Leopard Gecko — Tangerine

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the arid desert highlands, rocky steppes, and grasslands of the Middle East, spanning from northern Pakistan, northwestern India, into Afghanistan. They are terrestrial and crepuscular, hiding in cool, damp crevices during the day and emerging at dusk.

Taxonomy and Genetics: A robust lizard reaching 20-25 cm in length. The 'Tangerine' is a highly popular polygenic selection that replaces the standard yellow background coloration of the wild-type leopard gecko with bright, glowing neon orange or deep tangerine pigments. Unlike most geckos, they possess movable eyelids and lack adhesive toe pads, having claws instead.

Behavior and Habits: Docile, calm, and curious, making them highly popular in the hobby. They have crepuscular and nocturnal habits, navigating using acute vision and scent. The thick tail serves as a vital fat reserve, allowing them to survive periods of food scarcity.

Morphology: Sexual dimorphism is distinct in mature individuals. Males are generally larger with broader heads. Under closer inspection, males exhibit a prominent V-shaped row of preanal pores and visible hemipenal bulges at the base of the tail, which are absent or undeveloped in females.

Terrarium Setup: A low, wide glass terrarium (minimum 80x45x45 cm) is recommended. Substrates can range from dry clay-sand mixes to paper towels for quarantine. The enclosure must feature at least three hides: one in the warm zone, one in the cool zone, and a humid hide filled with damp moss to facilitate proper shedding.

Lighting and Heating: Provide heat from below using a thermostat-controlled heat mat or tape over 1/3 of the floor, set to 30-32°C. The ambient temperature should range down to 24°C on the cool side, with a night drop to 20°C. Low-level UVB (e.g. 5-7%) is highly beneficial for calcium metabolism.

Humidity and Hydration: Keep ambient humidity low, between 30% and 40%. A shallow water dish with fresh water must always be present. The humid hide must be kept damp to prevent incomplete sheds, which can constrict blood flow to toes and tail tips, leading to necrosis.

Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly insectivorous. Feed on a variety of live insects, such as crickets, dubia roaches, and mealworms. Dust feeder insects with pure calcium at most feedings, and use a combined calcium + D3 and multivitamin powder once or twice a week.

Compatibility: Solitary animals. Males must never be housed together as they will fight to the death. While a male can sometimes be kept with multiple females in large enclosures, keeping them housed individually is the safest and most successful approach.

Health and Common Diseases: Watch for metabolic bone disease (MBD), characterized by soft, bent limbs due to lack of calcium. A severely thinned tail ('stick tail') indicates malnutrition or parasites like Cryptosporidium. Handle gently to prevent autotomy, where the gecko drops its tail.