Did I just stumble upon a dark knight?

[Superb]

Can anyone identify this? Nobody was been able to identify this leo's morph maybe someone here can help! If anyone could guess the age it would much appreciated, I have only worked with 8 month+ leos and don't know how to age her at all. (I know it won't be specific but a general amount of time would be appreciated.

I made the last image brighter so you could see her eyes

This is why I get the idea that she might be a black knight
https://www.facebook.com/blacknightleopardgeckos/posts/435345049955136

I also noticed how perfectly symmetrical she was.


Feel free share any ideas or thoughts!

Update 1: First shed since she came home, she is much more alive and active. The white markings on her head are gone and she is very happy

 

[stager]

I only know of one person in the us working with black nights, and I don't think he is letting them go for under 2000. You've just got a dark normal there. What are your hot side temps because being cold will also make a gecko darker.

 

[Superb]

Aww, still really like her though
the hot side is about 90.

I really got pointed into the Dark knight direction after this video, it seems there is definetly a dark knight breeder supplying Pet-Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQBeT6sjk5A
http://gyazo.com/aade04397cbb0a573f70b9937aba84d1
(no I don't normally get Leos from Pet-Co but this one looked awesome when I was getting food)

 

[stager]

If you had geckos you could easily sell for hundreds of dollars would you sell them to a chain pet store for 10 or 15 dollars? It would be like a Honda dealer selling a Ferrari for the price of a civic, just don't happen.

 

[Superb]

Well of course, but the breeders at these stores are making more than the occasional 2k on geckos, You can find tons of desirable geckos at places like Pet-Co and Pets Smart. In the tank at my local pet stores I have seen many different Albinos, Super Hypos, and a Tug Snow or Super Mack Snow on some occasions. Although you are probably right about it not being rare or anything I say some pet stores have really cool leos for cheap but its taking a big gamble because of how they treat them.


Just as I was typing this I was informed that it is Hyper Melanistic

 

[acpart]

I would say hypermelanistic as well, which really means that it has a lot of dark markings. She seems pretty young. I've hatched hypermelanistic geckos like that. Some of them stay dark and some have lightened up amazingly after a shed. It will be interested to see what happens as she matures.

Aliza

 

[Superb]

In that case I can't wait to see if she changes at all after a shed. I'll post pics if any interesting changes occur!

 

[Kristi23]

I moved this to morphs and genetics.


I think it's a dark normal. I've seen many others like it and most lighten with age. Lower temps could make it darker, too.

The retail pet stores can be ok to get pets at, but you won't find a rare expensive morph there. They are meant to be sold as cheap pets that won't be bred and all the genetics are unknown. Can something accidentally get through when shipping hundreds of geckos? Possibly, but that would be pretty rare. Most of the pet stores are getting their animals from The Gourmet Rodent or Ron Tremper along with another wholesaler or two. These are animals whose genetics have not been tracked at all.

 

[stager]

I'm betting in a few weeks at a warm temp and a few sheds it will lighten up. It will be cool to show updated photos.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I'd agree that it looks like a dark normal to me too. Their colors vary very widely with temperature and stress like Kristi said. He may brighten up with proper care and a bit of time or he may stay a bit darker than most. I definitely don't think he has any relation to the dark knight morph.

 

[Superb]

Shed update!

 

[Kristi23]

Shed update!

I can't see a picture.

 

[Superb]

I added it to the op on the bottom