Mack Snow Leopard Geckos are popular and attractive leopard gecko morphs known for their white and yellow coloration. They hail from the desert regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India, where they hide in burrows or among rocky outcroppings.

They come out early in the morning and late in the evening to hunt, sunbathe, and hang out with their owners.

John and Amy Mack of Reptiles by Mack were the first breeders to breed the Mack Snow leopard gecko. During the incubation and hatchling process, they discovered that some hatchlings looked more white than usual hence the name snow.

Mack Snow leopard geckos aren’t a different kind of species. The only difference is that they have a different coloration from the typical leopard gecko. So, if you’ve ever owned a leopard gecko, this lizard shouldn’t be too hard to take care of.

Let’s delve further into the matter and understand everything about Mack Snow leopard geckos!

Appearance & Morphs

Mack Snow leopard geckos have a distinctive appearance, with a white base color, black spots, and unique stripes on their bodies and tails.

The Mack Snow is usually classified as a xanthic, a genetic classification for animals with less yellow pigment. They’re put into this category because they hatch from eggs with white bands instead of the usual yellow ones.

 Unlike most lizards, Mack Snow leopard geckos cannot scale vertical surfaces. This is because they lack lamellae and can’t use their adhesive suction to climb smooth walls.

Mack Snow geckos are unique reptiles because of their ability to replace lost teeth. Every one of their permanent teeth is accompanied by a baby tooth.

In addition, they have something in their mouths called an odontogenic stem cell that lets them grow new teeth whenever needed.

These lizards boast a massive tail which they use for fat storage. They rely on this fat reserve on days when they can’t get food, so they can go for a while without eating.

They can also drop their tails to distract the predators and buy time to escape or hide.

These lizards come in several morphs, including:

• Mack Snow which has a white or pale-yellow base color with black spots
• Super Snow has a nearly pure white appearance with only a few black markings.

Some breeders have also developed morphs with different colored patterns, such as the “Rainwater,” which has a light blue base color and dark blue spots and stripes.

Size

Mack Snow leopard geckos are small to medium-sized gecko species, reaching an adult size of around 18 – 28 cm in length. Males are slightly prominent than females and have larger, more noticeable femoral pores on their thighs.

Females are roughly 18-20 cm in length, with males being 20-28 cm long. In aggregate, they clock in at about 80 grams.

Lifespan

Like other leopard gecko morphs, Mac Snow leos are resilient and boast a life expectancy of 10-20 years. Although that’s just an average, most owners claim that the lizards can live for up to 10 years.

Care

Mack Snow Leopard Geckos are relatively easy to care for and ideal for beginner reptile keepers. These geckos should be fed a varied diet of insects, such as crickets, mealworms, and roaches.

In addition, it is vital to provide fresh water and clean the enclosure regularly to maintain the gecko’s health and well-being.

They require a secure enclosure with proper heating, lighting, and humidity. A substrate of coconut coir, cypress mulch, or paper towels will be ideal. The terrarium should include hiding spots, climbing areas, and a water dish.

These lizards can live for several years if given the right environment and diet. They have one of the lowest risk profiles of any lizard species and require comparatively little maintenance.

Shedding

Mack Snow Leopard Geckos, like all reptiles, will shed their skin as they grow. This process is normal and typically occurs at different intervals based on age. For example, young leos will shed their skin after every one or two weeks, and juveniles after three to four weeks.

Since the growth rate slows down as the animal ages, adult Mack Snow leopard geckos will shed their skin every 4 to 8 weeks.

Therefore, you must provide a humid environment and offer your lizard a balanced diet if you want them not to have problematic shedding.

If your leopard gecko experiences problematic shedding, you’ll need to do a few things to improve the conditions inside the cage. First, you should mist the terrarium regularly to increase the humidity levels.

Additionally, ensure that the humid hides are lined up with moisture-retaining substrates such as sphagnum moss. You might also need to increase the size of the water dish to ensure that the lizard gets enough drinking water.

Hibernation/Brumation

Although brumation is a natural experience synonymous with most wild geckos, it’s rare for Mack Snow leopard geckos in captivity to hibernate. Actually, most owners of leopard geckos have never seen their reptile friends go into brumation.

However, this doesn’t mean that it will never happen. If your Mack Snow leopard gecko goes into brumation, you’ll need to cool down the enclosure to around 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-2 months.

You also need cut down the number of insects you serve your Leo as it nears the brumation period. Once the lizard starts brumating, you’ll notice several signs, such as:

• Favoring the shadier and cooler side of the terrarium
• A lower level of activity than usual
• Hiding for periods of several weeks at a time
• A decreased desire to eat

Once your Mack Snow leopard gecko starts brumating, it’s crucial that you leave it alone and don’t try to handle it during this period.

Housing/Enclosure

Mack Snow leopard geckos require a secure enclosure to accommodate their size and needs. A 20-gallon tank will be sufficient for a single Mack Snow gecko, but you may need a larger tank if you’re planning to keep multiple geckos or house other reptile species.

Although it is possible to keep hatchlings in smaller tanks, starting with a larger tank is typically simpler than changing it every time they grow bigger. If you’re housing multiple geckos in the cage, the best combination is all females or several females and one male.

