The entire disc is also covered with small holes which allow the free movement of air. The grooves are lined with small bumps which secure the egg and keep it from being displaced from its original position. Innovation In Incubation So what exactly are egg trays? These plastic discs contain numerous narrow grooves into which eggs are placed. While it might seem like an unnecessary extra step and cost, we’ll explain how their use can provide a huge benefit to you and your hatchling crested geckos, leopard geckos, bearded dragons, or other reptiles. Separating the eggs from the substrate by using egg trays can help save you time and prevent a number of risks. This is generally 3-5 days after hatching.Incubating soft-shelled eggs often involves placing the egg directly on a substrate that holds moisture well, such as vermiculite or perlite. They shouldn't be fed until after their first shed. After hatching, the geckos should be place individually in their own container. Incubation for males will take 5-6 weeks, females 7-8 weeks, and mixed 7 weeks. Mostly males are hatched at 87-90 degrees, females at 80-93 degrees, and a mixed ration at 84-86 degrees. The sex of leopard geckos is temperature determined. I like to incubate clutches separately to keep the chance of a hacthlings turning over another egg, Clutches can be incubated separately or all together in the same container. I use perlite with a one to one ratio that is about one inch deep. Place eggs in your preferred incubation medium in a air tight container. This will give you a identifier of where the top of the egg is if it is rolled. Leopard geckos embryos will drown if turned over after 24 hours of being laid. Once you find eggs, it is a good idea to mark the top of the egg. Females will generally use the lay box but sometimes will lay eggs outside of it. Deli cups or plastic containers with a hole cut in the top or side are most used for lay boxes. A lay box should be placed in the females environment with your preferred moist medium. From there, she will lay up to 10 to 12 clutches every 2 to 4 weeks. The female should retain the males sperm for up to a year.Īfter copulation, the female will start to show eggs and with in 4 to 6 weeks she will lay either 1 or 2 eggs. Once she is receptive to the male, he will bite her at the base of the tale all the way to the nap of the neck. Reintroduction usually occurs 24 hours to a week after. I sometimes introduce the pair for a hour to 24 hours and then separate them. This is where the most violent time in breeding occurs. The female may reject the males advances towards her during the first introduction. When leopard gecko breed, it can be quite a violent event. Typically the longer they are paired, the more likely you will get healthy fertile eggs. If just during breeding season, you can keep them together all season or just for a couple days. I believe it is also important to know the genetic background of your breeding pairs as well.īreeding pairs of leopard geckos can be kept together all year long or just a short period during breeding season. Waiting for your geckos to get to the right age and size is important having a successful breeding season. Some leopard geckos are just smaller in general and these weights aren't always set in stone. Males generally should weight at least 45-50 grams and females 55+ grams. Most leopard geckos reach maturity from 8 to 14 months of age. The first and obvious thing you need is a male and female leopard gecko of mature age and adequate size. Just make sure you have everything planned, prepared, and thought out before putting your pairs together. Lastly, are you willing to risk the health of your gecko? Breeding can be stressful and there are health risks involved such as egg binding and extreme weight loss. Another question is do you have the room and supplies to house all the possible hatchlings? Each female can lay 16+ eggs so you should be prepare to house and feed all offspring. Make sure you have a logical plan for any potential offspring. First is do you have a market for the offspring you produce? The reptile market can be difficult to at times and you may have to house the offspring for up to a year. When considering breeding your leopard geckos, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.
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