Breeding Leopard Geckos
92Caring for Leopard Geckos
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Breeding leopard geckos is relatively easy once you have the male and female geckos. If you decide to breed leopard geckos, do not house the male and female together; this can cause stress on the female. Letting the male and female mate all the time can cause health concerns with the female, so do not let them mate unless you have the full intent of incubating the eggs. Otherwise it just causes unnecessary stress on the female.
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The Guide to Owning a Leopard Gecko/ Leopard Geckos: Identification, Care, & Breeding
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Sexing Leopard Geckos
Once you've decided to breed your leopard geckos, you must make sure that you have a male and a female, otherwise you will not any babies. Plus, putting two males together in hopes of breeding them, will only cause injury and possible death, so first, you must make sure that you have one male and at least one female. It is hard to determine the gender of leopard geckos until they are about six months old, so when checking a baby gecko for its gender, a male may resemble a female.
If you know at what temperature the gecko was incubated, it will give you a good idea as to what the gender is, but either way you should check the vent (base of the tail where it meets the body). Both genders will have a 'V' of femoral pores at the vent, but in females the femoral pores will appear much fainter than in males. Males also have two hemipenal bulges at the base of the tail, below the vent.
You must be certain of the gender of you gecko before you put two geckos together, so remember that the size of the head or the length of the gecko cannot determine the sex because there are always exceptions to the rules.
Appropriate Breeding Age
Leopard geckos should be fully grown before you think about breeding; make sure that they are at least one year old. If a female is too young, complications may arise, and the overall lifespan of the gecko can be shortened. The age is not the sole determining factor of breeding requirements. The female should also be in good conditions, not underweight or unhealthy. Female should be no less than 50 grams because the female will actually loose weight while being gravid, as the egg production takes calcium from her bones and body.
Mating and Egg Laying
Usually you will not see the mating process, but you will begin to notice bite marks on the female. The male will grab a hold of the female around her neck, but it is not uncommon to see marks on her body or tail.
If you begin to notice sores or bullying, you need to remove the male. Usually, you will only need to keep the male with the female for a few days to a week.
As the eggs develop within the female, you will begin to notice the female gaining weight. The skin will begin to stretch, and the eggs will become visible in her abdomen.
Occasionally, the first clutch will only consist of one egg, but usually they come in pairs. The female will lay her eggs about every four to six weeks. First time breeders will typically have fewer eggs the first year, but you will find that leopard geckos can lay up to 10 eggs a season.
Have a laying box, or humid hide, where the female can lay her eggs. Fill the laying box with about one to two inches of damp vermiculite or perlite, found at garden stores. The laying box allows you some time before the eggs dehydrate, but sometimes the female will not lay the eggs within the laying box, so you must remove them immediately, or else they will dehydrate.
Typically, if the female doesn't lay the eggs within the laybox, they are not going to be fertile, but if you do catch them in time, you should try to incubate them anyway, as that is not always the case.
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Incubating Leopard Gecko Eggs
You will need an incubator to ensure that the eggs stay at a constant temperature. Temperature fluctuations during incubation can cause deformities, if not potentially kill the embryo.
Types of Incubators:
Homeade:
- You can use old styrofoam coolers with heat tape attached to a thermostat.
- An aquarium with an under water heater set to a particular temperature. Have the eggs in a tupperware of some sort, partially sitting in the water.
Commercial:
- 1602-N Hovabator (DO NOT use a Hovabator with a turbo fan or with an automatic egg turner. The thermal fan will dry out hte eggs even if you have optimum humidity in the deli cups.)
- Nature's Spirit
Temperatures:
The sex of leopard geckos is determined by the temperature of the incubator. Usually if the egg is incubated for at 90º F, it will be a male, or if it is incubated at 80º F, it will be a female. If the eggs are incubated at 85º F, the chances your chances are 50/50 for either a male or a female, but you then run the chance of having "hot females" or "cold males," where they will not breed and are usually more aggressive.
Humidity:
You should keep a cup or two of water within the incubator if you are using a bought incubator. This will raise the humidity levels. You can also pour water in the bottom of some bought incubators to accomplish the same thing.
Incubation Medium:
When in the incubator the egg needs to be in some sort of container with a moistened bedding. Vermiculite and perlite work great. Hatch-rite is a new incubation medium that has great results as well; with Hatch-rite, you do not need to add water. Super Hatch is another good option that is now available.
Hatching Leopard Geckos
The eggs will incubate for about 40- 60 days. The higher the temperature, the faster the embryo will develop, and in turn the sooner it will hatch.
About a week before the baby hatches, the egg will swell, becoming noticeably larger. A few hours before the baby hatches, you will notice deformation of the egg.
