Male and Female gecko leopards can live together in a proper enclosure.Or a single tank that satisfies their environmental needs; they are mainly kept together to breed during the breeding season.One male leopard gecko should be mated with only one female leopard gecko to initiate the process to breed new leopard geckos. Male leopard geckos tend to be docile in behavior and females have a different behavior process compared to males during the mating season. A leopard gecko is a reptile that lays eggs and the temperature of the environment where eggs are kept determines the gender of the baby geckos. After pet geckos breed, it is important to keep the eggs in an incubator away from their tank for hatching the eggs. Every clutch from a female features only one to two eggs. A leopard gecko egg is very soft and should be handled with proper care.After reading about incubating leopard gecko eggs in an incubator or plastic container, also check about how often do leopard geckos shed and what do geckos eat.Caring For Female Leopard Geckos During BreedingThe leopard geckos can be considered as easily bred and raised in captivity as they have been bred for many years.The gender of reptiles depends on many factors such as the size, age, or even the temperature of the surroundings. This is because of the fact that the sex hormones produced in a reptile’s body depend on environmental conditions. In leopard geckos, the sex of the newborn is determined within the first two weeks after it is born. Breeding is favored if the colony includes at least two females and one male. They require low sunlight and an optimum temperature of 69.8-75.2 F (21-24 C) for breeding. Less daylight will mean less heat due to the sun and will lead to a decrease in temperature. The leopard geckos can be bred at any time of year when they are in captivity, despite the fact that their natural mating season is from January to September in the wild. The shells of leopard gecko eggs are made up of calcium, the production of these eggs can create a calcium deficiency in the mother’s body. Hence, females should be served foods rich in calcium to help them recover the lost calcium. The leopard geckos can lay up to five groups of eggs in a season, these eggs can actually be seen from outside the body of the gecko through their ventral skin once the eggs mature enough.It is important to keep a section of the enclosure made for the gecko and the eggs should be set aside to facilitate a secure place for the eggs during egg-laying. This area must be kept moist and soft to mimic the feel of wet soil and to keep the eggs warm. When they are first laid, they are soft and sticky on touch but once fertilized, eggs stiffen quickly, and form a thick membrane surrounding them. Soft eggs are commonly infertile. The eggs should be properly taken care of because often, the eggs might be eaten by other adults.The hatched geckos shouldn’t be kept together as the hatchlings are very competitive and fierce. If the babies are being raised together, make sure to keep an eye on the small hatchlings and protect them from damage and provide them with sufficient food. To grow into strong adults, the hatchlings must survive infancy with strong competition. This survival of the fittest strategy helps only the strongest to grow forward and builds a stronger gene pool.Like most other reptiles, the leopard geckos do not start eating until their first skin is shed, this occurs a week after hatching and it is important to serve the babies a proper diet every day or every other day. It should be rich in vitamins and minerals (e.g., gut-loaded baby crickets). And it is important to keep a water dish along with a cold a moist (humid) shelter for them to cool off.Do leopard geckos lay unfertilized eggs?Females are sexually matured only after eight to nine months when they weigh around 1.58 oz (44.7 g). The normal breeding season for leopard geckos is between January to September. Some reasons why leopard geckos lay unfertilized eggs are:Poor health conditions- One of the most leading causes of infertile eggs is poor nutrition. There is not enough male sterility to breed leopard geckos.Over aging of female leopard geckos- Infertility can also occur because the females aren’t introduced soon enough to the males to breed leopard geckos. A virgin female leopard gecko should meet a male leopard gecko once they reach 1.58 oz (44.7 g). If they are bred after exceeding the weight limit, there is a possibility of infertile eggs. Make sure that incubators have a proper bottom lining of the substrate like vermiculite. Some of the other substrates are peat moss and sphagnum moss.Do you have to use an incubator for leopard gecko eggs?Incubators can be made even at home or store-bought. Some of the important materials that you need if you cannot afford an incubator:Container- Plastic containers, Tupperware, or a box is highly recommended to incubate the eggs. Make sure lids have air holes in them for proper air circulation.Heat lamp- This is a must for the leopard gecko eggs. Ceramic bulbs or heating pads are used for the necessary temperature.Substrate- There should be something at the bottom of the container to provide moisture. Some of the substrates are soil, moss, and vermiculite.Water dish or spray bottle- In order to maintain the moisture and humidity in the tank for the eggs, a spray bottle is a must. The placement of a water dish is also one of the most considered options. It allows the heat to disperse in order to provide moisture.How many eggs can a leopard gecko produce in a season?The geckos should be reared individually as they hatch. If the babies must be reared together, the smaller ones must be protected from damage and from feeding competition. The hatchlings survive on the yolk of the egg for the first week after hatching.They do not begin to feed on their own until after their first shed, which should happen after the first week of hatching, just like most other reptiles. They should be served a vitamin and mineral-rich diet every day or every other day (e.g., gut-loaded baby crickets). Always have a small water dish and a humid hide box available.When the mating season begins, female leopard geckos will lay a clutch of eggs every 22 days at the absolute least, but up to 15 days. After mating, the female requires between 16 and 22 days to deposit her eggs. The mating season lasts four to five months, and females can deposit eight to ten eggs during their first year