does substrate color affect gecko color?

[brillobee]

I used to keep my male on green reptile carpet and he was nice and bright. I switched him over to gray tile and now his colors are dull. He almost blends in with the tile?

 

[GeckoCrossing]

It may be that the temps have changed with the substrate change. Double check the temps. Or maybe about to shed? I've never noticed a colour change in any of my geckos, and I use three different substrates - Tile in my breeder tanks, empty plastic tubs and paper towels in some of the tubs.

 

[brillobee]

Temps fine, yeah he hasn't shed in a while so might be coming up.

 

[LZRDGRL]

Leopard geckos don't do mimicry / mimesis, as far as I know. I would also think the temps may have changed due to a thicker substrate. The only time a substrate color can affect your leo is when you use colored sand and he gets dirty feet

Chrissy

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Yes, both temperature an substrate color affect some geckos' body color... especially Trempers and tangerines. Here's an example of the same gecko under different conditions:

On white paper towel @ 94 degrees:

After 4 days on brown carpet @ 94 degrees:

After 7 days back on white paper towel @ 90 degrees:

Back on brown carpet for 7 days @ 90 degrees:

 

[LZRDGRL]

Yes, both temperature an substrate color affect some geckos' body color... especially Trempers and tangerines. Here's an example of the same gecko under different conditions:

On white paper towel @ 94 degrees:

After 4 days on brown carpet @ 94 degrees:

After 7 days back on white paper towel @ 90 degrees:

Back on brown carpet for 7 days @ 90 degrees:

That's amazing!!! So they DO behave a little like chameleons :main_yes: :main_lipsrsealed:

Chrissy

 

[Dimidiata]

I wonder what rango would do if i moved him off the green carpet....

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

They dont have the same ability as a Chameleon to change their pigmentation...but as illustrated by Marcia, they are able to mildly alter their coloration.

 

[brillobee]

Interesting. He looks just like the gecko in the pictures. So what is the best substrate to get bright colors? White tile, I guess.

 

[gecko4245]

:main_robin: how did it get on the top part of the gecko?

 

[Dimidiata]

:main_robin: how did it get on the top part of the gecko?

because a hawk wont be looking at him from the side... *Facedesk*

 

[gecko4245]

because a hawk wont be looking at him from the side... *Facedesk*

but I thought they said the carpet caused it?

 

[Dimidiata]

*facewall* The substrat effected his his color. In the same manor a chamelon might turn green against a green substrate. The leos color darkened to match his substrate.

 

[gecko4245]

*facewall* The substrat effected his his color. In the same manor a chamelon might turn green against a green substrate. The leos color darkened to match his substrate.

I have had geckos for 15 years and never saw that before. wow

 

[Dimidiata]

what color is your substrate?

 

[gecko4245]

what color is your substrate?

I have used many.... green, brown all the reptile carpet colors. for the last year i use dark grey tiles.

 

[Dimidiata]

what color are your leos.

 

[gecko4245]

what color are your leos.

same color. most yellow, 1 orange-yellow, the rest norms as I can't afford the very fancy morphs

 

[Dimidiata]

well then yours are special!! besides who needs fancy morphs lol.

 

[Desdemona]

That is really interesting... I wonder if that has anything to do with why my first gecko seemed to change colors. I assumed it was just a shed, but she did change colors when I changed her hide. She was on white paper towels with a hide that used the paper towels as a base. Then I bought a chiclid rock that she decided to live in and never come out (except to eat). The rock is dark grey and she went from pretty pale grey to very dark grey. She looks like a straight Murphy Patternless but when I first got her.. and posted pics.. she looked like a Blizzard.

I don't know if that is normal or not though, There are not many pictures of just MPs. She has stayed dark though, never regained any of her light coloring. She is now on dark tile so if MPs or Blizzards have that ability then she will probably stay that way. I am not taking her beloved hide from her.