Baby geckos have a hatching tooth that allows it to break out of the egg, but they soon loose the tooth after its purpose is served.
During the hatching process, the baby will take breaks, retreating back inside the egg, so if you are watching the baby hatch, do not worry. The overall process is fairly quick. The yolk sac will still be attached to the baby, so it is a good idea to leave the baby in its container for a little while so that the yolk sac can be rubbed off.
Leopard Gecko Breeders
- goReptiles
Small hobby breeder of select leopard gecko morphs, african fat tails, and crested geckos. - Bright Albino
Breeder of various leopard gecko morph. Paul is a high quality breeder for a great price. - HISSS
HISSS raises and breeds top quality leopard geckos. You can find various morphs such as Enigmas, Bells, Trempers, Jungles, and more.
Caring for Leopard Gecko Hatchlings
Housing
Leopard gecko hatchlings must be housed with geckos of their size. If they are placed with larger geckos, they may be bullied and become stressed. This is the only time that you can house male leopard geckos, but as they age, you will have to separate them. Just remember to house the geckos with others similar to them in size, reducing any problems that may occur.
Reptile carpet and paper towels are both great when housing young leopard geckos. Remember to place a small bowl of water in with the hatchlings. Make sure that it is not filled too deep to prevent the baby from falling into the water bowl. Overall, the hatchlings should be given the same treatment as an adult, receiving the same heat and overall care as an adult.
Diet
Hatchling leopard geckos will not eat until their first shed, which is usually about three to five days after hatching. You should have small crickets or mealworms ready to provide the hatchlings. Remember to appropriately size the feeder insects to no more than than the width of the space between its eyes.
Handling
Handing the hatchlings should be as minimal as possible because to the baby, you are gigantic, and handling the babies will frighten them, possibly stressing them out. You should allow the hatchling time to grow a little. Wait about a month before handling the babies, and when you thing the babies are ready to be handled, start slow, just as you would the adults.
More Info About Breeding Reptiles
- Things to Think About Before Breeding Reptiles
Make sure that you're prepared for breeding reptiles. You don't want to harm any innocent reptile while you're trying to get your kicks. - Investing in High Quality Reptiles
When breeding reptiles, you want to invest in a high quality reptile versus plain-jane reptile from the pet store. - My Investment: The Cost of Breeding Reptiles
How much does it really cost to breed reptiles. The expenses from goReptiles. - goReptiles
About my personal hobby business.
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Comments
hi i have a few questions you said that one breeding can produce up to 17 eggs! so ur saying if i put my male witht the female and the breed once she could have 2 eggs then 2 more and 2 more going on and on all from one breeding? and another thing is there anything that i should do before hand like raise there temps or lower them to put them in the "mood" like corn snakes or can you just do it any time and last but not least is there a certain time of the year to breed them or can they breed any time of the year?
Thanks, Kyle
If you have any other questions, just ask.
THank you so much, you have very much help to me.
giancarlo, You can find them at pet stores (which I generally don't recommend bc many pet store reptiles are ill) ranging from say $20 and up. Breeders will have adoption geckos that shouldn't be bred but would make fine pets, as well as geckos ranging from $10+. Depending on what morph you're looking for the price will vary. If you're spending the money to set up a cage and feed at least 3 times a week, daily for hatchlings after their first shed, it's not going to be cheap to upkeep, but they're not the most expensive pet either.
Akolm, glad I can help. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to ask.
Ok. Thank you so much! I'm glad that I came to this site. You have been a great help to me.
OK THANK YOU.I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION HOW MUCH TO LEAPORD GECKOS USUALLY COST?I DONT HAVE MUCH MONEY RIGHT NOW THATS WHY I ASKED MY FRIEND TO BREED HIS FOR ME.
giancarlo7, no you have to order it online. You're not going to find breeding supplies at a pet store bc they want you to purchase from them not make your own. I think you should just buy a leopard gecko instead of breeding. I'm not sure what experience your friend has, but if you don't have a place for potentially 10-16 hatchlings, it's not a good idea to breed.
Sheen, anytime you have questions, feel free.
Akolm, Leopard geckos do not need to be sprayed. That can cause high humidity, which can lead to respiratory infections and complications. They only need a humid hide, but only mist the humid hide when the gecko is going into shed. Other geckos do need to be misted, but not leopard geckos.
Thank you for all of the help! I had done a ton of research online about Leopard Geckos before buying one. A lot of the websites suggested that she be sprayed down (with a bottle that can be set to mist) at least 4 times a day. I have friends that are GREAT with reptiles & have been breeding snakes and lizards too. They are more than happy to help me incubate the eggs.
