Leopard geckos are considered the easiest reptiles to breed because:
- They have a long breeding season.
- There are no special requirements for initiating the breeding.
- Hatchlings are easy to care for and don’t require special types food.
However, breeding may prove complicated, and even fatal in the case that:
- The female leopard gecko is not well nurtured and in top shape.
- A breeder fails to provide optimal conditions for egg development.
- There is not enough food for the breeding pair and the hatchlings, resulting in stunted growth and sickness.
How to avoid the common mistakes and pitfalls of leopard gecko breeding practice? How to do it right? Let’s find out through our introductory article on breeding leopard geckos.
> Read more: Leopard Gecko Care Sheet
Are You Sure You Want to Breed Your Geckos?
At first sight, that may seem like an irrelevant question – since you’re already here, your mind is probably already set. Still, I highly suggest you to take some additional time to think about it.
Although they are considered one of the easiest reptiles to breed, no responsible owner should take leopard gecko breeding lightly, or consider it something one should do by default.
There are several good reasons not to breed your pet leopard geckos:
- Carrying and laying eggs is really exhausting for females. They need to be in top form to stay healthy. If they are not in perfect condition, they may get emaciated and may even die because of the complications such as egg binding.
- Life expectancy of breeding females is shorter than non-breeding females and males.
- New homes for baby leopard geckos may not be easy to find. Depending on where you live, you may not be able to find a sufficient number of responsible new owners in your area. And sending the young geckos far away from your home is not that easy.
- You will have many more hungry mouths to feed, which takes resources and time.
- If you want to breed geckos only to get an instant additional income, give it up. Making breeding leos profitable takes years of learning, investment and dedication. Small-scale breeding is the best choice for an average leo enthusiast.
Failing to manage these challenges correctly can result in a lot of human and reptile discomfort, and even the loss of leopard gecko lives.
On the bright side, breeding leopard geckos is not all trouble.
Studying biology of reptile reproduction first hand and up close might be exhilarating. Just be aware at all times that it takes a substantial amount of time, space, resources, and some serious dedication.
Photo credit: dotlizard
Preparation: Getting Ready
In the Northern Hemisphere, leopard gecko breeding season lasts from January to September or October. During this time, female may lay from 6-16eggs, two in each clutch.
The mating itself usually happens at night, so it is rarely observed. It can be a rough business – the male will bite the back of the female’s neck while placing his tail under hers. That is why you will often come across advice to house more females with one male – to prevent bullying. One male can breed with up to 6 females.
Before the big moment takes place, you need to carefully prepare for the upcoming breeding season. Here is some detailed advice on how to do it.
The Absolute Dont’s of Leopard Gecko Breeding
- Never just leave your averagely cared-for male-female groups and let nature take its course. You need to prepare your geckos for the breeding season.
- Never breed leopard geckos that are not in top condition.
- Don’t breed geckos that are too young or too old.
- Never breed leos that have any genetic disease or malformation.
- Don’t start with a large breeding colony. Breed 1-2 females in the first season is the best option for gaining initial experience and avoid being overwhelmed with a great number of hatchlings.
Leopard Gecko Genetics
Since there are many morphs of leopard geckos available, you should take some time to learn about them and their genetic potential. Depending on the genetic profiles, different combinations will yield different results. Some of which you won’t be able to predict if you don’t dive into the theory. Studying basic leopard gecko genetics before you decide on your breeding pairs is highly recommended. Also, bookmark this morph calculator since you may find it useful.
Let’s run through everything you will need to set up your first breeding project.
Your Breeding Leopard Geckos
For breeding stock, you should pick a male and one or two females that are completely healthy and in a fairly good shape (which you will make even better during the preparation process), ideally between two and five years old.
Of course, properly sexing leopard geckos is the first step to do, and you can read about it in our health article. It may seem funny, but there have been a lot of cases where breeding was unsuccessful because geckos weren’t properly sexed. The novice breeder ended up with two females instead of a male-female pair!
Equipment and Supplies
It is important to have all the materials in place before you begin. These include:
- Nesting or egg laying box, with moist sphagnum moss or eco-earth-type substrate, which will be placed in the main terrarium.