of breeding. They will lay more eggs after the first year.A female leopard gecko between the age of two and five will lay one or two eggs at a time, resulting in four to 10 clutches (10 to 15 eggs) every season. However, some females may only have two or three nests per year. A healthy leopard gecko can lay up to 100 eggs in its lifetime.Do leopard geckos always deposit two eggs at a time?During the first breeding season, female leopard geckos can produce up to two eggs or only lay single egg clutches. No, they do not always deposit two eggs at a time.Female gecko leopards can lay two eggs at a time during the period of 15 to 22 days as the breeding season continues for over four to five months. Eggs start hatching in 36 to 89 days depending upon the temperature during incubation. In a single breeding season, female gecko leopards can produce up to 20 eggs forming a clutch. Females produce six to seven clutches during a year. The eggs once laid should be kept in warm places like in sand or moist vermiculite. Once baby leopard geckos are born they need five to seven mealworms for their first meal. Baby leopard geckos are reptiles who can bite as they are aggressive creatures.What temperature do leopard geckos lay eggs?The sex of a hatchling is determined within the first two weeks after it is born. It depends on the temperature range during the time of incubation.A lower temperature of 78.8 F (26 C) will produce mostly females, and a higher temperature of 89.6 F (32 C) produces mostly males; whereas a temperature range of 84.2-87.8 F (29 C-31 C) produces an equal number of male and female hatchlings. The relative humidity in the incubator should be between 75 to 100 % and the eggs should be expected to hatch after a 45-53 day incubation period. The measurement of female leopard geckos can reach up to 7-10 in (17.7-25.4 cm) long. The lifespan of leopard geckos is up to or more than 20 years. Proper care should be taken once the mating period is over for the leopard geckos.They should be provided with a hygiene egg-laying box and healthy conditions. Some of the materials used to incubate the leopard gecko eggs are shoe boxes or plastic deli cups. They should have proper moisture to incubate the eggs. Fill the box with sphagnum moss. Slowly bury the leopard geckos eggs by keeping space of at least 0.5 in (1.27 cm) in between them. Make sure to cover the box lid tightly. Drill some air holes on the top of the box lid. If dents are noticed during the process of incubation, know that the medium they are placed in is without moisture and considered too dry.Do leopard gecko eggs need to be turned?No. The gecko leopard eggs should not be turned over. After some time, the embryo present in the eggs would attach itself to the shell. If one tries to move the eggs or turn them during the period of incubation, there is a possibility that the fluids present in the egg will drown the young neonate.Although this won’t happen instantly. The eggs should be moved very safely while keeping them in incubators for incubation. Once they are placed they should not be moved for any reason. The position of the eggs should not be changed despite the conditions.Eggs should not be disturbed during the incubation process which lasts up to 30 to 90 days. They should never be placed without substrates like vermiculite or perlite. Usually one should incubate the eggs depending upon the moisture present in the incubators. Make sure that the temperature is near 89-90 F (31.6-32.2 C).After the female gecko lays the eggs, they should be removed immediately from the tank. The eggs laid by females should be removed before getting cold. Use a spoon to pick up the eggs so as not to damage them by using your hands. Embryos might even die if they are flipped. So it is necessary to pick them up carefully.How to incubate leopard gecko eggs?To incubate eggs one should watch out for the signs of pregnancy in the female gecko leopards. Some noticeable signs are lack of eating, irritability, abdomen swelling, and lumps found on the underside of the stomach.Spread the bedding only when the eggs are closer to the laying time. Spread the medium carefully on the bottom of the container. Place heat lamps or heating pads near it. Get the reading of the temperature by placing them up to their marks. The humidity level should be above 60%. After the eggs are laid, remove the eggs using a spoon. Make sure to not turn over the eggs. Place them in incubators and wait daily for the hatching process of the eggs. Spray down on the eggs at least five to six times per day. The eggs will hatch depending on the temperature after 35 to 90 days.What do I do with leopard gecko eggs?If you find gecko leopard eggs it is important that you take proper care of them. For their hatching process, incubate the leopard gecko eggs in incubators. Newborns need to be taken care of properly in order for them to turn out as healthy adults. Here are some of the steps you should follow if you’re totally unaware of their conditions.Get the incubators ready- Find any egg-laying box like any container or box. Plastic containers make the best incubators for your leopard gecko. One must get the incubator ready before the gecko leopard lays eggs. Deli cups and small Tupperware containers will be suitable incubators.Substrate your incubator- It is necessary to substrate your incubators. It should be done on the bottom of the cage. Some of the substrate materials best for your incubators are vermiculite or perlite. The mixture of these two can also be used for your incubators. The bottom of the incubators should not be exposed.Maintain the level of moisture- In order to thrive, the gecko eggs need a lot of moisture. The incubator should always be moist enough for them to survive. Measurements of your substrate should be equal to that of water. The measurements should be made on the basis of weight and not volume. If you add 3 oz (85 g) of the substrate, it is necessary to add 3 oz (85 g) of water as well.Air Regulation in incubators- The basic temperature geckos need to lay eggs should be between 69.8-75.2 F (21-24 C) as it is considered an ideal temperature. Thermometers are usually recommended to measure the temperature in the incubatorsHere at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for leopard gecko eggs then why not take a look at how long do leopard geckos live, or what is a baby hedgehog called.
Male and Female gecko leopards can live together in a proper enclosure.
