subject: Breeding Leopard Geckos - Some Basic Questions Answered [print this page] Breeding Leopard Geckos - Some Basic Questions Answered
Breeding Leopard geckos is perfectly possible in captivity but you need to know your subject and great care should be taken. Some basic questions occur time and again so the following answers should be of help when you're breeding Leopard geckos.
Question 1: What age and size is optimum for breeding Leopard geckos?
Answer: In general, a Leopard gecko should be around a year old before you try breeding her, weighing more than 60 grams. However, this will not apply to the giant varieties where the female geckos can reach a weight of 100 grams or more.
Basically, you need to check and record the growth and weight of your gecko from the moment you acquire her, whether by hatching or purchase. In this way, you can be sure that your gecko is in a good state of health. Your female will lose weight when she lays her eggs, so you need to weigh her when the eggs are laid to determine how much weight she must regain before further breeding.
Whatever you do, don't start breeding your Leopard geckos too early as this can cause health issues including dangerous weight loss, calcium deficiency and indeed, a lessened life expectancy. In addition, a female which is bred when not in peak condition will lay fewer clutches of fewer eggs and the eggs may never get to hatching.
Question 2: How can you tell if a Leopard gecko is pregnant?
Answer: Before you start breeding your Leopard geckos, learn how to hold your females so that you can see their bellies and make sure that they are used to being handled by a human. There are a number of ways that you can do this; gently lift the gecko by the base of the tail with her front legs still on the ground or hold her above you to see the belly.
The skin on the belly is very thin and you will be able to see fatty deposits, ovulations and eggs. Ovulations appear as pink circles, normally in pairs, towards the rear of the belly area. Eggs will be white shapes surrounded by a pink tinge, which grow over time and will be situated one on either side of the female's middle.
Question 3: When incubating eggs, how can you tell if the eggs will hatch?
Answer: Basically, you can't tell. If you see eggs deflating, this may mean that they won't hatch but on the other hand they may just be dehydrated. To fix this, increase the humidity in the incubator by adding water and just wait. Whatever you do, don't throw the eggs away until they're well past their hatching due date or until they actually begin to smell bad which will mean that the foetus is dead.
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