to receive all the necessary nutrition – the most popular sources being fruits, vegetables, mealworms, dubia roaches, waxworms, hornworms, and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). When offering to your gecko, proper preparation must occur by feeding them a premium nutrient-rich diet for 24-48 hours beforehand – the gut loading process should occur before offering directly. To provide further nutrition, it may also dust-feed insects with vitamins and minerals for an increased food source!
Additionally, we recommend supplementing their staple diet with additional sources of protein such as apples, dark leafy greens (mustard, collard greens, kale, and spinach), squash sweet potato carrots, alfalfa baby rice cereal oatmeal or wheat germ to provide more variety for their gecko’s diet and prevent boredom with their meal plan. Doing this will keep them entertained with their food source while creating a more complete and varied diet for their gecko.
Some breeders may offer their leopard geckos the occasional newborn mouse or “pinky” mouse for breeding females to help regain weight after laying eggs. These treats should only be included as occasional treats because their high-fat content could prove unhealthy over time.
Leopard geckos typically devour their food within minutes of placing it into their tank, as any longer and it may lose interest and begin rejecting it, which can be an indication of being sick or having metabolic conditions; veterinarians can then assess what the appropriate treatment will be.
Breeding
Leopard geckos are popular pet lizards for a good reason: their care requirements are easy and enjoyable for people of all ages while breeding these reptiles is relatively straightforward and quick. Breeding processes are exciting and rewarding experiences; breeders should ensure their environments meet all necessary specifications to produce healthy offspring quickly. The breeding process can be rewarding but requires planning.
Before breeding leopard geckos, it’s essential to understand genetic inheritance. Some morphs carry recessive traits, and mixing specific genotypes could result in health problems or deformities; generally speaking, it is wise to breed geckos of similar appearance and coloration for optimal breeding success.
Breeders of black leopard geckos must be able to distinguish male from female geckos easily, with males showing visible hemipenile bulges near their tails that expel waxy substances during territorial marking attempts by male gecko species. Breeders can also observe pre-anal pores that feature more prominent hollow rows for male leopard gecko species that allow them to excrete wastes into the environment through their cloaca, while female leopard geckos typically do not.
Black leopard gecko breeding season typically begins around springtime when air temperatures and daylight hours increase. At this time, provide your geckos with an enclosure large enough for them to become comfortable with the warmer climate before mating pairs can be introduced into it.
Black leopard geckos typically come in three distinct morphs: Tangerine, carrot tail, and jungle savanna. Tangerine geckos have orange coloring, while carrot tails and jungle savanna geckos exhibit more varied patterns and shades. Each has distinct characteristics that differentiate them from one another; for instance, tangerines have more heavily marked bodies than their peers, while their patterns aren’t symmetrical as often.
