• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Wild sighting of leos in Afghanistan

N

norsmis

Absurdly Existing
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
1,510
Reaction score
10
Points
0
Age
55
Location
Illinois
I have never posted here since I am more of a snake person but wanted to share a story with all of you about wild leopard geckos sightings while I was in Afghanistan. I was on patrol one day in Kandahar, Afghanistan and saw a yellowish colored lizard out of the corner of my eye so I went to investigate. I flipped over a large rock and sure enough, there sat a big ol male leo! I was so shocked at seeing one in the wild I was jumping around like a little kid! The other soldiers couldn't understand why I was freaking out about seeing what they called "just a stupid little lizard". I didn't get the chance to take a pic of him but I picked him for one quick second (took a bite to the thumb and the skin between my thumb and pointer finger) and let him go on his way.
Anyway, just wanted to share that.....
 
That is so cool! I am always excited just to see local wildlife around here, but to see one of these guys in it's natural habitat must have been a real thrill. It's hard to even think of them as being wild sometimes... sort of like hampsters, LOL
 
Fantastic! Could you please describe the terrain where you found the leo in detail? This would help soooo many of us determine what 'naturalistic' means and make better substrate decisions. Thanks!!!
 
Golden Gate Geckos said:
Fantastic! Could you please describe the terrain where you found the leo in detail? This would help soooo many of us determine what 'naturalistic' means and make better substrate decisions. Thanks!!!
Click to expand...


That's what I was wondering if you good do too.
 
The terrain was like everything over there..... sandy!!!! I found him in one of the largest cities in Afghanistan, Kandahar. He was scurrying along the side of a building and then went under a large rock between the buildings. When I turned the rock over, it looked as if he had dug a small burrow just big enough for him to squeeze into. It was a lot cooler under the rock because it was about 105 that day. The ground in the cities is primarily hard packed sand (I mean very hard!) This was early morning too so I am sure I caught him going back home after hunting bugs all night. He had a nice fat tail and was about 10" long so he was apparently very healthy. He was missing 2 toes on one foot though.
So lets see: Early morning very hot; under a large rock in a tight fitting hole; hard packed sand on the ground.
 
Thanks for the information. Sound prety much like what we've all heard. Sand is not loose, but hard packed. Great.



And Ronald, THANK YOU for your service to our country!
 
BalloonzForU said:
And Ronald, THANK YOU for your service to our country!
Click to expand...
No thanks necessary. I do this because I love it! Believe me, it was my pleasure and has been for 15 years!!!!!!
 
Very cool Ronald! Thanks for sharing. I think most of us here on the leo forum would go crazy if we could see some leos in their natural habitat. Also, thank you for your service to our country.
 
Hey Ron,

Thanks for the post and good to see you got back safely. I haven't been to Afghanistan yet, but like you, I've still got a few years left before retirement.

Are you keeping any geckos now, or only snakes? Christina and I still have a few of the leos we had when you and I first met in Washington.

Take care,
 
Thank you for posting that Ron. Like most anyone here, I would love to have a wild caught leopard gecko with locality data in my collection. I would love even more to be able to see one in it's natural habitat! Great story.
 
Awesome stuff Ron, I really appreciate it!
 
Herpcam said:
Hey Ron,

Thanks for the post and good to see you got back safely. I haven't been to Afghanistan yet, but like you, I've still got a few years left before retirement.

Are you keeping any geckos now, or only snakes? Christina and I still have a few of the leos we had when you and I first met in Washington.

Take care,
Click to expand...
Hey Rob I PMed you but thought I would put a quick note here also. Glad to see you back safely also. Any gecko sightings in Iraq?
No geckos as of now but will be looking to get a trio or so soon. Anyway, good hearing from you and seeing you are still kicking up sand!
 
Wow, I would love to see how they act in the wild. To cool you got to see it.
hehe I would have been doing a happy dance too.
Hey, we are neighbors,lol :)
 
Rob,
Awesome!!!! I am so glad you posted this. It is great to see that what we have been saying looks to be right.There have been so many disputes over this subject.

Rob and Ron,
I know you both enjoy what you do but I feel the need to say how much it is apprecated and that I do know just how dangerous it is. We lost our Nephew almost a year ago in Iraq. He was 21 years old.It was very hard on the whole family and still is.But he too really loved what he was doing.It was what he always wanted to do. So I guess I feel better to know that he was happy when he went doing what he knew was right and what he loved doing.
Robin
 
Ronald,

Thanks a bunch for the post. Very Cool!! I know that thanks isn't necessary, but since my oldest son spent a year in Afghanistan, I know a little about the dedication and sacrifice of you brave men and women of our military, and their families. My vocabulary and limited writing ability won't allow me to fully express the appreciation that I feel for what you do. So I guess I will just say THANKS!!!
 
I agree, a Thank you is not necessary, but you've devoted your life to what you love, defending our country. Your friends and family have suffered missing you, you've missed time shared with love ones, and risked your life. Not to get into a PC battle over the issue of this war, you signed up in order to do your part to protect this country, no mater where you are sent. My uncle served in the first Golf War and I know what his absence did to our family. I say Thank You to every service man or woman, because I don't want to see you guys treated they way the Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home. I want you to know how much your are appreciated for your sacrifice, your devotion, and your love for freedom. God Bless You and your Family, and may He protect you always.
 
Back
Top