| Female leopard geckos are usually ready to | | | | skin and eat it. This is natural. The gecko may lose its |
| reproduce and lay eggs at around 24 months of age | | | | appetite for a time after it has shed its skin. After |
| or older. When the female is carrying eggs the outline | | | | that, the young gecko will eat live food such as small |
| of the eggs are often visible through her skin. | | | | crickets and smaller sized meal worms. The crickets |
| After the gecko lays her eggs, the eggs should be | | | | and meal worms should be fed bits of fresh fruits |
| placed in an incubator. The eggs begin to hatch within | | | | and vegetables approximately 10 hours or so before |
| one to two months. The baby will slit the egg and will | | | | they are fed to the reptile. On occasion, the crickets |
| slowly emerge. | | | | and meal worms should be placed in a container with |
| An aquarium should be setup in advance. The newly | | | | powdered calcium,vitamins and supplements. The |
| hatched babies are to be transferred to this aquarium | | | | container should be shaken so that the crickets or |
| and the flooring needs to be covered with paper | | | | meal worms are coated in these nutrient rich |
| towels. If possible, do not house baby geckos | | | | powders. The youngsters are then given these |
| together in order to avoid conflicts. Shallow food | | | | crickets and meal worms. Baby leopard geckos should |
| bowls, a water bowl, places to hide and a box with | | | | eat everyday, so be sure to feed them small meals |
| an opening should be placed inside the aquarium. The | | | | of between 2 - 3 smaller sized insects each day. |
| box should will serve as a place for the reptile to | | | | The gecko must always be observed for any |
| sleep or hide. This box can be filled with moss or | | | | indication that it is stressed. When the gecko arches |
| paper towels. All paper towels inside the enclosure | | | | its back and goes on the tips of the toes this is an |
| should be changed from time to time and waste | | | | indication that it is not comfortable and might be |
| material removed when necessary. | | | | stressed. When the gecko experiences stress it |
| A humid and hot temperature is to be maintained | | | | might not eat as much or stop eating altogether. This |
| inside the aquarium. The humidity can be around 45% | | | | is not good because stress can cause illness in these |
| or so. The temperature needs to be maintained | | | | reptiles. |
| between 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit during daylight | | | | Try to maintain a stress free environment for the |
| hours but at night 75 degrees is fine. Both the | | | | reptile by not moving its aquarium too often, provide |
| temperature and humidity should be monitored and | | | | it with places to hide, keep the temperature at ideal |
| measured. Spraying water mist in the air can increase | | | | levels, and monitor the humidity. |
| the humidity while placing a heating pad beneath the | | | | Other measures one can take to make the baby |
| enclosure can increase the temperature. Be careful | | | | reptile more comfortable could include the following. |
| when using heating pads because they can cause the | | | | Try to keep other pets away from the aquarium. Be |
| flooring to become too hot and result in burns. | | | | especially gentle when you handle a young gecko. |
| A bulb is also a good way to heat the aquarium but | | | | Try to keep the inside of the aquarium clean by |
| be aware that if a regular bulb is used then the bulb | | | | changing the paper towels from time to time. Place |
| is to be turned off at night. There are specialized | | | | fresh water in its bowl everyday and clean both the |
| bulbs available that do not disturb the gecko at night. | | | | food bowl and the water bowl. Visits to a |
| A bulb of at least 75 watts is usually sufficient to | | | | veterinarian are also vital to its health. |
| provide heat depending on the climate. The bulb | | | | Caring for a baby leopard gecko begins even before |
| should be placed in an upper corner of the enclosure. | | | | it hatches. After hatching, among the things a young |
| Place it high enough so that the gecko cannot reach | | | | leopard gecko requires are the proper food, |
| it. | | | | temperature, humidity, living conditions and housing. |
| Within a week of hatching the babies will shed their | | | | |