- Additional calcium supplementation.
- Sufficient food supplies. Having your own feeder insect colony is practically mandatory if you plan on reproducing your geckos. Your breeding pair will need additional food during mating and egg laying processes. Although small, juvenile geckos eat more frequently than adults – and you may end up with a dozen of them.
- Material and equipment for egg incubation. These include plastic boxes and/or deli cups, vermiculite or a commercial incubation medium, and a professional or an improvised incubator.
- Space, boxes, paper towels, shelters, and food and water trays for housing the hatchlings.
> Read more: How to Set Up the Ideal Leopard Gecko Habitat?
Food and Supplements
When you consider the size and the number of eggs a female leo will produce over one breeding season, it is easy to see why the whole process is really demanding on the female. That is why you need to prepare your breeding pair well, and supplement them with additional food and all the needed vitamins and minerals.
- The breeding pairs will probably require increased food intake. Breeding geckos should have a shallow dish with mealworms available in their tank at all times.
- A better variety of food is good for you overall gecko’s health, and especially as the breeding season approaches. Besides staples such as crickets and mealworms, you can include other varieties of insects if available. For example, the calcium-rich soldier fly larvae. Some breeders like to include a weekly newborn mouse – pinkie – into the diet, but this is not mandatory.
- Pure calcium powder must be available at all times in the terrarium. Don’t worry – geckos sense exactly how much calcium they need, and they won’t overdose on it as long as it is pure calcium. Some sources recommend calcium with vitamin D3. However, there is a risk of overdosing on vitamin D, especially when you’re already providing it through feeder dusting.
- Speaking of that, feeder insects should be dusted with a quality multivitamin powder at least every other feeding.
> Read more: What’s The Ideal Leopard Gecko Diet?
Photo credit: Brandon Heyer
Eggs Laying
After successful breeding, you may expect for the female to lay eggs. The gestation period in leopard geckos is between 16 to 22 days after mating. Females will continue to lay a clutch of eggs every two to three weeks over the four or five-month period.
The female will lay the eggs in the egg-laying box you provided for her in the terrarium. Keep the design simple – a small plastic box with an entry hole in the lid and moist sphagnum moss or vermiculite inside is a great option.
When you notice that eggs are there, carefully take them out and put them in the already-prepared incubation tray.
It is crucially important not to roll the eggs over and to place them on the incubation tray in their original position, with the upper side still facing up. Otherwise, the embryo will drown inside the egg.
Eggs Incubation
Egg incubation period is probably the one that stirs up the most anxiety in novice breeders.
Still, the truth is that all it takes for the leopard gecko eggs to hatch is the right amount of moisture and temperature that is within the 77 to 92°F (~25-33°C) range. Everything below 74°F (~23,3°C) will be fatal for the embryos.
The trick with temperature is that embryo’s sex is determined by the incubation temperature. If you incubate the eggs in the lower temperature range – 80 °F (~26,5°C), all of the hatchlings will be female. The higher range – 90°F (~32°C) will produce only males. At the temperatures in the mid-temperature range – let’s say 85-87 (~29-30°C) degrees, you will get hatchlings of both sexes.
Leopard Gecko Egg Incubation Material
For successful incubation of the eggs, you will need the following:
- Vermiculite
- Plastic container – deli cups, a plastic shoebox, or a similar type of container
- Water – tap is just fine, but I prefer to use the one that has been left for 2 hours, for the chlorine to evaporate.
- Incubator, or a heated terrarium.
Leopard Gecko Egg Incubation Step by Step
Step 1. Moisten the substrate (vermiculite or other) with dripping water, or by adding it little by little.
Step 2. Put a layer of moist substrate about 2 inches (~5 cm) deep at the bottom of the plastic tray. There are two ways to go about it. You can incubate many eggs in a larger box, or individual pairs in a small, 16 oz (~500 mL) deli cups, which you will then place in an empty terrarium with controlled temperature, or in a commercial reptile incubator.
Step 3. Put the eggs in the tray in their original position. This is crucial to avoid drowning the embryos inside the egg. Cover the dish with a lid in order to avoid excessive drying of the substrate.