I really appreciate all of your advise!
Thanks for the info!
HOW MUCH IS HEAT TAPE, AND CAN I FIND IT MY LOCAL PET STORE?
If you don't make it properly, then there is a much higher chance of dead eggs. Rememer that one breeding can lead to up to 16 eggs. Hopefully, you will be able to find homes for all of the hatchlings. A properly built homemade incubator will require heat tape, thermostat, and a styrofoam cooler. Good thermostats can cost about $100-$150 each
HI IVE REALLY BEEN WANTING A LEOPARD GECKO,SO MY FRIEND SAID HE WOULD BRRED HIS,BUT WE WERE WONDERING IF A HOMEMADE INCUBATOR IS OK?I KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO MAKE ONE BUT DOES IT HIGHER THE CHANCES OF THE EGGS DYING?
You do not spray leopard geckos and they do not need baths. You are stressing out the gecko, especially since you just got it. They are probably goign to be fertile because you said she was housed with other geckos, probably at least one male. If you leave them in the tank, they will just dehydrate. You do not need to incubate them, as you are still learning and have a lot to learn before you are ready to breed.
Make sure that you are using an under tank heater for heat, as without it your gecko won't be able to properly digest her food. Measure the temps with a digital thermometer with a probe, making sure that they are as close to 90F as possible.
Read more information about caring for leopard geckos; I have a few links above in the article that will give you basic information.
Thanks for that info!! Like I said, I've never had any kind of reptile before. This is all very new to me. So, when the guy at the pet store told me what she would need for bedding, I bought it. Normally I feed her meal worms w/a pair of tweezers, that way she won't end up w/a mouth full of the crushed walnut shells.
Another thing that I'm not sure about is bathing her. I know that she needs sprayed down multiple times each day. But she runs and hides....she hates it!!! I've taken to bathing her in my stainless steel kitchen sink. I put her in the sink w/luke warm water but she doesn't want any part of that either. She will continuously try and climb the sides of the sink. Am I doing something wrong??
So, if she lays her eggs they won't be any good because there is no male in the tank w/her to fertilize them? I know I must sound stupid with all of these questions...but I really don't want to do anything that's going to harm her or stress her in any way.
AKolm , I'd remove the walnut shells as it can cause impaction if injested, which is fatal. Pet stores are packed with employees who have NO clue what they're doing or proper care. It depends on what kind of spots she has. If they're red ovals in the tummy, then probably eggs. They will just dry out. Just let her lay the eggs, let them dry out, and she'll be fine.
Sheen, You need to separate them if you don't want them to breed. You need two tanks. Males can breed very early on, and if you can already sex them, then they need to be separated. The male will breed and the female will probably take. They are breedable at 1 year and 9 months, but the female is not old enough yet for it to be safe. If you've had them housed together, they've probably already bred. I'd separate them. They can breed year round in captivity, which is why it's not recommended to house males and females together year round- causes too much stress on the female's body. Separate them.
At what age do leopard geckos become able to breed? We recently purchased 2 (male and female) and they seem to get along very well...however, we DO NOT wish to breed them. The pet store said they were 1 year (male) and 9 months (female). We do have 2 separate tanks. However, I would like to be able to put them together without worrying about breeding. Are there certain times of the year they tend to breed? Any help is appreciated.
Okay, here it is.....I purchased a Leopard Gecko from a local pet store about 3-4 weeks ago. It was in a terrarium with two other Leopard Geckos. When I bought it I was told that it was a male. However, today I noticed it digging all of her bedding (Ground English Walnut Shells- per the pet stores suggestion) out from under its favorite hide. So I did some research online and decided to sex the lizard. I have since found that Cryptic (my gecko) is a female!!!! When I was sexing her, I noticed that she's gotten a lot fatter since I bought her. I flipped her over and looked at her belly and saw several whitish spots underneath her skin. Also she hasn't eaten the same today. With the digging, not wanting to eat, the white spots & her sluggish behavior, does this mean that she's pregnant?? I'm concerned because I only purchased the one gecko & according to some of my research, if there is no male to fertilize the eggs, they will rot. What do I do? This is my first reptile...EVER!!! I don't want to do anything that's going to harm her.
Depending on the age of hte gecko, it may be too soon to tell. Boys will show slight bulges around 15-20 grams, which will probably be your first sign.
i have just got a baby gecko a three weeks ago and i dont know the sex but i have not checked is it to soon to tell?
You have to incubate them. They will probably dry out in the enclosure and you cannot guarantee stable temperatures within the enclosure.
