The leopard gecko breeding and terrarium design

The leopard gecko is one of those lizards recognizable at the moment by its peculiar print; its care is very simple and does not require too much attention.

The search for exotic pets is more fashionable than ever and, if you are one of those who like flashy reptiles, you will want to have a leopard gecko in your home.

The gecko is one of the simplest reptiles to care for, and with a few tips you can make it lead a pleasant and relaxed life, as most lizards like. But you should keep in mind that they are nocturnal animals and that little or no activity you will see throughout the day.

On the other hand, if what you are thinking is that your leopard gecko breeds, you must continue to take into account the following aspects so that everything goes as it should and the breeding has a greater chance of success.

Breeding of the leopard gecko

The leopard gecko is a small lizard that can live up to 20 years, and it is from six months of age when they begin to be sexually mature. So that everything goes well, it is advisable to introduce the female in the terrarium of the male and, if it coincides with the season of heat of both, he will begin his particular courtship.

To impress the female, the male gecko waves his tail hard and gives her small bites to stimulate her. Once the female is receptive, the male will begin copulation, which is usually very effective.

After 21 days, the female will lay a maximum of three eggs with up to four layings and, to make her feel as comfortable and calm as in nature, it is advisable to add a wet surface of coconut fiber or a similar material so that the eggs do not suffer damage.

Once the female has laid all the eggs there are two options: either to control the humidity and temperature of the terrarium a lot and keep them inside, or to take them out and put them in an incubator. The most advisable thing is the second because, sometimes, the young are devoured by their parents as soon as they are born, and the female leopard gecko does not contribute anything to the offspring to improve their well-being.

Terrarium design

The most important thing for the leopard gecko to live and breed normally is to maintain a humidity level of at least 70%. Its scarce 25 centimeters in length means that it does not need a very large terrarium, but with optimal conditions.

The ideal is to choose a glass terrarium, at least 50 centimeters in length, although it does not need to be very tall because they spend most of their lives on the ground. You must introduce a den or incorporate some type of vegetation under which it can be hidden, preferably without height.

The ideal substrate is sand, but they sell many bases more comfortable to clean in specialized stores that will do the same function. Some decoration of vegetation will help you to remove the molts of skin from the body and will bring aesthetics and shelter to the terrarium.

Regarding lighting, the leopard gecko is not a lizard that needs ultraviolet rays, so it is not very important to have a lot of daytime lighting. The one that is essential is the nocturnal one, for the mere fact that it is when it carries out most of its activity. The light that the night bulb should emit should emulate that of the moon, dim and cold. So, the gecko will feel comfortable.

The optimum temperature is 28 degrees, but it can oscillate between 24 and 32 degrees without problem and the gecko will support it. The ideal is to place the heat source on one side of the terrarium so that two areas with different temperatures are clearly differentiated and it is the animal itself that chooses the exact point it needs at all times.

With these tips, your leopard gecko will enjoy a full and smooth life, which reptiles hate. In addition, you can enjoy a beautiful animal that will not emit a single noise.

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