Step 4. Where you will put the egg tray is up to your ambitions and possibilities. Certainly, the best option to fully control the temperature by getting a reptile incubator. As said before, you can also use an empty terrarium. On the lowest end of care and budget spectrum, you can simply put the enclosed egg tray in your adult leo tank – you’re providing sufficient temperature in there already. Just place it so it can’t be overturned.
Step 5. Wait, and inspect and vent the eggs regularly in the meantime.
Check the eggs every few days to check the humidity and to provide oxygen. Mold or bacterial growth may take place on infertile or dead eggs – remove those immediately.
If you feel like the vermiculite has dried out, add a tiny amount of water in the corners of the tray. The appearance of dents in eggs also suggest that their environment has become dry, but don’t worry, they will recover as soon as the moisture returns to an optimal level.
Eggs Hatching
After about two months on average – or more precisely, 35 to 89 days depending on the temperature, baby leopard geckos will hatch from their eggs. This happens quietly and relatively quickly, so witnessing the actual moment of hatching is very rare. It is quite possible that you will just notice the brand new baby leos in the place of eggs.
Hatchling care
Hatchlings are most often kept in plastic shoe box setups until they reach about 7 inches (~17cm). A ventilated 12 x 6 x 4-inch (~30 x 15 x 10 cm) plastic box with paper towels on the floor, a very shallow water tray and appropriate shelter is about enough for them. They can be kept in sibling pairs, but separate them in case one is growing faster than the other.
There is no need feed them before their first shedding, which will take place 3-4 days after hatching. After that, offer small mealworms (5-10 in a jar lid daily) or ⅓ grown crickets. Some sources suggest feeding every other day, while others recommend everyday feeding. Whatever you decide upon, skip feeding one or two days per week will ensure that the hatchling leopard gecko’s tiny digestive system will not be overwhelmed.
Remember that hatchling leos are a bit nervous and snappy – try not to handle them too much until they grow a bit older and stronger.
> Read more: Our Guide to Leopard Gecko Health and Behavior
Photo credit: Dominique LENOIR
As you have just learned, breeding leopard geckos is quite different than just keeping them as pets. It takes time, special equipment and dedication, and it is not a right step for everyone. However, in the case you are ready for it, producing a new generation of leos can be a rewarding experience.
We covered all the important basics of leopard gecko breeding, but there are many more tricks and tips you may learn from experienced breeders who are kind enough to share their experiences. The more you know, the better results you will get, so never stop learning.
How was your first gecko breeding experience? Let us know in the comments – after all, we are here to learn from each other, for the ultimate benefit of our leopard geckos.
43 Comments
Hello, I am Farhad from Iran. My gecko has mated once. I will put the male in front of the female once in a few days.
Hi there my name is Shannon and 2 of my eggs just hatched and I was wondering if it’s ok to put them in a 2 gallon glass aquarium that I’ve had laying around? Because the heat mat says not to stick to plastic so I don’t want to melt and hurt the babies
Hi Shannon,
Congratulations on your leo babies! I believe that the temperatures in such a small tanks (supposing you haven’t meant 20 instead of 2 gallons?) would be difficult to control. Try getting a properly sized tank, or simply get a heat lamp to warm up the plastic containers you have. A thermometer will tell you if the temperatures are right.
I have 27 leopard gecko eggs 4 hatch on time but the other one are a week past there hatch date could there be some thing wrong also my incubator one day malfunctioned and got real hot for about two hour the temp was 104 F do you think that damaged the eggs ?
Hi Elliot,
Congrats on your new baby leos! You haven’t written how many days the eggs were incubating, but just a reminder – incubation can take anywhere between 35 and 90 days, but can take 100 days. One week past the due date shouldn’t be a big deal if the eggs look good. You can check if they’re developing by performing a procedure called “candling”. Darken the room and carefully put regular flashlight (make sure it’s not hot!) on one side of the egg and take a look at the egg. A fertile, developing egg will have a reddish appearance – a dark red ring and lots of blood vessels. Unfertile eggs (duds) are usually murky and yellowish. Still, allow the eggs to incubate for 110 days, no matter how they look, to make sure that you won’t throw away any fertile ones. Lastly, although eggs are naturally sheltered from temps around 104 F, I don’t think two hours would be long enough to kill them. According to literature, everything above 95° F is lethal, BUT only if the rise in temp lasts for 24 hours or more. Sometimes, fertilization just doesn’t go as planned, but females have to lay their eggs anyway. Good luck!
