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| Leopard Gecko by Brian Constantino |
Breeding Essentials
By Craig Stewart
Reptiles
February 2009
Leopard geckos are easy to bred in captivity, but follow
these seven essentials steps.
- MATURE INDIVIDUALS ONLY. These geckos usually reach maturity once the males weigh 40 grams and females are between 45 to 50 grams. Typically, these weights are reached in about one year. From my experience, waiting until the female reaches this weight helps ensure a productive and safe breeding cycle. In her prime, an average female produces five clutches per year.
- OPPOSITES ATTRACT. Sexing leopard geckos is easy. Examine the gecko’s underside, and look just below the vent. If you see enlarged hemipenal bulges, then you have a male. Females can show some enlargement in this area, but it’s smooth without any depression. As an alternative, look for preanal pores located in a V-shaped pattern just above the vent. With males it is obvious. Some females have a slight V-shaped pattern, but it’s not as pronounced.
- COOL STIMULATION. I put all of my breeder geckos through a cooling cycle to stimulate the breeding cycle. Before they enter the cooling period, it is crucial their digestive tracks are completely emptied. To ensure this, I stop offering food 10 to 14 days before cycling. Once the cycle starts, temperatures are lowered immediately to the high 70s to low 60s (degrees Fahrenheit). Only water is available during the cycling period, which lasts about four to eights weeks.
- WARM THEM TO INTRODUCTIONS. Once the cycling period is over, I gradually return temperatures to normal levels (gradient from low 80s to 90 degrees) within the first week and reinstate a regular feeding program. As soon as the geckos have acclimatized, they become active and feed regularly. At this point, males can be introduced to females. A general rule of thumb is that each male can successfully breed up to 5 females, introduced individually or collectively.
- ADD A NESTING BOX. Within six weeks females becomes larger, and their undersides show the outline of developing ova. At this time, I introduce a nesting box with a small entrance hole. This box measures about 10 inches long buy 6 inches wide by 2 inches tall. Inside is a hefty layer of moist vermiculite where the female can bury her eggs. The vermiculite prevents eggs from drying out.
- INCUBATE AND REGULATE. Leopard geckos always lay eggs in pairs. Remove them from the nesting box, and place them into an incubator. Although several methods of incubating eggs exist, I have had consistent success by placing eggs atop moist vermiculite in an airtight container. You can control the geckos’ sex through the incubation temperature. Produce males at 88 to 90 degrees, female at 80 to 82 degrees and mixed groups at 85 to 86 degrees. During incubation, open containers twice a week to circulate fresh air and to remove condensation on the lid.
- GIVE THEM A BREAK. At the end of each breeding season, separate males and females. The females need a chance to recuperate.
