Crested Gecko Morphs (Colors & Patterns)

Reviewed By Kyoko •  Updated: 09/20/21 •  6 min read
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Crested Gecko Morphs

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If you’re interested in becoming the pet parent of a crested gecko, then you’ll want to learn about their morphs! In this article, we’ll go over several different created gecko morphs along with their traits. This way, you’ll have a better idea of the type of crested gecko you have!

Fired Up or Fired Down

These are terms that are used to describe what looks to be color changes in the gecko. While they appear to change color, geckos are not like chameleons. Instead, geckos can become “fired up” or “fired down.”

Fired up means a gecko has “turned up the color,” while fired down means the gecko’s color is paler. When it comes to morphs, the colors are definitely more noticeable when the gecko is fired up.

OK, with that explanation taken care of, we’re ready to get into the crested gecko morphs!

Crested Gecko Morphs

In this section, we’ll take a look at the morphs of the crested gecko.

1). Tiger

A crested gecko with the tiger morph has a lighter base color, with bands of darker color that run vertically from the back down the sides, much like a tiger’s stripes.

This morph can come in a variety of colors but are most often brown or beige shades.

2). Bicolor

This type of crested gecko morph has two colors, with one base color. The lighter color usually goes along the back of the gecko.

Bicolor geckos can have the same colors as the patternless geckos, but they may have a paler color along the dorsal area.

3). Solid/Patternless

Patternless/solid crested geckos are solid color without a pattern. You may notice some fringing on the tips of the gecko’s spines or even some lighter scales on the backs of his hind legs. Even so, the gecko is typed as patternless and as being one color.

These geckos can come in a wide range of colors, including yellow, orange, brown-black, cream, olive, and red.

4). Brindle

Brindle geckos are similar to tigers, but their bands of pattern more resemble marble.

5). Flame

Flame geckos are similar to bicolor crested geckos in that they have a base color along with a lighter color that runs on the back. The main difference between the flame and tiger geckos is that the second color is more defined and always lighter than the base color.

Flame geckos have no pattern on their laterals (sides and upper back) or their limbs. The colors found on the body and legs are used, before the secondary color, to describe these geckos. For example, you may see flame crested geckos described as black and cream, red and yellow, etc.

Flame geckos may also have patterns near their tails that are a solid color. There are lizards with a V-shape or even chevrons on this area of the body.

6). Harlequin

Harlequin crested geckos are similar to flames, but they have more of a pattern. Their pattern is located along the sides and on the legs. Also, like flames, Harlequins can come in a variety of colors. They may even come in tricolors, which are each distinct.

7). Extreme Harlequin

These are harlequins, but they have more patterning than the harlequins. Extreme harlequins have a contrasting color found on the gecko’s upper back. The pattern usually connects both the dorsal pattern with the pattern on the sides.

8). Pin Stripe

The raised scales of the crested gecko may or may not be highlighted with a cream color. The highlighted scales resemble pinstripes on a car.

When the pin-striped scales don’t connect the head and the tail, then they’re described as a partial pin.

There’s also a quad pin-striped gecko that has the standard pin striping. What makes them different are two lines along the tip of the lower lateral area.

9). Furry

This is a trait that leads to raised scales along the edges of the dorsal area of the gecko. Furry crested geckos have raised scales that have a somewhat haphazard arrangement.

10). Dalmatian

Dalmatian crested geckos have black spots scattered over their bodies. They resemble the spots on a Dalmatian dog. It’s interesting to note that hatchlings don’t have spots when they’re young. However, their spots will develop as they reach adulthood.

There’s also a morph called a Super Dalmatian, which has more spots than the Dalmatian.

10). Lavender

Lavender crested geckos have a lavender base color. When the gecko is “fired down,” the base color may have a bluish to purply tinge. When “fired up,” the geckos’ base color will become almost black, but with a blue tinge.

11). Drippy

A drippy crested gecko’s patterns seem to “drip” down from the dorsal part of the body. Some breeders say the drippy gecko must have some cream color included to be typed as a drippy gecko.

It’s also interesting to note that an extreme harlequin can also be drippy.

12). Solid Cream Back/Solid Back

This morph results in a crested gecko with a solid-colored back, which can be cream or another color.  Flames, extreme harlequins, and harlequins can also be typed as solid backs.

You can also sometimes find solid backs in drippies or pinstripes.

13). Tricolor

Tricolor crested geckos have three distinct colors. These can be seen on geckos that have different base colors.

When it comes to typing a gecko as a tricolor, most breeders only type a gecko in this way if each of the three colors covers roughly a third of the body.

14). White Wall

This is another interesting morph where geckos have a solid area of white cream along the lower lateral section. This area must be solid and unbroken, with a distinct separation between the colors.

15). Halloween

You can probably guess the colors of this morph! The Halloween crested gecko is black and orange.

16). Creamsicle

Here’s a morph that sounds good enough to eat! Creamsicle geckos are orange with a cream or white pattern, much like that yummy frozen dessert.

So, there you have it! These are some of the most common morphs when it comes to crested geckos. Each one is beautiful and unique! No matter which morph you choose as a pet, we’d like to wish you many happy years together!

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Kyoko

Kyoko is from a family of 3 and moved to New York with her parents and siblings when she was 13. Kyoko is fond of spending a great amount of time with pets, specifically her beagle Luna and cat Missy. Her boyfriend often complains that she spends too much time giving attention to their animals. Kyoko has written dozens of articles concerning pets and is aiming at owning a pet shop one day!

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