Confused about normals. What is one and what isn't?

prettyinpink

New Member
Messages
1,838
Location
Austin, Texas
So I'm kind of confused on the subject of 'normals'. You know the 'rare' ones... Well either I'm blind or stupid, because I can't seem to tell the difference!!!

I've even looked at the thread "now this is what a real normal looks like". And then I've seen others that look similar to that and are called 'high yellows' I believe. So WHAT exactly is a normal, and what do you look for? Because when I go to the pet chain stores... they look like normals to me.

So is there someone out there that can explain to me what I need to look for. Then I've seen afghans that look like normals to me. I just don't get it. :main_no: I've wondered this for quiet some time now.

Miss Robin who for some reason can tell what every single morph is will probably laugh at me :eek:

Thanks guys, you're the best ;)
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,251
Location
Somerville, MA
Here's my take on it:
The "original" leopard gecko was mustard yellow with a lot of good-sized spots. As the morphs developed, in addition to the color and pattern changes, even geckos that looked relatively "normal" had less spotting. The "normal", or yellow colored ones that had spots, but not so many, were called "high yellows", meaning "lots of yellow". At this point, most geckos that are called by pet stores and other places "normal" have reduced spotting and are technically "high yellows". To make things more confusing, the leopard geckos that have been bred for generations in the US are probably a combination of several sub-species since all the leopard geckos originally imported were bred to each other. Recently, there has been an increase in importation of leopard geckos from the wild and, if the data about their locale is accurate, they can be reliably identified as various subspecies (I have read some indications that things are not as clear as people make them out to be). So an "afghan" is likely a "normal" that's being identified as a member of the afghan subspecies.
Lately, people are getting more interested in the "original normals", meaning leopard geckos that are yellow with lots of black spots and not het for anything.

I hope that makes it a little clearer.

Aliza
 

prettyinpink

New Member
Messages
1,838
Location
Austin, Texas
Oh interesting! I think I get it, so the ones with high yellow are actually descendants of the normals? Do I have that correct? So would that mean the pic in your avatar is a high yellow? So meaning it's parents had a ton of spots and then after awhile it turns into less spotting.

So the afghans don't have the mustard yellow as the normals have? Hopefully I'm getting this down somewhat. lol

It is very confusing! But I 'think' I'm getting it.
 

roger

New Member
Messages
2,438
Location
Toronto ,Canada
So I'm kind of confused on the subject of 'normals'. You know the 'rare' ones... Well either I'm blind or stupid, because I can't seem to tell the difference!!!

I've even looked at the thread "now this is what a real normal looks like". And then I've seen others that look similar to that and are called 'high yellows' I believe. So WHAT exactly is a normal, and what do you look for? Because when I go to the pet chain stores... they look like normals to me.

So is there someone out there that can explain to me what I need to look for. Then I've seen afghans that look like normals to me. I just don't get it. :main_no: I've wondered this for quiet some time now.

Miss Robin who for some reason can tell what every single morph is will probably laugh at me :eek:

Thanks guys, you're the best ;)


I love the true normals
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,251
Location
Somerville, MA
The gecko in my avatar is actually a stripe, as you can see the parallel line of stripes running up her back. Her tail is also striped. That picture was taken when she was pretty young. I've found that striped geckos seem to get more spotty as they age the first few years and she is much more spotty now.

Aliza
 

TokayKeeper

Evil Playsand User
Messages
718
Location
Albuquerque, NM, USA
Normally I just link to my ISP's webspace, but instead I've attached the pics. I think you'll have to be logged in to view them.

From left to right...

My first leo, Golden-Eye, purchased in 1996 as a hatchling. Photo taken yesterday.

2nd photo: Triton, son of Golden-Eye and the first leopard gecko I hatched. He's born July 25, 1997. Photo taken yesterday.

3rd photo: Chocolate Chip (lighter gecko) and Triton's mom (forget her name) in 1998.

4th: "44" named for the head pattern behind her left eye.

5th: Wild Caught female I purchased from a local kid.

These geckos are as normal as normals get. I only have the first 2 of the 6 pictured geckos. I regret selling the other 4, plus 3 other female normals I had. These guys are het for nothing. They are straight plain jane, the real deal.
 
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