Leopard Gecko Breeding
***I have tried most of these methods and have had success with them***
THE BASICS: Breeding Leopard Geckos is relatively easy. Females can be bred when they're 45 grams and above. I prefer to wait until their at least 50 grams, 55 for first year breeders. Males can be 45 or above. The Leopard Gecko breeding season tends to between December and February. These are when females are laying eggs. My breeding season starts later, around May. Female Leopard Geckos can lay up to 20, possibly more, eggs a season. They can lay 4-12 clutches. The clutches usually contain 2 eggs, but the first and last clutch might have one.
CAUTIONS: Breeding leopard geckos can have some downsides. First off, females can get egg bound which means the eggs have hardened inside her body and she can't get them out. She may need surgery, or she could die. Also, do you have a place to sell your hatchlings? Do you have enough space? Do you have enough food to feed all those little mouths? These questions should be considered before breeding.
CYCLING: A lot of people think that you should cycle your Leos. It is not required and many breeders (including myself) do not cycle and still have great results. If you want to cycle, gradually lower the temperatures and the amount of light they get a day. Keep it like this for 2-4 weeks and offer no food but keep water available. Then gradually raise the temperatures and the photo-period until they are normal. After this, introduce the male to the female or vice versa. This can influence females to ovulate.
Ovulating female
INTRODUCING: After cycling, or if you didn't cycle, introduce the 2 together. It does not matter who you introduce to who. I personally introduce the female to the male, but male to female works fine. If your female isn't ovulating, introducing her to a male might influence her. You will begin to notice the male constantly stalking the female. The male will bite the females tail, then work his way up to her neck. After, the male will lock tails with the female to fertilize her eggs. This is called copulation. Do not worry about the male biting the female, unless you see blood. If for some reason the male is not interested, either leave them together or separate and try again in a week. Do not expect eggs right away, especially if your female isn't ovulating. Leave the male in for a few days and then move him or the female to a new cage.
EGG LAYING: Females will usually lay eggs 3-6 weeks after copulation. Always make sure to provide plenty of calcium and dust the feeders a couple times a week. You should always put a lay box in the cage with the female. To make a lay box, simply get a container that your female can gain access to from the top. Fill it with moist vermiculite, Eco Earth, Sphagnum moss, etc. Cut a hole twice the diameter of the female in the top or side. Place it in the terrarium. A few days before laying, your female may shed. When it comes time, she will get restless and dig in her lay box. This is a sign of egg-laying. Female Leopard Geckos usually lay 2-6 weeks after their previous lay.
INCUBATING: Egg incubation is easy if you start off right. Incubation substrates include vermiculite, perlite, hatchrite, and other specifically designed substrates. I use vermiculite. To prepare for eggs, get a deli cup and fill it with your incubation substrate. For vermiculite, I get the amount of vermiculite I need to put in the deli cup I am going to incubate the eggs in. Put the deli cup on a scale, then tare the scale out so it reads 0 grams. Add the vermiculite. Let's say the vermiculite weighs 20 grams. I use a 1:1 ratio of vermiculite to water, so 20 grams of vermiculate would mean 20 grams of water. Then with a spray bottle, spray water on the vermiculite until it reads 40 grams. You now have your deli cup set up. You can do this before your female lays eggs, just make sure to seal the deli cup tight. For perlite, check Albeys method of incubation.
When you have eggs, make a thumbprint into the substrate and place the eggs in it. DO NOT FLIP THE EGGS OVER. This could drown the embryo inside of it. Make a little mark with a pen or sharpie on the top of the egg so you know which way it was laid. Put the top on the deli cup, and stick it in an incubator. If you want to know if the egg is fertile or not, you could candle it. To candle an egg, get a small flashlight or LED light and hold it up to the egg. If the egg glows red it is most likely fertile, as those are the blood vessels. If it glows yellow it is most likely infertile, because it is showing no sign of blood vessels. Candling works between 1-4 weeks after the egg is laid. Leopard Geckos can be temp sexed determined (TSD). Incubate close to 80 degrees and get mostly females, close to 90 gets mostly males. If you incubate in the middle you will get a mix. The extreme temperatures are 77-93 so don't go above or below those temps. Incubating an egg at 90 will usually hatch in about 40 days, incubating one at 80 will hatch in about 60 days. Make sure to open the container every 5-7 days to renew the air in the deli cup.
HATCHLING CARE: Hatchling care is basically the same as adults except for a couple things. They won't eat until their first shed. Keep their enclosure very moist until they shed. Make sure to provide a bowl of calcium and dust the feeders. Regular mealworms or crickets are a good food source for babies.
EGG LAYING: Females will usually lay eggs 3-6 weeks after copulation. Always make sure to provide plenty of calcium and dust the feeders a couple times a week. You should always put a lay box in the cage with the female. To make a lay box, simply get a container that your female can gain access to from the top. Fill it with moist vermiculite, Eco Earth, Sphagnum moss, etc. Cut a hole twice the diameter of the female in the top or side. Place it in the terrarium. A few days before laying, your female may shed. When it comes time, she will get restless and dig in her lay box. This is a sign of egg-laying. Female Leopard Geckos usually lay 2-6 weeks after their previous lay.
INCUBATING: Egg incubation is easy if you start off right. Incubation substrates include vermiculite, perlite, hatchrite, and other specifically designed substrates. I use vermiculite. To prepare for eggs, get a deli cup and fill it with your incubation substrate. For vermiculite, I get the amount of vermiculite I need to put in the deli cup I am going to incubate the eggs in. Put the deli cup on a scale, then tare the scale out so it reads 0 grams. Add the vermiculite. Let's say the vermiculite weighs 20 grams. I use a 1:1 ratio of vermiculite to water, so 20 grams of vermiculate would mean 20 grams of water. Then with a spray bottle, spray water on the vermiculite until it reads 40 grams. You now have your deli cup set up. You can do this before your female lays eggs, just make sure to seal the deli cup tight. For perlite, check Albeys method of incubation.
When you have eggs, make a thumbprint into the substrate and place the eggs in it. DO NOT FLIP THE EGGS OVER. This could drown the embryo inside of it. Make a little mark with a pen or sharpie on the top of the egg so you know which way it was laid. Put the top on the deli cup, and stick it in an incubator. If you want to know if the egg is fertile or not, you could candle it. To candle an egg, get a small flashlight or LED light and hold it up to the egg. If the egg glows red it is most likely fertile, as those are the blood vessels. If it glows yellow it is most likely infertile, because it is showing no sign of blood vessels. Candling works between 1-4 weeks after the egg is laid. Leopard Geckos can be temp sexed determined (TSD). Incubate close to 80 degrees and get mostly females, close to 90 gets mostly males. If you incubate in the middle you will get a mix. The extreme temperatures are 77-93 so don't go above or below those temps. Incubating an egg at 90 will usually hatch in about 40 days, incubating one at 80 will hatch in about 60 days. Make sure to open the container every 5-7 days to renew the air in the deli cup.
HATCHLING CARE: Hatchling care is basically the same as adults except for a couple things. They won't eat until their first shed. Keep their enclosure very moist until they shed. Make sure to provide a bowl of calcium and dust the feeders. Regular mealworms or crickets are a good food source for babies.