Leopard Gecko Reptile Fang like Teeth

The leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is a crepuscular ground-dwelling lizard naturally found in the deserts of Asia and throughout Pakistan, to the northwestern parts of India. Unlike most geckos, leopard geckos possess movable eyelids. It has become a well-established and popular pet in captivity.

Leopard geckos were first described as a species by zoologist Edward Blyth in 1854 as Eublepharis macularius. The generic name Eublepharis is a combination of the Greek words Eu (good), and blephar (eyelid), as having eyelids is what distinguishes members of this subfamily from other geckos. The specific name, macularius, derives from the Latin word macula meaning "spot" or "blemish", referring to the animal's natural spotted markings.
Leopard geckos are related to many different geckos including the African fat-tailed gecko. There are five subspecies, including the nominative species: Eublepharis macularius macularius, E. m. fasciolatus (Günther 1864), E. m. montanus (Börner 1976),and E. m. smithi (Börner 1981).

The native habitat of the leopard gecko is the rocky, dry grassland and desert regions of south-Asian Afghanistan, Pakistan, north-west India, and some parts of Iran. Winter temperatures in these areas can be quite low, below 10 °C (50 °F), forcing the animals underground into semi-hibernation, called brumation, living on fat reserves. Leopard geckos are crepuscular reptiles; they are limited to the burrows during the day but become active at dawn and dusk when the temperature is favorable. These geckos are solitary, and do not usually live with other animals.

Leopard geckos feed on crickets, waxworms, mealworms, super worms, pinky mice, although these have fatty livers, and other insects. In captivity, most individuals will prefer hunting food themselves. The majority of captive leopard geckos will also refuse to eat dead prey (unless you force feed them.) Crickets are the most common food source to give them as they can hunt them in their enclosure the way they would in their natural environment. When food is scarce in the desert, they can rely on their ability to store excess fat in their tails. Sufficient calcium and vitamin D3 is also very important for their diet: How they obtain it in the wild is still unknown, although they likely receive this from their varied prey of moths, spiders, ants, and other insects. In captivity, it is near impossible to completely duplicate the diet they will have in the wild, so the most nutritious insects known are offered, usually dusted with a fine calcium powder with added vitamin D3 and sometimes gut loaded by feeding. Also, their keen sense of smell and sight allows them to search for food in the wild, they will stalk their prey just like an actual leopard will, move their tail, and then strike when they are satisfied.

Leopard geckos are large for a gecko. Hatchlings tend to be 6.5 to 8.4 cm (2.6 to 3.3 inches) in length and weighing about 3 grams while the adult geckos are about 20.5 to 27.5 cm (8.1 to 11 inches) in length and weigh about 45 to 65 grams.
Those found in the wild typically have a darker, dull, and drab coloration than those kept in captivity as pets. Those in captivity generally have an assortment of skin colors and patterns. The skin of a leopard gecko is very durable, which provides protection from the rough sand and rocky hills terrain of their dry environment. Their dorsal side is covered with small bumps, which gives a rough texture and appearance while their ventral side is thin, transparent, and smooth. Like all reptiles, leopard geckos shed their skin. In the few days before the shedding, the skin will turn color to a translucent whitish gray. Adults shed an average of once a month, while juveniles will sometimes shed twice as much. The gecko will eat its old skin after shedding, revealing a brighter colored one. There are two theories of why leopard geckos do this. One is that in the wild leopard geckos eat their shed skin so there is no trace that the leopard gecko was there. The other theory is that eating the shed skin is a means for obtaining protein and other vitamins for growth.

Leopard geckos are ectothermic. They absorb warmth and energy during the day as they are sleeping, so they can hunt and digest food at night. In addition, they have short legs, which enable them to be quick and agile while their small nails allow them to climb twigs and rocks. Leopard geckos have openings on either side of their head as ears. A tympanic membrane covers and protects it.