Habitat: Leopard geckos are found in Iran, Afghanistan, Western India and Pakistan. Most of today's captive bred leopard geckos are descendants of geckos imported from Pakistan. They reside in deserts and arid grasslands. In its natural environment, the leopard gecko lives under rocks or in small caves to avoid temperature extremes. Like many desert dwelling species it is most active at night, hunting insects, spiders, and small rodents as its prey.

Physical Description: Unlike other geckos, the leopard gecko and his relatives have moveable eyelids and lack the toe pads which allow other geckos to climb vertical surfaces. Leopard Geckos reach a size of 8 to 10 inches. Most adults are yellow with dark brown spots. The male geckos seem to have a broader head and neck than the female and the bodies are somewhat larger. Their ear holes (drums) are situated on the head so that if you shine a light through one ear you will see it through the other.

There is little visible sexual difference between male and female leopard geckos. The male seems to have a broader head and neck than the female and their body is usually somewhat larger. However, looking at the undersides, adult males have a prominent V-shaped row of pre-anal pores while the pre-anal pores of the female are barely noticeable. Adult males also have a wider tail base.

Diet: Insects, spiders and small reptiles

Reproduction: The female leopard gecko reproduces two eggs every time they lay eggs. The life cycle of this animal is it grows, it reproduces and then dies. When they are born they can live up to 20 years. The sex of the leopard gecko seems to be determined by the temperature at incubation. Eggs incubated between 79-83 are generally female, 84-86 are about half of each sex, and above 87 are usually male. Females can start laying eggs at 1.5 - 2 years of age

Behavior: Males will fight with other males. Most geckos are known to vocalize with a voice, an ability that is often used for territorial, self-defense and courtship behaviors. Females do not vocalize as much as the males; but they will hiss if they are disturbed. They can be fun to watch as they stalk their prey. Once they get a fix on the item, their eyes widen, their tail starts to wiggle and then they pounce! Leopard geckos skin does not come off in bits and pieces, they bite on to their skin and eat it to get vitamins from it, so there is not any skin left behind after shedding.

Status: Not threatened or endangered

Fun Facts:

	It is a nocturnal ground dwelling gecko
	Leopard geckos are one of only a few gecko species that have eyelids. This helps the gecko keep its eyes clean and particle-free in its dusty environment. Most geckos clean and moisten their eyes with their tongues. Another interesting difference in leopard geckos from most other gecko species is the absence of adhesive toe pads. Instead, they have small claws. Leopard geckos cannot climb walls or glass, although their claws give extra traction on the ground and are helpful in digging.
	Geckos store extra fat in their tail so that they can go for several months without food. To confuse predators, geckos can shed their tails. This ability is called autonomy. The wiggling tail attracts the predator, which allows the gecko time to escape. Tails are regrown with cartilage in the place of the bone.