Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So im wondering. Does long periods of inadequate nutrition cause a leo to lose his colors? My largest male leo was a rescue that hadn't been fed in something like two months and was almost dead. He was also white, just like a snow leo. As he grew fatter his colors began to change, now he is bright yellow, almost a high yellow. Was the color change because he was so nutritionall deprieved? I always assumed that it was, but i would like to know for real? Here are some before and after pics of him.

Before....(sorry its so teeny)

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1.0 green iguana-Deitrich
1.1 Common Boa-Un-Named, Ursula
1.0 Ball Python-Anabell (go figure!)
1.0 Red Tegu-Uteg
1.0 Albino Cal King-Pig
0.1 Mexican Black King-Morticia
1.1 Bearded Dragons-Unnamed, Hanabil
1.0 Albino San Diego Gopher-Unnamed
0.1 Hermans tort-Esio
1.1 JCP-Milton, Medusa
1.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Snow Corn-Unnamed
1.0 Hypo Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Motley Okeetee-Unnamed
1.0 Western Hoggie-Wyrm
0.0.1 Rose Hair Taruntla-Unnamed
2.0 Leopard Geckos-Reptar, Pogo
4.1 cats-Tucker,Poe,Abhib,Emerald, Felicity
0.1 Bullmastiff-Asha

and pogo after...

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1.0 green iguana-Deitrich
1.1 Common Boa-Un-Named, Ursula
1.0 Ball Python-Anabell (go figure!)
1.0 Red Tegu-Uteg
1.0 Albino Cal King-Pig
0.1 Mexican Black King-Morticia
1.1 Bearded Dragons-Unnamed, Hanabil
1.0 Albino San Diego Gopher-Unnamed
0.1 Hermans tort-Esio
1.1 JCP-Milton, Medusa
1.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Snow Corn-Unnamed
1.0 Hypo Okeetee Corn-Unnamed
0.1 Motley Okeetee-Unnamed
1.0 Western Hoggie-Wyrm
0.0.1 Rose Hair Taruntla-Unnamed
2.0 Leopard Geckos-Reptar, Pogo
4.1 cats-Tucker,Poe,Abhib,Emerald, Felicity
0.1 Bullmastiff-Asha

I believe they do. I had one guy that wasn't doing so well... he was extremely dark and barely eating. I move him to a seperate enclosure in a quiet part of the house... the guy is friggin bright as hell now. So yes, I would say color changes with health and nutrition.

is the same lizard as

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Brian Skibinski
Brian@MilwaukeeReptiles.com
WYSIWYG

Wow an amazing change

But it makes sense if your gecko has changed color from the time he was underfed to the time that you have cared for him. When bodies are endanger they start shutting down the un-necessary things, pigments, (sometimes circulation in appendages), for women it's periods (and developement of children), so dark colors would make alot of sense. I wonder if the reason why they turn so dark though is so he can absorb more heat since lighter colors reflect heat. IT's probably some sort of survival of the fittest thing going on that helps them control their body temps