If a kitten or a puppy isn't your cup of tea, then the leopard gecko might be the pet for you.
Now, if owning an exotic member of the reptilian kind still doesn't cut it for you, you may want to look into owning an Albino Leopard Gecko.
Leopard Geckos come from the arid regions of the Middle East.
Although definitely not as simple or familiar as caring for a dog, these lizards are easy to acquire and are relatively manageable in terms of care and diet.
As for Albino Leopard Geckos, Albinism is a congenital disorder in both humans and animals.
This stems from the absence of a particular enzyme that is a crucial component in the production of melanin or pigmentation.
This is immediately evident in the lack of pigment in both skin and the eyes.
It might be important to note that not all animals with paleness or lack of pigment in the skin are albinos.
Some animals have Leucism which is similar to Albinism, in that both lack pigment in the skin, but Leucistic animals have their normal eye color intact.
Among lizard lovers, however, albinism is not seen as a defect.
It is celebrated as a novelty.
Specifically because of the nuances of pigmentation and the lack of it, albino leopard geckos display many different colors (except black, which melanin produces).
Because albinism is a recessive trait, geckos with this disorder are a rarity.
For this reason, these geckos cost quite a bit more.
There are three strains of these geckos.
The Bell Strain, The Rainwater or Las Vegas strain and the Tremper Strain.
The Tremper strain was the first strain of albinism, also known as the Texas Albino.
Their eyes have silver pigmentation with what appears to be red stripes.
The Rainwater strain, on the other hand, exhibit a lighter color than the usual albinos.
They have pink bands on their body and an overall yellowish hue.
Their eyes are the darkest among the three strains.
Most recently, master breeder Mark Bell came out with the newest strain of albino leopard geckos-- the Bell strain.
They have brown spots and they have a pinkish color.
While the Tremper and the Rainwater geckos' eyes get darker as they get older, the Bell strain stays consistent from juvenile to adult stage.
There is no doubt these creatures are fascinating.
It is good to keep in mind that while these lizards are nocturnal and are most active at night, albino leopard geckos are averse to light and do not like feeding during the day.
Thankfully, this sensitivity to light decreases as they get older.
These colorful creatures are growing in popularity around the world.
Thanks to breeders that keep trying to paint with genetics, we can expect more emergent strains in the coming years.