Hey Whitney My leo just laid her eggs(i can tell because she moved about half the sand into one corner). Somone said at petsmart said that the eggss can incubate in the tank is that true or due i need to incubate them in an incubator?
Noah, 10 gallons is WAY too small for two geckos. You need to separate them. 10 gallons is barely enough space for one gecko. At your age, I'm not sure if you're prepared to handle breeding. It usually takes about 3-4 weeks before they lay their first clutch.
Adam, it takes time. You just got the gecko. Leave it alone for at least a week. You need to give it time to adjust. Also remember that you are much larger than the gecko.
Emmy, she doesn't sound like she's fertile. I wouldn' breed her again. It's not normal for the eggs to have any growths or spots on them.
Ricky, You need the temps a tad higher. newspaper is iffy, paper towels is cheaper and better. Also make sure to have an under tank heater.
Hey Whitney i bought a leo gecko from my local reptile shop 2 weeks ago , and she's 1 month old , at the moment i have her in a 15 gal container with a heat lamp on the right - set at 85 in the day and 65 at night , a log and rock in the middle and a upside down terracota pot with peatmoss in it on the left . I was wondering what should i put on the floor of her tank because at the moment i have newspaper which i replace every day , she loves being handleld and has shed already , Am i doing everythink right for her because i just want her to be happy and healthy ????
Well, she's laid about 5 clutches in the past and they all dented in or molded after about 3 days. Its been three days no and these eggs have not dimpled or molded, theyre still nice and round, they just have a slight whiter like spot on teh top of them... its not very big... and when i chechked them yesterday it actually seemed to be shrinking. Thanks
Hi, I have a question that doesnt really have anything to do with breeding.
I just got a leopard gecko a week ago and he/she is around 3 months old and is healthy, he/she hisses at me all the time when im putting/taking anything in the cage and bit me when i put my hand by him/her and i was wondering how can i tame him/her so i can hold her/him?
Thanks
Hey im 11 soon to be twelve and i got a male and female gecko.Female two months ago.Male today June 6th.And i have a 10 gal tank and i dont have separated tanks my male is geting along with my female the temp. is 80 - 95f and im wondering when do they have hatchlings?
Emmy, I'm not sure what kind of bubble you're talking about. If it's on the top of the egg, then the egg is probably not any good.
colt, it's probably just a natural coloration.
yes my gecko is an adult and yes i do believe it occurred after shedding...but thank you thats good to know...thanks for the help..
Hi, my gecko just laid her eggs yesterday (june 4th) at around 10:30 pm. Today (june 5th) when I checked on them around 5:30 pm, they like a whitish bubble on the top of them. Is this bad? What is it? Is it normal? Could it be where the baby is settling? Thank you.
Did it appear after a shed? Is the gecko an adult? They do grow into color changes over time, but typically this stops once the gecko is an adult. It's probably normal and not a sign of malutrition.
Hi, this has nothing to do with breeding but i have a question on geckos. I have a male leopard gecko and is wondering if there is a rusty color on his body randomly is that normal. I want to make sure its not from the light or lack of nurtition. thanks if
she's just not ready to lay yet. As long as she's still eating there's nothing to worry about.
i have a female with eggs in her but see has yet to lay them after 36 days. i have her in a 75 gallon with a nesting box with moist peatmoss in it. so why has she not layed yet?
I leave males with females for 3-4 weeks before separating them. It is necessary as it can cause a great deal of stress on the female.
how long after breeding should i seperate the male an female? is it nessicary to split then up if there not fighting?
okay i will thank you for the help...
You want to remove the sand, as it can cause impaction. Remove the heat rock because it can cause serious belly burns. Remove the wood chucks and replace with vermiculite. Remove the male while not breeding as it CAN cause stress.
well i do not much about the geckos, i got the two from a friend and it was a couple months ago when i knew they are different sexes from the surprise of old eggs i found in the cage. so i left them in the same cage and now she is big again and did some research that they must be seperated due to stress on the female. for the temp we have a heat rock for her and her base is sand with a cave rock to hid in. we have a light on during the day and i tried the hide out box of miost wood chuck stuff but she wouldnt use it so i have slanted walkramp water bowl thing and fill it with the moist stuff but she doesnt use that either. her stomach huge with eggs and her arms are skinny and her tail has shrank some i do believe for her weight. i been feeding her crickets but i dont think she been eating them and cant tell you when the last time she ate because she was in the cage with the male so i thought she was eating. but all the activity she deos is switch direction she lays in. i been researching all i can to help her and if their any advice you have i will try but im going wait it out and hope she fight thourgh it.
