If you've been around the gecko world for a while, or even become familiar with common pet lizards, there's a good chance you've been exposed to the leopard tail gecko. Specifically, the "carrot tail" is one of the most sought after of all varieties, due to its unique coloration and patterns.
As with most any animal, in the habitat where the leopard tail gecko is found in the wild, you can find any number of species and subspecies. Interestingly, however, some thirty years ago, when leopard tail geckos were first brought into the United States, nobody really knew who's who in the zoo. As a result, there was quite a bit of breeding across species. The result was a radically diverse gene pool. With so much variation in available options, there came to be some remarkable and expansive combinations.
Ironically, it was a lot of the different morphs that came to be so desirable. There were remarkable changes in size and color that represented distinctions from what used to be thought of as normal. What was handy was the fact that the cross-breeding resulted in rather constant alterations in the genetics, and the favored traits could then be bred for with some degree of regularity. This is why we have the leopard tail gecko and, specifically, the carrot tail version. Especially children are drawn to the nice colors. Who said kids don't like carrots?
What's so ironic is that genetic mutations are considered liabilities in the wild, as they can be weaknesses that make them more susceptible to predators. For instance, a bright orange tail might not exactly be the best form of camouflage. By contrast, in you home aquarium, these make for some of the most attractive pets. And you find that specimens such as the Murphy Patternless, Enigmas, and Blizzards do exceptionally well. Maybe a "combo morph" R.A.P.T.O.R., co-dominant Giant, complete dominant Macksnow, or poly-genetic S.H.T.C.T. is headed to your home aquarium!
There are a few things you might want to know about the carrot leopard tail gecko. This particular version of leopard tail gecko will have a notable amount of orange pigment in the tail; in fact, it needs a fifteen percent coverage in order to be a true carrot tail. While the color is generally at the base, some of these leopard tail geckos may have the bulk of their tail colored orange.
Here are some other facts that will be helpful to boost your leopard tail gecko knowledge as it pertains to the carrot tail variety. A great example is the Albey's Tangerine strain, as well as the R.A.P.T.O.R.. It's a common occurrence in the Murphy Patternless, as well as the Hypo morphs and the various Tangerines. The three different albino versions feature a carrot tail, so look for it in the Tremper, Rainwater, as well as the Bell. The Blizzards are also known to feature it from time to time.
In the world of the leopard tail gecko, know that the carrot tail is line bred. This means that you will tend to get a carrot tail where two carrot tails are bred. Yet, another way to up the odds of getting the carrot tail is to use leopard tail geckos where they have a larger than usual amount of orange.
Many amateur breeders have begun trying to selectively breed for the carrot tail. If you have leopard tail geckos that a prone to throw the carrot trait, this can be fun to do. But, before you get going and have great success, think about how much room you have to devote to your leopard tail gecko operation. You need to think about the possibility that they may not sell right away, assuming that's what you want to do. So, you could end up will a number of animals to care for until you sell them. It's just important to think about that so you don't view your success as a mixed because you weren't fully prepared.
The Bearded Dragon Manual (Advanced Vivarium Systems)
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