Prior to breeding all leopard geckos should be in prime condition and good health, with good body weight. Many breeders do not precondition their leopard geckos prior to breeding. Although others expose their geckos to a shorter photoperiod(about ten hours of light) and cooler temperatures(as low as 65 degrees F (18 C) at night and 72-76 degrees F (22-24 degrees C) during the day) for atleast four weeks prior to breeding attemps. And slighlty decrease the amount of food, thus simulating winter. After the four weeks slowly increase temperature and food back to the normal level over a 2-3 week span.
Although suggested by many breeders and herpetoculturists, in my opinion a pre-breeding "cooling period" is not required. I have had great success with just introducing the male to one or more females at the begining of January(their natural breeding season) and leaving him in for the majority of the breeding season. Another way of breeding the leos is to house the females in groups and introduce the male in January. They should breed almost instantly and as soon as you have seen the male breed with all of the females remove and house him again by himself. On average, every couple of months, or when I see fit, I take out the male and place him in a tank by himself for atleast two weeks and then re-introduce him back to the females to re-stimulate breeding. This period can also give the females a little break from the male aswell as time to restore their calcium supplies. At the end of the breeding season (usually around the end of september) I remove the male from the females enclosure and feed them a high protein diet of well gut-loaded crickets, super worms, wax or meal worms and pinkies. This three month period allows the females to regain lost calcium, build up fat stores for the following year and recooperate after a long, nine month breeding season.
If you have any further questions or require more detailed notes about breeding please contact me via my e-mail at : [email protected] |
