Living Science Center: Leopard Gecko
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This is our Leopard Gecko. We named her Emma for her"science" name: Eublepharis macularius Eublepharis means she has "true eyelids" that blink just like we blink. Macularius means "having spots." One day we noticed Emma's skin turned milky white. We were worried that she might be sick! Emma started licking and biting at herself and she stopped eating her favorite foods. Some of our young scholars noticed her skin was tearing behind her legs!   Emma's skin was starting to peel off. She started scratching herself against the wood in the tank and tearing the skin loose. When she was able to bite onto the loose skin, she peeled it off like a sock! And then she ate the old skin! This is the habitat we created for Emma. How would you describe our Leopard Gecko's habitat? Can you think of a sandy dry habitat where Leopard Gecko's might be found?

Can you guess what a Leopard Gecko might eat? Here are some clues: Emma has big eyes. She seems to see things that move very quickly. She has a hard time seeing things that don't move. Her wide mouth is large.

Can you pass the Gecko Quiz? How is a gecko like a you? How is a kid NOT like a gecko?   How is a gecko like a snake? How is a gecko NOT like a snake? habitat equipment: 20 gallon long terrarium with heat hood and lamp. heat pad glued under tank (on all the time) heat lamp in the hood is turned on during the day. Reptisand (calcium based sand which is digestable) covers the bottom. wood shelters (one is purchased the other is a piece of driftwood roots from the Tanana River). water bowl with small tank to keep water available over the weekend Feeding: We drop in about six crickets, 3 times a week (purchased from the pet store).   We keep the crickets in a plastic tub with an aerated lid. We add egg carton pieces for shelter, "cricket meal," or bran flakes, and a slice or two of apple or potato for moisture.   Emma stores fat in her tail to use for energy when she doesn't eat. This is really important when she sheds or gets sick and wont eat. We keep track of how she is doing by measuring the width of her tail and comparing to previous measurements. We want to know if the width of her tail stayed the same, is getting skinnier (using her fat ), or getting fatter (saving her fat .)   Maintenance: We remove gecko waste 3 times a week, clean the water bowl, and remove uneaten cricket parts. We check the temperature daily to insure the heater and lamp are still functioning.

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