Since these lizards are known for wandering and getting lost, larger tanks might not be their ideal habitat.

Conversely, since leopard geckos are ground-dwelling creatures that can’t scale vertical surfaces, their enclosure should be more extensive horizontally than vertically.

You must also provide a water dish and plenty of hiding areas and choose the most appropriate substrate.

The Leo’s tank should have a lockable top so that nothing enters from the outside. A screen that can hold a light fixture should be placed on top. You should also add non-toxic plants, little branches, logs, caves, and cork barks.

Adding damp sphagnum moss in the hides will help increase the moisture content assisting the Mack Snow leos to stay well-hydrated and shed effortlessly.

Heating

Like other leopard geckos, Mack Snow leos need a particular temperature gradient inside their cage to live happily and comfortably. Therefore, you’ll need to designate a warmer area and a cooler zone in the terrarium.

You need to ensure that the temperature on the warmer side stays around 85 – 90 degrees Fahrenheit, while the temperature on the cooler side should range from about 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit.

This can be achieved using a ceramic heating element or heating pad placed under one side of the enclosure.

It is crucial to provide a temperature gradient so the gecko can thermoregulate by moving to different parts of the terrarium when their body temperature fluctuates.

Additionally, you must invest in digital thermometers and a thermostat. The thermometer will help you monitor the heat inside the enclosure, while the thermostat will help you set the recommended temperature range at different times during the day.

It’s also imperative that the temperatures inside the cage drop to 70 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Lighting

Mack Snow Leopard Geckos do not need special UVB lighting since they are primarily nocturnal, and it’s hard to find them basking.

Conversely, you should avoid heat rocks and other non-typical heating materials since they can cause burns and skin injuries.

 However, these scaly friends need a visible light source to see and navigate their environment. You can illuminate the cage using incandescent bulbs.

However, ensure that the lights inside the enclosure don’t stay on for more than 12 hours daily. This is because geckos need to differentiate between day and night, and having the lights stay on for more than 12 hours can affect their circadian rhythm.

Humidity

Mack Snow leopard geckos need a 30-40% relative humidity in their enclosure. Failure to provide the ideal humidity levels may lead to various health complications, such as respiratory infections.

For leos in areas with high humidity levels, you can lower the humidity by increasing ventilation and reducing the water bowl size.

If the enclosure has low humidity levels, you should go for substrates with a high-water retention capacity, such as coconut coir or cypress mulch.

Conversely, misting can help you maintain the humidity inside the terrarium at optimal levels.

Since Mack Snow leopard geckos need a humidity of between 70% – 80% to shed, you need to ensure that their hides provide ideal conditions for shedding.

Adding a damp substrate such as sphagnum moss will ensure that these lizards shed their skin without any problems.

Substrate

A few substrate options can be suitable for a Mack Snow Leopard gecko. Choosing a safe, easy-to-maintain, and comfortable substrate for your gecko is essential if you want to provide your gecko with ultimate comfort. Some options to consider include the following:

• Newspapers: They are soft, easy to find, and highly comfortable. They are the best substrate for young Mack Snow leopard geckos
• Coconut coir: This is made from the husks of coconuts and is a popular choice for gecko substrates because it is natural, absorbent, and easy to clean.
• Stones and slates: Like their counterparts in the wild, captive-bred leopard geckos will also get by fine with stones and slates as the flooring.
• Organic clay is another fantastic substrate for the Mack Snow leopard gecko. It’s soft, has high-water retention capabilities, and is comfortable.

However, sand and other substrates with small particles are not recommended since the lizard can mistake them for food and eat them. This may lead to impaction and other related complications.

Leopard geckos typically use one specific area of their enclosures as a urinal. Therefore, spot cleaning is required daily. Luckily, spot cleaning is usually possible without removing the entire substrate from the cage.

Diet and Nutrition

Mack Snow leopard geckos are inherently insectivores and primarily eat insects. Therefore, a good diet for a Mack Snow Leopard gecko consists of various insects, such as crickets, mealworms, and waxworms.

There are also many other insects that these lizards can snack on, but they should not be offered too frequently as they can make them gain too much weight.

Twelve hours before feeding the insects to geckos, they should be gut-loaded with essential nutrients and dusted with a calcium supplement before feeding to ensure that the gecko is getting sufficient nutrients.

It is also vital to offer a variety of insects to provide a balanced diet. However, if a gecko is offered a mineral supplement in its food dish, it is likely to eat it. The gecko will usually self-regulate its supplement intake to meet its requirements.

It is essential to avoid overfeeding, as Mack Snow leopard geckos are highly prone to obesity. Adult geckos need to feed 2-3 times a week, while younger geckos should eat more frequently.

Pet owners don’t need to worry about what to feed their lizards since they’ll find several commercially available insect feeds formulated with a gecko’s dietary needs in mind.

Water

Although leopard geckos are native to hot and dry deserts, they always need clean and fresh drinking water.

Therefore, you must put a shallow drinking bowl inside the leopard gecko’s cage. You should clean the bowl and add clean water to it every single day.

