Almost jet black leo

[Zoo Lady]

I was at my local pet store the other day to get meal worms and they had just got a bunch of leos in.

I would say they are around 5-6 months old .. a little on the skinny side. But there was one that is almost solid black, female from the best I can tell. For the past week I have considered buying her if she is still there when I go back in...

They had them in with really young sulcattas and all of them seemed stressed. There were alot of hypo tangerines that were VERY dark (grayish cast to their color). I am in NY... I know they have melanistics in Europe (Black Pearls) but wasn't sure if there was such a thing here in the states. How likely is she to stay black at her age?

So is this a rare find leo? Should I go snatch it up?

 

[fallen_angel]

You did mention that they were very stressed and other geckos were very dark, so I would keep that in mind when considering this leo (as leos do darken when they are unhappy/stressed out). It could be a very dark normal or something else, but may also be of high interest... I would definitely try to get a closer look at it, and try to determine what else it could be if it did lighten up. It's definitely not going to be a Black Pearl, because that name was given to a specific type of leo that can only be found from that specific breeder. However, it could be a darker than normal leo nonetheless, and could be of interest IMO.

 

[cwazy]

should you go snatch it up??? well this is just my opinion as i know nuttin about morphs... how ever... if you really like it, have the cash and room to care for it properly and really want it... go get it!! if you would just get it cuz its a rare find, better off to leave it for someone who will really like it and not see it as a money find... *Shrug* again MY OPINION ONLY! please dont take it the wrong way

 

[Zoo Lady]

Thanks, that is why I asked here. I know they can darken with stress.. and all of them in the tank were really dark they had just been delivered that morning. But this particular girl was actually black.. solid black head and body, white belly and if I remember correctly the tail was striped but I am not 100% sure about that. She just seemed "different" then the other ones who were darkened by stress. I will go tomorrow and see if she is still there and if I can get a picture of her and maybe put her on hold until I can find out what morph she may be.

 

[Zoo Lady]

should you go snatch it up??? well this is just my opinion as i know nuttin about morphs... how ever... if you really like it, have the cash and room to care for it properly and really want it... go get it!! if you would just get it cuz its a rare find, better off to leave it for someone who will really like it and not see it as a money find... *Shrug* again MY OPINION ONLY! please dont take it the wrong way

Point well taken. The answer is yes I can afford it and have the room. I do like her quite a bit. I don't see it as a money find because #1 if I buy it I don't intend to sell it and #2 Since it is a female and my other current leos are a female and the other not anywhere near breeding age AND most likely also female I have no intentions of breeding. I live in a small farming town and there is only one leo available for sale that I know for a sure is a male, and he's a blizzard. There is hardly anyone in this town who knows how to take care of reptiles properly, most of the leos bought in this town end up dying very young from lack of proper care so I can assure you coming to my home for whatever reason would probably be in this leos best interest!

The only reason I asked if it was likely to stay this color is because I am NOT a fan of the normal morphs.. and since I do have limited space for keeping leos I would rather not end up with a normal. But thanks for your input.

 

[cwazy]

i understand... sorry if i was unclear, i just didnt know how else to say it... im not sayin this is you or your case, but its like sometimes when someone finds something of a rareity... could be anything not just geckos... they get it... not cuz the want it but its kind of like an impulse thing... but i say if you like it and its not a normal that you may end up not liking so much go for it! :main_thumbsup:

 

[kathleen]

if you want this little one get it as soon as possible all kind of dangers linger
in a crowded tank. A.s you mentioned these guys just came in. IMHO the best
time to buy IYKWIM.

 

[nats]

if you want this little one get it as soon as possible all kind of dangers linger
in a crowded tank. A.s you mentioned these guys just came in. IMHO the best
time to buy IYKWIM.

Good point, I agree.
Go in there and get it before the store has a chance to stress the poor thing to death!!

 

[shadowx362]

knowing the husbandry you mentioned I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a fat tail.

 

[Musicanimal]

So what happened? I'm anxious to know.

 

[yellermelon]

prolly a dark stressed blizzard.

 

[Gecko Euphoria]

get it

If I was you I'd get it. But I would get it checked as its not good for geckos or any animal to be housed with other species due to pariaites and when a geckos stressed its a prime target especially in those conditions. But you'd be doing the right thing getting it out of that situation, good luck I hope it all works out and good for you on maybe getting a black collored leo even if it is normal you could selectivley breed and who knows may end up with your own morph like the black pearl.

I was at my local pet store the other day to get meal worms and they had just got a bunch of leos in.

I would say they are around 5-6 months old .. a little on the skinny side. But there was one that is almost solid black, female from the best I can tell. For the past week I have considered buying her if she is still there when I go back in...

They had them in with really young sulcattas and all of them seemed stressed. There were alot of hypo tangerines that were VERY dark (grayish cast to their color). I am in NY... I know they have melanistics in Europe (Black Pearls) but wasn't sure if there was such a thing here in the states. How likely is she to stay black at her age?

So is this a rare find leo? Should I go snatch it up?