Female is 2yrs old and male is 5 months old. When can I breed them?
Tysm.
Hi Uroš!
You can breed your leopard geckos when the male is around 18 to 24 months old and weighs 35 to 40 grams. It’s best to have one male and at least two females in the colony to encourage breeding.
Thanks,
Hi, so I have two female leopard geckos, a 15 year old and a 4 year old, living together, both are female and I wanted to get a male for breeding season. Would it be a good idea for a 15 year old leopard gecko to lay eggs?
Hi Matthew,
Whilst there is a slightly higher risk than with a younger gecko I would focus more on how healthy she is. If she is a good weight, eating well and able to cope with the stress of mating and laying eggs then she should be okay. If you see any signs of her health deteriorating, separate her and the male immediately.
Hello so I have a male Leo that is probably about 3 or 4 years old if I had to guess he was given to us by a friend and we also have a female Leo that is almost 2 years old that we bought at a reptile convention we didn’t put them together until she was a year old lady year she did lay 2 eggs but by the time we noticed unfortunately it was too late to save them but she didn’t lay again after that. I’m almost certain that she is pregnant right now so I put a lay box in the tank with them is they any advice you can give me? She has actually taken to the lay box rather well but I feel like I should separate them until she lays her eggs i don’t think he is bullying her around (it’s always been the opposite anyways) any advice would be great thanks
Hey Cory,
If your female leopard gecko is showing signs of pregnancy, it is generally advisable to separate her from the male. This is because the male may become aggressive during the egg-laying process, which can put stress on the female and interfere to lay eggs successfully.
It sounds like you have already set up a suitable lay box for your female, which is good. Once she has laid her eggs, you can then put her back with the male.
I hope this helps and best of luck with your leopard geckos!
I always hear 74 degrees is too low for the eggs. But how much is too high?
Hi Kelly,
You are correct, anything below 74 degrees Fahrenheit will likely result in a complete loss of all eggs. Leopard geckos sex is determined by the temperature they are incubated at. 80 degrees will result in all females, 87 degrees will result in a fairly even split and 90 degrees will result in the eggs being mostly male. I would not let the temperature climb above 90 degrees.
Hello! I had a question regarding incubation temperature effects on phenotypic expression on the hatchlings. I have a fertile Mack snow W&Y Tremper x Tremper Sunglow clutch incubating for females between 80-82. I have heard that biological sex is determined during the first three weeks of incubation, and I have further heard breeders mention increasing the female Incubation temperature for the remaining month or so to try and influence stronger coloration for females. If this is done, are there risks/chances the desired sex of the leopard geckos could change? Thank you!
Hi Jesse,
It is said that sex is determined during the first 3 – 4 weeks of incubation. Increasing the temperature after this time will create brighter coloured geckos, whereas lower temperatures produce duller, darker colours. You could try to increase the temperature after 4 weeks by which time it should be too late for them to become males, although this is not an exact science so no promises.
Great article, thanks so much.
Are there any books you’d recommend reading that cater specifically to breeding geckos?
Many thanks
Ben
Hi Ben,
I’m glad you found Katarina’s article helpful. There is a book called Leopard Geckos by Lance Jepson, it has a good 25 pages on breeding.
Hi! Im Taelor and i was thinking about breeding my leos. I have one that is a year old-boy- and a little 7 mo. old girl. I have a few questions-
1.) What device do i need for weighing?
2.) How many eggs is there in the female’s first breeding season?
3.) Can you name all affects on the mother?
4.) Is there a special calcium for pregnant females?
