Cappuccino Crested Geckos for sale in the UK
A Cappuccino crested gecko is darker than a normal, with a very dark tail tip, a bright white tail base and a dorsal pattern that fades as it grows. One copy carries none of the super's problems, but two copies make the Super Cappuccino, so never pair two Cappuccinos.
- Visuals
- £180
- 3 for sale
- Super Cappuccino (aka Melanistic, Mel) — linked to structural defects such as kinking
- Cappuccino (aka Capp; the super as Melanistic, Mel) — do not pair with another Cappuccino. Offspring of that pairing carry a hereditary defect.
Cappuccino crested geckos available now
About the Cappuccino gene
The Cappuccino gene affects the whole crested gecko rather than one patch of pattern. One copy gives a darker animal with a distinctive tail and a dorsal that fades with age, and it is the gene behind the Frappuccino.
Appearance
The tail is the tell. A Cappuccino hatchling often has a bright, sharp white Y at the tail base and a very dark tail tip with little or no pattern. Look along the lower spine for spotted or muted markings. Bases are mostly dark brown, black and grey, though outcrossing has brought in others. Many have a near-black tongue that lightens quickly. As the gecko grows its colours blend and fade, and most adults lose the dorsal pattern altogether, while the white or yellow pinstripes widen and spread. High-expression babies are easy to pick out; low-expression ones may need to grow before the gene shows.
The Super Cappuccino looks like a different animal. It is very dark or translucent, with smooth, silky skin, reduced crests and solid black eyes at hatching that change with age.
Genetics
Cappuccino is incomplete dominant. One copy shows the trait, and two give the visually distinct Super Cappuccino, also known as Melanistic or Mel. A Cappuccino with Lilly White is a Frappuccino, and a Super Cappuccino with Lilly White is a Sorak. Reptile City Korea first proved the gene in 2020.
Known issues
The Super Cappuccino is linked to structural defects such as kinking. It is the two-copy form that carries it, not the single-copy Cappuccino. Supers from every known line have shown reduced nostrils, some with no nostril opening at all; some of those also have spectacle eye, and some have died young. The Sorak shares the nostril problem. Single-copy Cappuccinos and their combos are not affected. Severity varies between individuals - please research the morph and ask the seller about this specific animal before buying.
The Super Cappuccino is on REPTA's prohibited list, which bask applies, so it cannot be listed here. The breeding rule follows from that: never pair a Cappuccino with another Cappuccino. Pair it with a gecko that does not carry the gene.