How long has it been since her last lay? is she a first time breeder? wehat are the temps? does she have a humid hide/lay box or is it just a corner? when's the last time she ate? is she losing weight?
hi, question i think a gecko im caring for is overly pack with eggs and what can i do to help her try to make it in her bad condition...
i seperate the male and female and gave her a moist spot but she not active or eating...so any advice...thanks
Using loose bedding causes HIGH risk of impaction especially for hatchlings, and is NOT recommneded by any reputable breeder.
They can and will injest the bedding and can easily become impacted, which is fatal. Plus, leopard geckos are not native to loose sand substrates. Doesn't sound like you're creating a safe environment for a leopard gecko- no matter what age. Even by not feeding in the tank, it's unsafe because they will lick the substrate. Also remember that the forest bedding will create higher humidity levels, which can cause respiratory problems, as well as other health problems.
Typically they should be at least 15 grams before being sold, which the age will vary depending per gecko. I've found that on average it's about 2 months before they reach 10-15 grams. 2-3 weeks is unsafe to sell, and as a breeder and reptile owner, I wouldn't purchase a gecko that you from you or anyone.
How much experience do you really have?
Well one side will be dessert and other will ahve plants. Sand will be on one side, forest type on the other. And what type of plants can i put with them?
Hatchlings shouldn't be sold untill average 2 months? Becuase a reptile expo's there average is about 4 weeks old.
And i am gonna be making a nice scenery for my 20 gal tank. I will be putting dirt(clean dirt meaning no perlite or poisoning substances mixed) in the very bottom layer for the plants, then on top a Eco Earth Compressed Coconut Fiber Brick Substrate Reptile Bedding. I will be putting plants, and caves and other stuff to make it look really cool. And not to get worried becuase i don't feed my gecko's in there home tank , there fed in a big tuberware container which seems to work great!
At least 12 months and 55 grams. Hatchlings should not be sold until at least 15 grams, which on average about 2 months. Also consider it can cost $40 to $100+ for a table at a reptile show depending on who is hosting the show.
Thanks for all the info. And i will be ready to house all the hatchlings, i will only keep them for about 2-3 weeks, then they will be getting sold at a reptile expo, or just bought from friends. And how old does a female half to be for it to be mature enough to breed?
Low temps is a BAD thing and you shouldn't get a reptile unless you have all the proper equipment before hand. Because you just got the gecko, it's not uncommon for there to be some period of the gecko adjusting and not eating, but with temps of 84 in the air, you're probably not anywhere near appropriate temps on the surface of the tank, which can cause the gecko not to eat. Purchase an under tank heater and digital thermometer with a probe in order to get accurate temperatures and temperature readings.
The 9 month old should not be put with the adults bc it's not ready to breed, and it mate with the male. You really should consider more caging, as you are not prepared for hatchlings. Plus, the male should not be paired with the female year round.
Even virgin leopard geckos can lay a good many eggs. I have had many lay 12 fertile eggs with 12 babies hatch on their first breeding year. Are you prepared to house 14 hatchlings?
Hi, I just wanted a little advice. I have altogethor 4 Leopard Gecko's. 2 females, 1 male, 1 unsexed. I have a adult female tremper giant, and Adult male tremper giant both in a 20 gal long tank. Then a mack snow female 9 and a half months old in a ten gallon tank housing by hereself. Then i just got a pastal albino about 4 weeks old from a reptile expo.
The advice i wanted was, the baby pastal hasn't eaten sence i got him. He has just shed and i threw a couple of small mealworms in there. He tried to eat them but couldn't seem grab a hold of them, when he was bitting at them. So he/she just gave up. Should i just keep trying, or try and hand feed him/her. Becuase when i had baby's before they ate no problem. And i have him/her in a large tuberware container, about the size of a ten gallon. The temperature is just only 84F maybe, in the air, becuase i only have a heat lamp for him right now, becuase all the tanks are being used. Unless i take the 9 month mack snow and put her with the adults. Could the temperature be the problem, with him not eating?
And the Giant tremper female is actually really big. She sould be laying eggs soon, and i know she will lay a lot , meaning that she is a proven breeder(been breed about 4 times). I don't have a inubator yet but should have one on the way.
Whitney05 says:
4 hours ago
Yes. One good breeding can lead to up to 16 or so eggs. They'll lay 1-2 eggs every 3-4 weeks.
It's not recommended to lower the temps. Some breeders will just shut off main source of heat and let it be room temperature, but if you're a begginer it's not recommended, as you can encounter many issues if not done correctly. You really don't need to lower the temps for corns either, although it's thought to enhance the likelihood of breeding. Leopard geckos don't need the temps lowered and raised again. They can breed any time, but generally they'll breed from late winter to early summer even if you don't alter temps.