What Morph is my Leopard Gecko?

[Clownglomerate]

Hi,



I'm confused as to what morph my Leopard Gecko is. It looks like a Hypo Tangerine, to me, but I don't know too much about morphs as I am a newbie to the Leopard Gecko world. I would appreciate the input of anyone who can ID this little guy for me and help me to know what morph he is, once and for all. The photos attached are one of him at the pet store when I first got him like a month or two ago, and the rest are of him right now. I have more photos, if needed. His eyes are a light, gray-green color, but it's hard to tell by looking at these particular shots of him. Thanks in advance to anyone who helps me out!


Thanks!

 

[chipyluna]

Hi

Looks like a Hypo to me, mine is very similar although she has reduces spotting on her head, I wasn't sure if mine was a tangerine but she has more of a dirty yellow and not much orange only on her tail, I'm also new to Geckos and just getting to know the different morphs myself.

If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will tell you.

 

[cowana]

It doesn't appear Tangerine by the photos... To be Tangerine it should have orange to it. I'm not seeing the orange (could be my phone), but I do see a pretty bright yellow. I would call your gecko a High Yellow. HYs are a bright yellow color.

Is your gecko an adult? It looks like it isn't quite an adult and is becoming a High Yellow Hypo. To qualify as a Hypo it needs to have less than 10 spots on its body (doesn't count head or tail) as an adult. If it ends up with more than 10 spots you will have a (few spot) High Yellow Normal with unknown hets.

You have a beautiful gecko, but since it has unknown genetics and unknown hets. It should be a Pet Only gecko and not bred. They make the best geckos in my opinion, anyway! [emoji3]

 

[Clownglomerate]

Thanks Chipyluna and Cowana!

I took these photos with my cheap iPhone 4s camera, but the Leopard Gecko does, in fact, have a really nice orange (or tangerine) color to it, and there is quite a bit of orange (or tangerine) coming in on the base of it's tail. I will have to take a better photo of it with my Canon, so that the orange (or tangerine) will be more evident, and so that the images will display a better color rendition, in general, since they'll be properly white balanced.

My gecko is not an adult, I purchased him at like 4-5" about a month and a half to two months ago and now he's probably 5-6" in length, from his head to the tip of his tail. He has definitely transformed like crazy since I purchased him, as you can tell by the photos I've posted. I've noticed that some of his spots are turning white: Does this mean that they're disappearing?

Should I contact the pet store and ask them to give me more detail about where they purchase their reptiles from? When I asked, on the date of purchase, the Rep. told me that they get them from a "Mack Reptiles" or something like that, but I think I can get more info from them.

 

[Ruvik]

The must have gotten it from Reptiles by Mack. Reptiles by Mack sells morphs for leopard geckos, but they aren't breeder quality animals seeing as they can not tell you what the parents are het for. Only that they are the Dom gene that is seen on them.


That gecko could be from their Normal Leopard gecko line or their "Stripe designer" line they have.

 

[cowana]

I have the same problems with my iPhone5 (not 5s or 5c), it takes pretty crappy photos also that don't do the colors justice. Using your camera would definitely help me judge, but if there is orange, then it would be called a tangerine (or tangerine cross at least... Depending on the amount.) Also the best way to judge the morph is to get a shot from straight above that contains the entire body... Head to tail tip.

Not sure what you mean by the white spots since I can't see them in the photos, but that may be them fading. He is just a sub-adult so his body will continue to change until adult size. I'm thinking there is a good chance he may become a Hypo, but I can tell better with the body shot. Also, if the orange on the tail comes in enough to cover about 30% of his tail or more, he'd be called a "Carrot Tail".

"Mack Reptiles" is Reptiles By Mack is who breed your gecko. They are a wholesaler that don't keep any genetic information on their geckos. They will mix and match all sorts of geckos, so it could have all sorts of unknown hets including mixed albinos (HUGE No-No in serious LG breeding). Any Leo you get from a pet store is going to come from a wholesaler and needs to not be breed, and kept as Pets Only.

If you are interested in breeding I suggest you take a year to study LG genetics. Learn all about recessive, co-dom (incomplete dom), dominant genes, hets, pu net squares, care of breeding geckos, identifying ovulating & gravid females, morphs & identifying them, incubation, identifying morphs in hatchlings, hatchling care, the costs & supplies involved, & so, SO much more!! I could keep going on, on all the stuff you need to research & buy before you breed.

Once you have researched and are sure you still want to do this, then buy 1 male and 1 (maybe 2) females in morphs you really like from a recognized and respected to breeder to get started. A single female can lay 1-24 eggs a year (average 8-14).. You don't want to overwhelm yourself with too many hatchlings the first year. They're a handful. Each year you can build your business.

Hope this helped you![emoji3]

 

[Clownglomerate]

Cowana and Ruvik,Thanks so much for all of this awesome information. You guys really made me feel welcomed onto this forum, and you took the time to explain a lot of very important points-to-consider, which is comforting to me as a newbie. I really appreciate your attention to detail and kindness. Cowana, when I get a chance, I will post the better photos of the Gecko, taken from the angle that you recommended I shoot him. We'll chat soon!Thanks again!