Breeding:

Leopard geckos are one of the easiest geckos to breed.

Both females and males need to be at least 45 g before mating - preferably the females 50-60 grams to be on the safe side. 

The breeding season for Leopard geckos runs from February to September depending how much they are exposed to light.

As I keep my geckos housed separately I introduce the males to the females for shorter periods of time – maybe 2-5 days – Let them mate and return them to their separate boxes.

When you place the pair together the male will be aggressive toward the female. He will start biting her and if she is not receptive she will bite back.

It may appear as if they are fighting but this is normal behaviour. The male will also shake the tip of his tail very quickly. This can be loud at times but again it’s normal behaviour and nothing to worry about. 

Eggs:

In the weeks following the introduction you will notice the female putting on weight around the abdomen, if you were to turn her over at this point you may notice the outline of her eggs through her abdominal skin.

Up to 4 weeks after a successful mating the female will lay her first clutch of eggs.

Each clutch will consist of 1 to 2 white oval eggs.

Leopard geckos have been known to easily lay 8 clutches a year with each clutch being laid in 2 to 4 week intervals.

When the female is about to lay she will get restless and wonder around her enclosure and occasionally dig in the substrate.

Some females will also eat less, or nothing at all, as the time to lay approaches.

Temperature: 

Leopard gecko eggs are temperature sexed dependent.

This means that you can decide what sex baby you want just by incubating at a certain temperature.

This is not 100% acurate but can be used as guidelines.

Female = 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26-28 degrees Celsius)
50% mix of both sexes = 85 degrees fahrenheit (29-31 degrees Celcius)
Male = 90 degrees Fahrenheit (31-32 degrees Celcius)

You should never expose an egg to temperature above 90 degrees fahrenheit (32 degrees Celcius) for longer periods as it can cause defects in the hatchlings or potentially kill them.

Setting up the incubator:

All you need is a Styrofoam box, a heat mat, a thermostat, a thermometer and a control box.

The controll box is made exactly like the boxes you plan to incubate the eggs in with medium, moisture and lid.

Here is what you do:

* You connect the thermostat to the heat mat.

* You place the mat inside the box.

* You place the sensor from the thermostat together with the sensor from the thermometer in the control box

* Then you calibrate the heat according to the thermometer.

It is a good idea to get a couple of extra thermometer to make sure the temperature is as stable as possible as temperature fluxes can cause defects in hatchlings.

As incubation medium I use perlite.

I mix approximately 1 part water with 9 part perlite and “massage” it in so that it dose not feel wet at all – only slightly moist.

I have tried several different measurements recommended by other breeders, but I couldn´t make it work.

The eggs are placed in the container – covered only half by medium and then you WAIT !

I ventilate the boxes in the incubator every now and then, and makes sure that there are no moisture dripping on the eggs – that will make them mould.

Hatchlings:

The eggs will hatch in 30 to 105 days after being laid.

I keep my hatchlings to a container with paper towel, half a toilet roll and a bottle cap.  

My hatchlings are not being fed until the have shed and pooped for the first time.

Recommended Reading:
”The Herpetoculture of Leopard Geckos” by Philippe de Vosjoli, Ron Tremper and Roger Klingenberg.