I am not breeding them until she is a year old in June, at least not till July, September, or December. I am in my 4th month of studies on the topic and had been thinking on it 3 months prior to the studying period. Please help me figure all this out. Thanks from your friend and reader,
Taelor Macksbey
Hi Taelor,
1. Use small electronic kitchen scales for weighing.
2. A leopard gecko will usually lay 2 eggs each time resulting in between 6 and 16 eggs in the first season.
3. The male may bully the female so you will need to keep an eye out for signs of this. Your female will need to be very healthy before pairing them together. Keep her well fed during the breeding season.
4. Make sure you dust all food ideas and supply a small dish of powder in the enclosure that she can lick if she requires extra calcium.
It is also best for you to have an incubator set up if you wish to successfully hatch your eggs. Make sure your enclosure is large enough for two geckos and provide an egg laying box for the female. Breeding season in the northern hemisphere usually runs from January to September. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.
Hi. I own 2 leopard geckos, 1 male and 1 female, and I keep them housed together in the same tank. Breeding season has begun and my female has already laid 1 clutch of 2 eggs. 2 days after this, my male mated with her again and then another time on the third day. I wanted to know if keeping them housed together during breeding season will be too stressful for her since she is the only female? I want to try to avoid egg binding or any other possible complications that could arise with my male repeatedly mating with her.
Hi Danielle,
Breeding season can be stressful for females and I only recommend breeding very healthy, strong females. Keep a close eye on her and if she begins to become lethargic or lose weight it would be best to separate them.
How do I tell if my leopard gecko is pregnant because I’ve been observing her for a while and she just been acting the same and these are my first ever geckos and I just don’t know how to tell
Hi Jason,
If your gecko is carrying eggs, you will eventually notice a bulge around her lower mid section. It takes 16 – 22 days after mating for your gecko to lay her eggs.
hey so when breeding these guys the one thing thats still fuzzy to me is what you can pair. basicly when pairing them does it matter wich ones get paired when breeding. id think it wouldnt matter as long as both are healthy and dont have any issues. tell me if this wouldnt work but you could possibly breed a male raining redstripe with a mack snow raptor with a het of blanco diablo.
those are just some morphs? induviduals im currently looking at. basicly what i think is by breeding those 2 morphs youd get almost like a piebaled look on a leopard gecko with the orange and whites from the differant morphs let me know im still quite new to this topic
Hey, Jacob.
I’m not entirely sure what you mean by your first question, but I think you’re asking if it matters which animal is the male and which is the female? Nope – you could pair a male amelanistic with a female blizzard, or vice versa or whatever genes you’re working with.
I don’t understand exactly what combination of traits you’re proposing to combine, but that’s OK! Part of the fun of these lizards is mixing up their genes in different ways! Have fun with your project!
Hello,
My daughter and I just bought two beautiful leopard geckos from our local pet store. We had set up their aquarium for a month and observed they kept laying eggs. When speaking to the girl that took care of the geckos she said they have been laying eggs all the time. I asked if we could take the eggs home with us as well. We noticed the eggs were dented so we immediately adjusted the mister in my daughters aquarium. We last night we noticed one of the eggs seems to be hatching. My only concern is that the eggs are no longer white in color. Is this a sign the eggs are no longer healthy?
Sincerely,
Becky
Hi Becky,
Breeding season lasts for around 4 – 5 months and you can expect your female to lay eggs every 15 – 22 days during this period. On average she will lay around 2 eggs each time. If you would like to successfully hatch the eggs I would suggest using an incubator, that way you can keep the humidity and temperature constant. If the eggs are turning yellow or brown then it is likely they are no longer viable.
Hey my name is Rachel and It’s my first time dealing with leopard gecko eggs, they caught me by surprise but I checked them and saw that they both have a red circle but When I incubated them a few hours later they got really soft, they have dents and idk what to do, are these the only eggs that my gecko will have ? Please help idk what to do
Hey, Rachel. Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner, but congrats on your first eggs!
At this point, your eggs would be 12 days old, so they’re probably humming along and cooking new baby leopard geckos, or they’ve unfortunately died. 🙁
Kudos on the candling, it sounds like they are/were fertile. The denting sounds like the box you were incubating the eggs in is too dry. Reptile eggs often dimple or deform when they’re losing water to their surroundings.