Lack of adequate water may lead to dehydration which may also cause other problems. For example, when your Mack Snow leo gets dehydrated, its skin will crack, and shedding will become problematic. However, ensuring that they have clean water at all times will help mitigate these problems.

Health Issues

Mack Snow Leopard geckos are generally hardy animals and can be relatively easy to care for. However, like any pet, they can sometimes experience health issues, although most are diet-related. Some of the most common health complications in Mack Snow Leopard geckos include:

• Malnutrition: This condition leads to geckos becoming thin and weak. The lack of a diversified and balanced diet will lead to malnutrition.
• Metabolic bone disease: This condition is typical in geckos and most reptiles. It is caused by a deficiency of calcium and/or vitamin D3 in their diet. Symptoms include softening or thinning of the bones, difficulty moving, and abnormal spine curvature.
• Impaction: This gut problem occurs when a gecko becomes constipated and cannot pass feces. It can be caused by consuming substrate (bedding material) or a diet low in fiber.
• Hypovitaminosis A: Also known as vitamin A deficiency, this condition is due to a lack of supplementation. Geckos with Hypovitaminosis A may experience a wide range of issues, including fertility issues, irregular shedding, and hyperkeratosis of the eyes.

Mack Snow leopard geckos may suffer from other health complications but are not easily prone to common lizard illnesses. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t get sick

It’s essential to provide your Mack Snow Leopard gecko with proper care and nutrition to help prevent these and other health issues.

This includes maintaining a good diet, providing a clean and appropriate habitat, and seeking medical attention if you notice any concerning symptoms.

Behavior & Temperament

Mack Sow leopard geckos are a morph, or variation, of the Leopard gecko species (Eublepharis macularius). So, in terms of behavior, you don’t expect them to be different from normal leos. However, leopard geckos are said to be highly docile creatures, making it possible for the pet trade to take advantage of them.

These lizards are laid-back, cute, and very friendly. They make great pets for beginners as well as experienced keepers.

During mating season, however, male geckos become violent toward one another. Tail flicking is a display that males use to alert other males to their presence and signal that they are eager to compete with females. Males will fight and bite tails to establish authority and attract a mate.

These lizards are crepuscular, meaning they become active in the early hours of the day and evening when darkness creeps in.

These creatures also produce various sounds to show aggression, discomfort, or fear. So don’t be surprised if you hear squeaks, chirps, screams, and barks from these cute reptiles.

Handling Your Mack Snow leopard Gecko

These geckos are generally docile and easy to handle. But like other lizards, they are solitary animals and won’t like you to keep touching or disturbing them.

Therefore, when you want to hold a Mack Snow leopard gecko, you should approach and treat them with care, as any aggressiveness on your part can cause them undue stress.

Follow these insightful tips when handling your Mack Snow leopard gecko:

• Before touching your gecko, carefully wash your hands. This will lessen the likelihood that you’ll infect the gecko with germs from your hands.
• Use both hands to grab your gecko and bring it to safety carefully. The gecko’s body should rest on one hand and be supported by the other.
• Protect the gecko and keep it warm by drawing it closer to your body.
• Frequently handling your gecko can be stressful, so don’t overdo it
• Keep an eye on little kids when they want to interact with the gecko to ensure that both the animal and children are safe.

Your Mack Snow leopard gecko requires a sufficient enclosure, a warm and humid climate, plenty of hiding spots, and the right food to thrive. Your gecko will be much more cooperative and pleasant to handle if you take care of its basic needs.

Breeding

The Middle Eastern mating season typically runs from January to March, after the females have emerged from their winter hibernation and shed.

Since the breeding season for these geckos is highly delicate and dependent on factors such as temperature, daylight, and food availability, private breeders take extra precautions to create optimal conditions.

Once every 15–22 days, female leopard geckos will lay a clutch of eggs for four to five months. Throughout their lives, they can lay 80 to 100 eggs. If multiple female geckos are in a cage, they will all choose the same location to lay their eggs. For this reason, pet owners should provide an egg-laying box.

Mack Snow Leopard Gecko Cost

As the description shows, Mack Snow leopard geckos are a rare morph with exceptional quality and an alluring look. For this reason, you’ll need to dig deep into your pocket to buy one. It costs around $140 to $350.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Owning a Mack Snow Leopard Gecko

Pros

• They’re easygoing and pleasant to be around.
• Compared to other leos, these morphs stand out because of their vivid patterns and designs.
• They are relatively easy to cater to and do not require a lot of space or specialized equipment
• They have a lifespan of about 10-12 years. So they can make an ideal long-term companion.

Cons

• They can be expensive to purchase, as they are a rare breed of leopard geckos.
• They only feed on insects, which may require some effort to maintain.
• The ability to detach their tails makes them highly delicate to handle.

Conclusion

Overall, Mack Snow Leopard Geckos can make good pets for those willing to put in the time and effort to provide them with suitable habitats and diets.

But since these geckos are known for being calm and approachable, they’re ideal for keepers with no prior experience caring for geckos or other reptiles. In addition, their distinct colors and eye-catching patterns are sure to attract any reptile pet lover.