Introduction to Leopard geckos egg incubation temperatures

Leopard gecko eggs should be incubated between 26 and 33 °C / 79 and 91 °F. This temperature range is significantly lower than the average temperatures of their natural environments.

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Egg incubation temperatures of Leopard geckos

In nature, female Leopard geckos will choose the most desired spot to deposit their eggs. This will usually be in a self-dug hole in a shaded, moist patch of sand. Being underground, the temperatures that these eggs are exposed to are significantly lower than the environmental temperatures of their natural occurring deserts areas (often rising to above 50 °C / 122 °F). The combination of being in shade, being underground and the added moisture will contribute to a lower natural incubation temperature.

For pet Leopard geckos, a special hide box needs to be supplied for females to lay their eggs in. These hide boxes need to be filled with a moist substrate, such as vermiculite, peat or sphagnum moss. Also see suitable substrates for Leopard geckos for more information. Although some Leopard gecko eggs will likely hatch by keeping them in the hide box inside the keeping enclosure, it is better to transfer them to an incubator. By making use of an incubator, the egg will not only be safer, but the temperature and humidity can be controlled better.

Leopard geckos have, what is called, temperature-dependent sexual dimorphism. This means that the temperature at which Leopard gecko eggs were incubated has an effect on the gender of the babies. Having manual control over the incubation temperature can allow Leopard gecko breeders to manipulate the ratio of male to female Leopard gecko babies. Also see breeding with Leopard geckos for more information.

The male to female ratio is much higher at warmer average incubation temperatures (31-33 °C / 88-91 °F). More females will be born if the incubation temperatures were dropped to between 26 and 27 °C / 79 and 81 °F during the first 3 weeks and then increased to a higher incubation temperature (31-32 °C / 88-90 °F) after that. A more-or-less equal amount of male and female Leopard gecko babies will be born when the eggs are incubated at temperates ranging from 29 to 30 °C / 85 to 87 °F.

Sustained average temperatures of above 33 °C / 91 °F might dry the eggs out and can quickly kill developing embryos. Average temperatures below 26 °C / 79 °F will lead to prolonged egg incubation periods. Lower incubation temperatures will also increase the humidity and make the environment more prone to bacterial and mould growth, which will kill the eggs.

During the incubation period, owners should constantly monitor and record the temperature of the incubator. Temperatures can be measured using a thermometer. The humidity of the eggs should also be monitored. Depending on the incubator used, monitoring procedures should take into consideration temperature drops which might affect the eggs and the overall incubation period.

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Introduction to Leopard gecko breeding

Leopard geckos are successful breeders. Breeding with Leopard geckos is easy and in most cases even unstoppable. Apart from the correct husbandry, only a bit of extra knowledge is required to produce a batch of Leopard gecko babies.

Breeding pairs

In order to breed, an adult male and female Leopard gecko need to be housed together. When the enclosure size allows, one male can be paired with a couple of females. Leopard geckos are seasonally polyestrous. Females can retain sperm for one year. Breeding age (sexual maturity) for Leopard geckos depends on the gender, date of birth and weight, but is generally between 9 and 10 months of age.

Female Leopard geckos can lose a lot of weight during the breeding process and it is therefore advisable to only start breeding when they are fully grown (weighing 45 grams or more) or at least one year of age. Sexing is done by looking at the vent area. Hemipanal bulges and femoral pores will be visible in males while they are absent in females. To prevent Leopard geckos from breeding, smaller females should rather be separated from males until they are the correct size/age and well bodied.

Mating and mating behaviour

The natural breeding season of Leopard geckos is from early spring to autumn. Breeding is seasonal. During the mating season, a breeding pair will show much more interest towards each other, especially the male towards females. Breeding behaviour in males will start off with stalking and circling the female and then getting close to her. There will also be swift tail wagging, wiggling and/or tail vibrations – which can often be heard.

Owners will rarely see the mating process but are typically characterised by the male on top of his female counterpart, biting her neck to hold on for copulation. Their tails will be intertwined to allow the reproductive organs to meet.

Gravid females

After mating was successful, the female Leopard gecko will start to show signs of being gravid. Over the next 16 to 22 days, her abdomen will start to enlarge with eggs. During this period, female Leopard geckos might eat more or eat less than usual. She might also isolate herself more frequently from her cage mate(s).

Laying eggs and incubation

Leopard geckos are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs that hatch outside the body of the female. Females Leopard geckos typically produce a clutch of two eggs at a time. During the course of the breeding season, a total of four to ten clutches of eggs (typically six) can be produced every three to four weeks.

Leopard gecko eggs are whitish, soft-shelled, oval and about the size of a large pea. Once the breeding season begins, a female can lay a clutch of eggs every 15 to 22 days over a four- to five-month period.