Those are the only eggs your lizard will produce right now, but she will likely produce more over time! Mature females often do so every two to three weeks (give or take), especially when paired with a male. But if your gal is a little younger, she may not produce eggs quite that fast.
Just keep an eye on her and keep up the good work!
I’ve got a couple
Questions,
– can one egg be fertile while the other is not , or do some eggs not have any red ( veins ) after laying while the other does .
– how long after the leopard geckos hatches do you remove it from the container and place in a terrarium / housing .
– I’ve been reading up on enigma , if one is a carrier but doesn’t have any of the traits can they be paired with one that does not have or is that a no no ?
– at 80 degrees how long is the typical incubation period ?
Hey, Elliot.
1) Yes to both. Eggs can develop at different rates, and clutches can contain a combination of fertile and infertile eggs.
2) Once I see the little guys and gals running around, completely free of their egg shell, I switch them to a “nursery” habitat.
3) Sorry, but I’m not terribly familiar with the enigma trait. That mutation must have popped up after I stopped breeding leopard geckos.
4) At that temperature, probably somewhere in the 60-90 day time frame.
Best of luck with your breeding projects!
Hey I am currently breeding and getting eggs but every time I get the eggs they seem to die except once and I have produced like 18 eggs so only 1 out of 18 hatched. I’ve researched a lot and seem to be doing everything correctly but can’t figure out why my eggs keep dying.
Hey, Tristin.
Sorry about your incubation troubles. Incubating eggs is certainly a tricky skill to master, and it is often a frustrating endeavor.
Unfortunately, it’s hard for us to provide much guidance without knowing more. However, I’d encourage you to do a couple of things:
• Make sure you’re candling the eggs when they’re deposited. It’s possible that many of the ones that fail to hatch are simply infertile.
• Watch the moisture level in the incubator. Many first-time breeders err on the wet side, which can cause problems. It is usually easier to add water to the incubation media if the eggs start dimpling than it is to dry out the vermiculite (or whatever you’re using) if they start failing because they’re too wet.
• Double and triple check your temperatures. Many entry-level commercial incubators have suspect thermostats.
Best of luck! Just stick with it – you’ll eventually figure things out.
I have 2 spotted geckos and just about a week or two ago I got curious as to what their sex was.I think I have a male & a female. The kids just came in and thought the two were mating.So the big question now is what do I do?!?!?I don’t mind having more and I have another aquarium but I had no idea I would be dealing with babies .
Hey, Kari.
I’m not 100% sure what species you’re referencing. I see that some people call leopard geckos “spotted geckos,” but I am not positive that’s what you mean.
At any rate, you’ll want to provide an egg-laying chamber (assuming they’re not arboreal species, who’ll stick their eggs to the glass) to make sure you’re ready for any eggs you get!
Best of luck! Let us know how it goes!
While taking care to not turn the eggs is true for most reptiles like snakes, I thought that this does not apply to leopard geckos. Is that true?
-Dan
Hey, Dan.
To the best of my knowledge, nobody knows for sure. Most of the literature I’ve read about leopard geckos indicates that the embryos do attach to the side of the eggshell at some point after they’re deposited. I don’t think this timeline has been definitively established though.
Accordingly, while I haven’t personally produced leos in many years, I always erred on the side of caution and kept them in the orientation in which they were deposited. I’ve done this with every egg I’ve ever incubated, including various snake and lizard species.
I just think the risk-reward algebra is best balanced by keeping them in the same orientation they were deposited in.
But if you don’t mind potentially losing a few geckos, you could always experiment.
Let us know what happens!
Sorry don’t mean any disrespect but I was reading you hatching temp. Lower temps. 77° – 84° you stated will produce all males and the higher temps.
88°- 90° will all produce all females…. Again no disrespect but wanted you to know.
Sincerely
Gino
Hey, Gino.
You’re correct! I’ll pass along the message so we can get that fixed.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention!
Hi Gino! Thanks for letting us know. I updated the article.
Correction: lower temperature range – 80 °F (~26,5°C), all of the hatchlings will be female. The higher range – 90°F (~32°C) will produce only males.
I want to know if someone can tell me if I have a male and female gecko
Hi Sonya,
This article might help you 🙂