| Working on the premise that everything has a time | | | | box and in the cage, to ensure that the temperature |
| and season for things to be just right - breeding for | | | | is constant. |
| Leopard Geckos also requires perfect timing. If the | | | | When the female is placed with the male and mating |
| female is too young the risk of the female becoming | | | | occurs, wait for several weeks or up to a month |
| stressed and the eggs not being viable is greater. | | | | before expecting to see signs of the eggs. Outlines |
| A female gecko will be ready to mate when it | | | | of the egg can be seen through the skin when she is |
| reaches about 24 months old. Breeding season is | | | | carrying eggs. She will refuse to eat and become |
| from Spring to Fall. She must be fattened, so food | | | | restless. Place the laying box, you prepared earlier, in |
| must be dusted with vitamins and minerals every | | | | the enclosure at this time. She will enter it and start |
| other day. Calcium must be readily available in a dish | | | | moving things around. She will start laying eggs in |
| inside her enclosure. Leopard geckos do not stick to | | | | batches of two. |
| one mate so you can mate a male gecko with | | | | In general, the first year a leopard gecko female lays |
| several females. But, weeks before this union, | | | | eggs, she will lay up to 6 eggs. This will increase |
| preparations should be made. We will discuss some of | | | | yearly until the 5th year when she could lay up to 20 |
| these preparations. | | | | eggs or more. Then after the fifth year the number |
| Three boxes and a separate cage must be prepared | | | | of eggs, she lays, will decrease. |
| in advance. The boxes must be made of transparent | | | | After laying her eggs, the female will be weak. |
| material so that one can see what is happening inside. | | | | Feeding is essential to fatten her up again until the |
| The laying box, should have dimensions of | | | | next egg-laying cycle. Transfer the eggs into the |
| approximately: 5 inches in length x a width of 8 | | | | incubator box. When transferring the eggs, lift and |
| inches x height of 6 inches. The laying box must be | | | | transfer the eggs and be careful not to agitate or tilt |
| filled partway with a type of stone called vermiculite | | | | or turn the eggs upside down. |
| or another material called perlite. Both of these can | | | | The incubator should be humid and warm. The |
| be found in stores that sell plant supplies. Remember | | | | incubation temperature will determine the gender of |
| that the laying box should have an opening on the | | | | the leopard gecko. |
| side and this opening should be large enough so that | | | | Once the eggs hatch the babies will not eat for a |
| the leopard gecko can enter the box to lay her eggs. | | | | week. Let them stay in the incubator for two days |
| The laying box should be covered and the cover | | | | and then transfer them to their hatching box. |
| must have small holes. | | | | After, the first batch of hatchling have successfully |
| Further preparations should involve heating. The | | | | survived the novice leopard gecko breeder will |
| enclosure should be heated to maintain the | | | | become an experienced one after following these |
| temperature at between 80 - 85 degrees Fahrenheit. | | | | procedures and fine tuning his or her approach as |
| A thermostat must be placed inside the incubator | | | | needed. |