Nearing the end of the gravid period, the hide box should be supplied with fresh substrate. At these times, the hide box will also serve as an egg-laying box. The same substrate can be used for both – either moist vermiculite or moist peat or sphagnum moss. During this time the male Leopard gecko should preferably be isolated from the female(s).

After the eggs have been deposited into the egg-laying substrate, they should be transferred to a smaller container with a fresh mixture of moist vermiculite before they are transferred to the incubator. By this time the incubator should be readied and calibrated at a temperature of between 26 and 33 °C / 79 and 91 °F.

Eggs should be monitored regularly, but not frequently. Stick to principles that will cause the least amount of temperature fluctuations for the incubator that is used. Mouldy eggs will not hatch and should be removed and discarded as soon as they appear in order not to affect healthy ones.

Also see
Suitable substrates for Leopard geckos
Leopard gecko egg incubation temperatures

Hatchling Leopard geckos

Viable eggs can take 35 to 89 days to incubate. When babies start to appear, try not to interfere. Only once a baby Leopard geckos have emerged completely from the egg should it be transferred to a larger keeping container.

Hatchling Leopard geckos should never be kept with juvenile and adult Leopard geckos.

Also see
6 tips for new baby Leopard gecko owners

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Introduction to Leopard gecko breeding

Leopard geckos are known to be easy breeders. By housing an adult male and female Leopard gecko together, breeding will most likely take place.

Keep the housing enclosure simple

Although Leopard geckos are generally not ferocious during the breeding process, fewer obstacles will be beneficial. Unnecessary enclosure furniture can be obstructive and even cause injuries. A simpler setup will also be easier to maintain, less time-consuming to keep clean and make for better observation.

Also see
Good hygiene practises for Leopard geckos

Bigger enclosures are not always better

Many Leopard gecko breeders use smaller containers during the breeding season. Simple stackable plastic containers (with enough ventilation) measuring between 40 and 60 cm / 15 to 25 ” are generally acceptable for two to four Leopard geckos. Also see the Leopard gecko housing guidelines for more information.

Use only one male

When it is time to breed, male Leopard geckos become very possessive and even aggressive. More than one male during this time will lead to more fighting and less breeding. When space allows, a single male can be paired with two to four females.

Males can be rotated between multiple females

After an evening or two together, a single male Leopard gecko can be rotated with multiple groups of females, but make sure to allow two to three days of rest after about seven days of breeding. This way males can be used more efficiently, but make sure to keep track to prevent inbreeding.

Use breeding boxes

A breeding box, or advanced hide box, with a small opening and a moist substrate, will provide hiding and a place for females to deposit their eggs in. Popular hiding box substrates to use for hiding boxes and as an egg-laying substrate is peat moss and vermiculite. Also see suitable substrates for Leopard gecko for more information.

Prevent egg contamination

Breeding boxes should contain a clean, preferably commercial substrate such as packaged vermiculite, peat moss or a specialised reptile egg-laying substrate. This will prevent eggs from becoming contaminated with bacteria and parasites. Also see suitable substrates for Leopard geckos for more information.

Feed enough food

During breeding, male and female Leopard geckos will need more energy from their food. During this time, mealworms dusted with a commercial calcium/vitamin D combination and a multi-vitamin combination should be available all the time.

Female condition and sizes

Breeding females should preferably be full size and in good condition at the beginning of the breeding season. A good indicator of the condition is the fatness of the tails. The fatter the better.

Less attention is better

It is often beneficial to allow privacy during the breeding season. Opening of the enclosure and hide box should be reserved for daily inspection, cleaning and feeding only.

Get the incubator ready

Before you have it, there will be eggs. By this time you should have done your research on the incubator to use and have it set up to the desired temperature.

The post Tips for breeding Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

There are various reasons why owners would like to know the sex (or gender) of a Leopard gecko. This article will show the external differences between males and females.

Sexing a Leopard gecko is fairly easy. From a gender point of view, all baby and most juvenile Leopard geckos will look exactly the same and can therefore only be accurately sexed from about 3 months of age. Sexual maturity in Leopard geckos (the age at which they can start to breed) is reached between 6 to 10 months of age. Larger, and adult Leopard geckos have a definitive sexual dimorphism (sexes are visibly distinguishable), but there are other ways to make an educated guess.

Not all Leopard geckos will show same-sex characteristics. Some Leopard geckos will have more gender identifying characteristics than others.

Leopard gecko sexing

Sex organs

The most accurate way to sex a Leopard gecko is by looking at the externally visible sex organs. They are situated next to the vent area on the underside of the tail base.

In male Leopard geckos, the area next to the vent towards the tip of the tail, there will be two visible bulges. These bulges are formed by the two hemi-penises. The middle of the two bulges will have an ‘hourglass’ appearance. Having no hemi-penises, female Leopard geckos will have no, or one slightly visible, bulge in this area.

