First Leopard Gecko!



I saw this little one at PetCo and fell in love! I’ve been wanting a leopard gecko for a long time but always saw the normal looking ones and Albinos (nothing wrong with either of those btw, they are also beautiful, I just always saw them and wanted something different), so this one stuck out to me. I was told that it was a Snow, but I think there’s something else going on based on comparisons I saw on MM and Google, so if anyone wants to take a guess at what it is then I’d appreciate it. My guess is a Mack Snow Murphys Patternless. I named it Beanie, and it’s a very curious little one despite being a bit skittish. I can’t wait to watch it grow!

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@mblaney @erie-herps may be able to help with what type.

He/she is lush :heart_eyes::lizard::heart:

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Adorable little one! Beanie is definitely a Patternless. I don’t think there’s any way to know if a Patternless is a Mack Snow without knowing the genetic background, which you won’t when you purchase a pet at a big box pet store. In leopard geckos, it’s not possible to know a gecko’s full, ‘true’ morph description without knowing the genetic background it comes from. Most geckos at big chain pet stores have tons of random hets, for example.

So, for Beanie, I’d say definitely Patternless, with the high probability of other, hidden stuff going on which can’t be identified without extensive test breeding. If Beanie has an ocular mutation, it’s most likely to be Eclipse, but I couldn’t tell from the pics. I have a Patternless Rainwater myself, and she is lovely.

I’ve found almost all baby leos are ridiculous little drama queens for awhile. Over time, repeated exposure to gentle handling (and not too frequent, especially to start off) will make them much more tolerant.

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Thank you! I figured that the people at PetCo wouldn’t know for sure lol. I do have a picture that shows one of it’s eyes a bit better if that will help with the Eclipse ID.


I’m not sure if I want to attempt to breed it yet though I would like to know what genetics it has, I suppose that’s what I get for buying from PetCo lol. For now though I will just enjoy having it and watching it grow! I know that leopard geckos can change a lot from when they are babies, so I’m excited to see how this one will turn out as an adult.

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Managed to get 2 more eye pictures

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Eyes look normal to me- Eclipse eyes in animals without albinism are either entirely or partially black. (Snake Eyes are partially black.)

I would definitely not breed a gecko with unknown genetics, especially one from Petco or any other store that uses mass producers of leos. Any animals Beanie would produce would be ‘Pet Only’ quality, as you have no way to know what their genetics are, and thus no true morph ID possible (just like with Beanie).

It’s also a good idea to keep most reptile species for at least a couple years before breeding it. The first few times I bred my leos, I did not have enough experience as I should have, and I lost some babies as a result.

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Yeah, I knew that if I did breed it the babies would be pet only. I wasn’t saying that I would breed Beanie, just that if I did then it would be to see what comes out of it. If I did decide to breed leos to sell, then I want to know as much about them as possible and get them from a good breeder and definitely not from PetCo lol. But I currently breed ball pythons so I’m not in any rush to start breeding a different species right now, especially one where I wouldn’t even know for sure what sex it is until it’s an adult.

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Check for pores :wink:

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Like what you do for crested geckos? I can do that, I do have a jeweler’s loupe and a handheld microscope. I’ll just have to look up what the pores look like. Thanks for the info!

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Heres a good example of my lune. Tempmsexed female… uhhh big old pores. Also, bulge. But the pores are super visible.

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That’s very helpful thank you!

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Oooh what will Beanie be! :smirk::fire:

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I’m at work right now, but I’ll try to post a picture when I get home!

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Well, I wasn’t able to get a picture but I didnt see the slightest hint of pores on Beanie using my jeweler’s loupe and it’s a 30X magnifier. So, I’d say probably a girl?

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Most likely! It probably could be hard, but pictures would be great so we could also help you in that. I have found that putting the gecko in a clear bowl or plate instead of flipping him/her is easier and might be a bit more comfortable for both you and the gecko to observe/photograph. :slight_smile: That is just what I have done in the past and it has worked wonderfully.

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I tried to do that but I couldn’t hold up the container, the loupe, and my phone at the same time lol. I could use the microscope since it actually connects to my phone.

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Well, my microscope wouldn’t let me take pictures and the video I tried to take with it was all corrupted :sweat:. But I can absolutely confirm that there are no pores!

Oh, ok! Sounds like you have a female! :slight_smile: Sorry you had so much trouble with that.

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I just got my second leopard gecko! I actually know what this one is though lol, he’s a Black Night pos het Raptor! Been wanting one of these for a long time!

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I’m a bit late but I agree that your first gecko is a Murphy’s Patternless. It might be too young to tell the age unless you have something to compare it to. Congratulations on the new gecko! He looks awesome!

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