Leopard geckos are popular pets due to their calm temperament, ease of care, and size. What people tend to love about them the most, though, is how cute they are. If you don’t already think that lizards are adorable, some of these may change your mind! Some leopard geckos are so colorful and beautifully patterned, they look painted.
The leopard gecko is native to Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and northwest India. They like dry climates. Today, they are the most common pet lizards and have been kept as pets for more than three decades.
These lizards got their name in the wild due to their light yellow bodies with black spots. The leopard geckos kept as pets today mostly come from selective breeding in captivity.
What Is a Leopard Gecko Morph?
What Is a Leopard Gecko Morph?A leopard gecko morph is a variation in the lizard’s size, color, pattern, pigment, or eye color. Some of these morphs happened through random mutations, but a large number of morphs have been purposely bred through selective breeding.
The list of morphs is always growing. New colors and patterns are being created all the time. Some morphs are easy to find through breeders or even at your local pet store. Other morphs are considered rare, though. Today, we look at seven of the rarest leopard gecko morphs and what makes them so unique.
The 7 Rarest Leopard Gecko Morphs
1. Black Night Leopard Gecko
The black night leopard gecko morph is one of the rarest morphs that you can own in captivity. This morph was bred for their coloring. They are hypermelanistic, meaning they have an excess of melanin in their skin. This gives them their dark coloring, making them a highly sought choice for a pet. Some can be spotted, but most are solid black with white bellies. They’re calm and happy lizards. Due to their rarity, they come with a hefty price tag. You can expect to pay between $1,200–$4,000 for one of these morphs.
2. Bell Albino Leopard Gecko
The bell albino leopard gecko is the current newest strain of albino leopard geckos, as new color patterns are always appearing. The eyes of this lizard make it different from other albinos due to their light pink color. Their bodies appear to be lavender in color and are usually covered in brown spots. Since they do produce a bit of pigment, they’re amelanistic and do not experience true albinism. The patterns on the bell albino leopard gecko are vibrant and noticeable against their light skin. You can find these morphs selling for $200–$500.
3. Dreamsicle Leopard Gecko
A dreamsicle leopard gecko may not be ice cream, but they can be just as sweet! These morphs have white bodies with orange-spotted patterns and red eyes. Their spots can vary in color from yellow to red. This color scheme is produced by breeding several morphs together, and this can be a difficult process. Even so, they’re not as expensive as some other morphs, costing $100–$200.
4. Eclipse Leopard Gecko
The eclipse leopard geckos have solid black eyes due to a recessive trait in breeding. This morph first appeared randomly in 2004. Eclipse morphs are being used now to create specific eye colors through breeding. They can be bred with other morphs to create eyes that are solid red. This unique gecko has a yellow or light-colored back with dark yellow or brown spots. You can find them on the market for $75–$150.
5. Marble Eye Leopard Gecko
The marble eye leopard gecko is a morph with a distinctive characteristic. You can instantly tell this morph from the others just by looking at their eyes, which are three-dimensional and resemble marbles. These morphs are relatively new to the scene, having just been discovered in 2006. You can find them on the market today for around $100.
6. Super Snow Patternless Leopard Gecko
The super snow patternless leopard gecko is a result of breeding the mack snow morph and the murphy patternless morph. Their bodies are grey or white, and they have solid white legs and feet, with a solid white stripe running down their backs. Their eyes are black. You can find one of these morphs for $150–$500. The more patternless they appear, the more expensive they are.
7. Black Pearl Leopard Gecko
The black pearl is also known as the black velvet morph. Like the black night leopard gecko, they are completely black, but this morph is different due to their white, pearl-like markings along their bodies. If you want one of these morphs, you’ll have to shell out nearly $3,000, and you can only get a female. Males aren’t sold. As this morph is seeing more of a demand, they’re very hard to find.
Conclusion
Leopard gecko morphs are beautiful, unique, and differ in appearance so much, it’s hard to believe that these lizards are all the same species. There are so many varieties, and there is always the opportunity for new morphs to come about in the future. No matter what kind of leopard gecko you’re looking for, you’ll be sure to find one that you love with all their different colors and patterns. Each leopard gecko is unique but they all make wonderful pets. They are docile, happy lizards that will be fun companions for years to come.
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Featured Image Credit: MattiaATH, Shutterstock
