I’ve always thought leachies were exceptionally cute geckos. I love the loose skin look as well as their mottled coloration. They remind me of the children’s book “The Mysterious Tadpole”. Due to their price tag, they are not a species I currently own, but I would love to know what they’re like. Do they generally handle well or are they more of a display species? Are they hardy? I do own a crested gecko and I’ve heard they’re similar. What makes them so expensive?
2 Likes
From what I know, the reason they are so expensive is because they are hard to breed. The females are very picky with males, and they can and will kill a male that they don’t like. So breeders have to struggle at times to get a female to accept a male. Another thing is that you generally can’t use the same male for 2 females, as the females somehow know he is cheating (probably via scent) and will attack and reject him at times. They are also one of the worlds largest geckos, if not the largest, so that is another reason for the price tag.
They are basically the same as cresties/gargoyle geckos in terms of care, and are generally easy to handle. Adults I have heard can be defensive sometimes. Those are likely wild caught ones though. A baby raised and tamed is usually docile, and better to handle than cresties/gargoyles due to them being larger and less delicate. They grow their tails back if they drop them too.
3 Likes
They are like wrinkly puppy dogs 
Care wise they are pretty similar to any geckos found in New Caledonia (Chaouha, Crested, Gargoyle), they do like it a little warmer than Crested Geckos. (high 70’s low 80’s where as Crested you want mid 70’s)
Do they handle very well? Yes IF you work with them on a regular basis if not they will become cage aggressive and trying to get one out of it’s cage could become something that need to be done with gloves on.
Do they make good display animal? Not really unless you are up at night when they are active, during the day they are the master of camouflage, so much so at times they will make you wonder if they escape their cage.
Why are they expensive? Simple supply and demand a lot of people want them but the supply is low.
Low supply can be explain by several things
Those are territorial and aggressive animals finding a compatible pair that will bond is VERY tricky some get pretty beat up in the process and death is not unusual.
Once you have that compatible/bonded pair as a breeder well they are not as prolific as Crested Geckos that will lay 2 eggs every months for months even after the male is removed, Leachie will only lay on average 2 to 5 clutches a year (2 eggs each).
Anyway this is Blue my female, like I said big wrinkly puppy, no cage aggression whatsoever, pretty vocal with her neighbors (Chahoua and Gargoyle) at night
11 Likes
Thank you guys for the info! It’s all very interesting!
Mine can best be described as “angry tree fat.” The female would rip my throat out if she could. The male is more scaredy cat and kind of hunkers down when I have to get in the tank.
2 Likes