Leopard Gecko morphs and genetics
Three separate non-allelic albino lines, several distinct snow genes, and a large set of line-bred traits that no Punnett square can predict.
Working with leopard gecko genetics
Leopard geckos split cleanly into two halves that behave completely differently. One half is ordinary Mendelian genetics — the albinos, Eclipse, Blizzard, the snow genes. The other half is polygenic: Tangerine, Carrot Tail, Hypo and their relatives are selected for over generations rather than switched on by a single gene.
Sellers rarely make that distinction, which is why a pairing of two intensely tangerine animals can produce washed-out babies and nobody can say why.
What makes this species different
The trap here is the albinos. Tremper, Bell and Rainwater are three separate, non-allelic recessive genes — a Tremper albino bred to a Bell albino produces normal-looking babies that are het for both, not albinos. Breeders lose whole seasons to that one fact. The snow genes are likewise distinct rather than interchangeable.
Every curated leopard gecko gene
Grouped by mode of inheritance. This is the dataset the HerpSync calculator runs on, published in full — the flags in the last column are what a standard Punnett square gets wrong.
Recessive (10)
Two copies to showNeeds a copy from each parent to be visible. One copy makes a het — an animal that looks normal and carries the gene.
- Bell Albino
Pink-eyed albino line; non-allelic with Tremper.
- Blizzard
Patternless, near-white.
- Caramel
Caramel coloration.
- Eclipse
Solid or snake-eyes; aids leucistic combos.
- Galaxy
Pattern-disrupting recessive.
- Marble Eye
Patterned/marbled iris.
- Murphy Patternless
Loses spotting as it matures.
- Noir Desir
Melanistic recessive line. Also called: Black Night.
- Rainwater Albino
Smallest-eyed albino line. Also called: Las Vegas Albino.
- Tremper Albino
Most common albino line.
Co-dominant (6)
One copy shows, two make a superOne copy changes the animal's appearance; two copies produce a distinct, usually more extreme super form with its own name.
- Gem Snow
Super form: Super Gem Snow
Independent snow line.
- Ghost
Super form: Super Ghost
Lightening/faded pattern.
- Giant
Super form: Super Giant
Size gene; Super Giant is the homozygous form.
- Lemon Frost
Super form: Super Lemon Frost
Bright white/yellow; linked to skin tumors.
- Mack Snow
Super form: Super Snow
Super Snow is white with solid black eyes.
- TUG Snow
Super form: Super TUG Snow
Independent snow line.
Dominant (3)
One copy shows, two look the sameOne copy is enough to see the trait, and two copies look no different from one — so there is no super form to breed for.
- Bold Stripe
Bold dorsal striping.
- Enigma
Pattern/color; linked to neurological 'ES'.
- White & Yellow
Raised white/yellow coloration. Also called: W&Y.
Polygenic / line-bred (9)
Selected, not switched onThe result of many genes plus selective breeding. It intensifies over generations and cannot be predicted by a Punnett square.
- Baldy
Clean (spot-free) head; selective.
- Carrot Head
Orange head; line-bred.
- Carrot Tail
Orange tail; line-bred.
- Emerine
Green-yellow tone; line-bred.
- Hyper Melanistic
Increased melanin; line-bred.
- Hypo
Reduced body spotting; line-bred.
- Jungle
Aberrant banding/pattern.
- Reverse Stripe
Dorsal stripe of ground color.
- Tangerine
Orange coloration; line-bred.
Breeding and incubation
Eggs run around 45 days at 28–31°C, and this species has temperature-dependent sex determination: incubation temperature within that band shifts the sex ratio of the clutch, so the temperature you choose is a breeding decision and not just an incubation setting. Females reach maturity at about a year, though weight is the better guide.
- Scientific name
- Eublepharis macularius
- Group
- Geckos
- Reproduction
- Egg-laying
- Incubation
- ~45 days
- Maturity
- ~12 months
- Young are called
- Hatchlings in a clutch
Timings are husbandry-typical approximations used for projections and reminders, not veterinary scheduling. Every figure can be adjusted per workspace.
Try a pairing
Pick genes for two leopard gecko parents and see the full odds — per gene and per combination — with no account and nothing to install.
Common questions
Can I breed a Tremper albino to a Bell albino?
You can, but you will not get albinos. Tremper, Bell and Rainwater are three separate recessive genes at different loci, so the babies inherit one copy of each and look normal while carrying both. Crossing the lines is generally discouraged because the resulting animals are difficult to sell honestly.
Why isn't Tangerine in the calculator's odds?
Tangerine is polygenic — the colour is produced by many genes together and intensified by selective breeding, so there is no single gene to inherit and no percentage to calculate. HerpSync records it on the animal so you can track it down a line, and says plainly that it cannot be predicted.
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