These days, it’s not uncommon for newbies to the gecko world to have heard of, if not desire, the albino leopard gecko. About twenty years ago, some of the first specialty geckos were bred. This generated an entirely new wave of interest. Curiously, as there was a demand for ever-increasing color variety, the albino leopard gecko became the very opposite of that color-crazed appetite.
However, the albino leopard gecko was the result of one intentional breeding plan. That was breeders mining for the genetic anomalies, among which were the color variations. While the common leopard geckos today include high yellows, the leucistic, and the albinos, the albino is among the most desired. They can be found in three different strains, which include the Tremper, Bell, and Rainwater, which is also known as the Las Vegas.
Since all of the albino leopard gecko strains are recessive, they are not always easy to come up with. If you breed a Rainwater with a Bell albino, you might produce an offspring that is not albino. The recessive traits are sort of mutations in the gene pool that have an impact on specific components of the lizard’s development. The recessive traits can come on in a random manner. There’s not a lot you can do to up the odds of discovering any new recessive traits. It simply takes a bunch of patience and ongoing breeding to get the results.
Interestingly, although the three albino leopard gecko strains are completely distinct, sometimes it is tough to tell them apart. The various traits are rather similar. At times, it seems breeders are merely guessing as to the category they place them in. In any event, they are to be treated similar to one another, and yet different from other geckos. The albino leopard gecko will be sensitive to bright lights and may at times even close their eyes. They have been known to avoid feeding during the day as well.
Of the three strains, the Tremper strain is most common. It was also the initial line discovered. These might even be referred to in places as the Mocha Strain due to their brownish color. That’s not to say they are not the light pink to white color in general. Note that some will have the typical bright red albino eyes. However, others may just have eyes that are a bit lighter in shade than the non-albino counterpart to the albino leopard gecko. Incubating at higher temperatures may be responsible for some variance, accounting for darker colors.
The Rainwater is next most common, followed by the Bell. The Bell is pretty rare. They are striking, with more robust pink colorations than most others. In fact, the Bell eyes will generally stay more red in color. By contrast, the other albino leopard varieties may end up with eyes that drift from red to more of a tan color as the animal ages.
These geckos are rather popular reptile pets. As people understand how easy they are to care for, this will only increase. And with the beauty and intrigue of the albinos, these more rare specimens will likely increase in value. Of course, the continued selective breeding is sure to generate some additional curiosities in due time.