Leopard gecko male on the left and female on the right. In males, the hemi-penal bulges and femoral pores (indicated by arrows) are visible, while absent in females. Image Kerstin Franke (CC BY-SA 3)

Femoral pores

Another fairly accurate way to determine the sex of Leopard geckos is by looking at the presence of femoral pores. Males will have a row of very distinctive femoral pores just in front of the vent. The rows often form a V-shape pointing to the head of the gecko. Leopard geckos with femoral pores can be accurately sexed as a male, but those without pores are not always female. A female Leopard gecko will almost always be without femoral pores.

Body conformation

A second, far less accurate way to determine the sex of a Leopard geckos is by looking at its body conformation. Generally, male Leopard geckos will have a broader head and will weigh more. Females might have broader/shorter bodies when compared with males.

Comparing sizes

Although an informed guess can be made by comparing the size of two Leopard geckos,

Temperature-dependent sexual dimorphism

Another way to make an educated guess on the gender of a Leopard gecko is by knowing the temperature at which it was incubated during the first 3 weeks after the egg was deposited. Leopard geckos have, what is called, temperature-dependent sexual dimorphism. This means that the temperature at which Leopard gecko eggs were incubated has an effect on the gender of the babies.

The male to female ratio is much higher at warmer average incubation temperatures (31-33 °C / 88-91 °F). More females will be born if the incubation temperatures were dropped to between 26 and 27 °C / 79 and 81°F during the first 3 weeks and then increased to a higher incubation temperature (31-32 °C / 88-90 °F) after that. A more-or-less equal amount of male and female Leopard gecko babies will be born when the eggs are incubated at temperates ranging from 29 to 30 °C / 85-87 °F. By controlling the incubation temperature, Leopard gecko breeders often manipulate the gender of the babies.

Also see
Leopard gecko egg incubation temperatures
Leopard gecko breeding

The post Sexing Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Introduction to breeding behaviour in Leopard geckos

Leopard gecko breeding behaviour is seen in sexually matured individuals during the breeding season. Breeding is seasonal. Sexual maturity in Leopard geckos is generally reached at about 9 to 10 months of age. The breeding season for Leopard geckos is usually the four to five months period after winter (i.e. early spring to autumn).

Although breeding behaviour is mainly seen between male and female Leopard geckos during courtship, similar behaviours are also seen between fighting males. Breeding behaviour is divided into two phases, namely courting and copulation.

Male Leopard gecko biting a female during courtship. This behaviour is commonly seen during the breeding season. Image 정브르 (CC BY YouTube)

Also see
Sexing a Leopard gecko
Leopard gecko breeding Donate via PayPal

Leopard Geckos 101 is a free, informative website helping to improve the quality of pet Leopard geckos. If you found value in any of its content, please consider making a donation. Also see the other ways to support Leopard geckos 101.

Leopard gecko breeding behaviour

Breeding behaviour in Leopard geckos might be seen intermittently when males and females are permanently housed together, or almost immediately when they were placed together after being separated.

During courtship, a male Leopard gecko will start off by showing interest and approaching the female. While stalking and/or circling the female, a male’s tail will either be lifted up in the air, move from one side to the other in a swift motion or might even vibrate. Vibration of the tail can often be heard. The male might move slow or fast during courting and his body might be jerking at stages.

After the male has thoroughly inspected the female and finds her desirable, he will dash towards her and start biting her body and head. While the female cannot move away, the male will climb on top of her, swing his back leg over her tail and slide his tail underneath hers so that their reproductive organs can meet (called copulation or mating). Attempted copulation can happen a couple of times and successful copulation will last a couple of seconds.

When a female Leopard gecko is approached by a male for breeding, she can either accept his advances or decide to run away (or try to climb out). A receptive female will stay in one place. Running away might not help as persistent males will often run after them.

Females might show threatening behaviour and try to fend off the male while vocalisation in the form of clicking sounds might be heard. While a male is biting a female she might still try to escape. Larger, stronger males will be more successful at copulation than smaller ones. Females will end successful copulation by moving away.

Females will lay eggs 16 to 22 days after successful copulation. Even if successful mating took place, Leopard gecko eggs can still be infertile. Female Leopard geckos can also lay eggs even if mating did not take place. After fertile eggs were laid, breeding can happen more than five times during the breeding season.

Also see
Leopard gecko egg incubation temperatures
Common noises Leopard geckos can make

The post Breeding behaviour in Leopard geckos appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Breeding behaviour is often seen when adult male and female Leopard geckos are housed together. This unique, and often bizarre, behaviour is mostly visible at night during the breeding season of Leopard geckos. Read article

The post Leopard Gecko mating behaviour appeared first on Leopard Gecko.

Leopard gecko egg incubation temperatures

After a female Leopard gecko has deposited her eggs, they need to be in an optimal environment to be able to hatch. The most important environmental factors that determines viability of the embryos are the temperature and the humidity. Read article

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