Seven Leopard Gecko Breeding Secrets
Leopard geckos have a breeding season that spans from late February/early March until September, which is triggered by rising temperatures after their hibernation period. While some breeders suggest a period of hibernation lasting one to two months (November-December) during which the duration of lighting, temperature, and food are gradually reduced, some breeders prefer to keep their geckos well-fed and rested during this period to build up energy and nutrient reserves. Good health is a crucial factor for successful breeding in leopard geckos.
Sexing an adult leopard gecko is relatively simple. Males can be distinguished from females by three hallmarks: preanal pores forming a V just before the bulges hemipenes, two bulges hemipenes just before the cloaca, and being wider at the base of the neck than females. Females exhibit no preanal pores or bulges hemipenes. These two criteria are usually sufficient for determining the sex of a leopard gecko, but in some cases, there may be no difference at the base of the neck. It should also be noted that incubation plays an essential role in determining the sex of leopard geckos.
For successful breeding, it is important to wait until the female leopard gecko is healthy and sexually mature, typically between 15-18 months of age. Males, on the other hand, are ready to breed without any problems from 10 months of age. A female that is too young might prioritize calcium for egg formation at the expense of its frame, which could halt its growth, making it more fragile, and even reducing its life expectancy.
Mating leopard geckos can be observed at night, minutes before the lights are extinguished in the terrarium. The male will start wagging its tail in a sweeping motion from right to left at an astonishing speed to show its intentions to the female. Once the male catches the female, it will attempt to repeatedly bite her neck to immobilize her, and then mating will occur for one to two minutes. After mating, the female will lay eggs, usually two eggs relatively large compared to her size, approximately 2-4 weeks later. The eggs will be deposited in a humid chamber consisting of moist vermiculite, and the female will take care to cover them before leaving the wet box. The eggs will hatch after an incubation period, which plays an essential role in sex determination of the leopard gecko.
To hatch the eggs, it is relatively easy to plan for hatching depending on the incubation temperature, and recording the dates of each egg. The eggs are then gently collected and transferred to an incubator by placing them in boxes lined with moist vermiculite. After hatching, the little leopard geckos will be placed in a small terrarium (20 x 30 cm), striped black and white/yellow for the common phase.