Do crested gecko need breaks from breeding?

[Xolderfog]

hey, i have posted this on another thread already but i thought i would post it again as the other post was on an old thread, anyways would a 18x18x24" enclosure be a big enough enclosure for a breeding trio, as i currently keeping a georgeous male blonde harlequin with an amazing crest (this is the gecko i was talking about in my previous posts), and i am looking at 2 female crested geckos that are both a beautiful red harlequin, first of all (i know it probably depends on their parents) but would they generaly give me a few outstanding morphs per litter (is it a litter), and secondly, would having a trio reduce stress on the females as they are not worked as hard, and if it doesnt reduce stress, i have another enclosure that i am currently keeping my male in now, would the females be okay (stress wise) if i moved the male into the other enclosure and kept the two females in the bigger one, would this reduce stress on them, and if so, how long would i have to keep the male in the other enclosure?
Many thanks as always

 

[darkridder]

Very much so, as does all species. I personally dont keep the males and females together, this reduces stress since these guys will breed all year round if you let them. But females need the break to not only gain weight, but to insure they dont get a calcium crash (even if extra calcium is being offered) from egg laying.

And although your male is beautiful (as you say), do realize by mixing him with red females, your odds are low of producing reds. Yes of course how deep the bloodline runs will depend on if you produce reds, but quite often if you just put random morphs together, you just simply get random morphs put out. If reds are what you want to produce, I would suggest buy an outstanding red male to pair up with the red females that way your odds are higher of producing a certain color. THe reason you see breeders doing that is because most people when they are looking to buy a certain color, they are wanting to buy from a solid line that produces them on a solid basis because it is deeper in the line. As compaired to a random red you could throw from pairing a blonde and a red. the person could take that red and place it with another and throw blondes and such when their aim was to do reds. Had that problem when trying to refine my moch and cream line, they produce it with the blonde male, when I obtained a mocha and cream male, they threw dark harleys, so back to square one this season to try and refine it again. But all of their babies stand a high chance of throwing blonde kids although 98% of the time my trio produces only creamy based geckos. But also know, even 2 beautiful geckos who are mismatched can throw average babies, like I said you could end up with plain janes simply because you dont know the background.

Myself I would invest in a high quality female where you can trade her bloodline better, this way you will know for sure you will produce great geckos instead of hoping you do because 9 times out of 10 you will have average colored babies, maybe with good crests, but still average color. It was a risk I took with my odd couple that worked out well, but knowing genetics alot better then I did 3 years ago when I started breeding, I personally would never do a mismatched pair again.

 

[Xolderfog]

Thanks for the excelent advice but one more question, as they are both harlequins, would i get harlequins back all of the time (if their parents were both harlequins aswell) forget colour, would only harlequins be produced as only harlequins are being breed (if their parents were harlequins aswell)?
many thanks as always
p.s. you'r like a proffesional at this,probably 9/10 of my posts you have probably replied to with excelent, thourough advice, keep it up

 

[darkridder]

Not always, genetics can be a crazy things. A harley isnt about the back pattern, it is about the leg and side pattern. A harley is a flame (which is the dorsal) but a flame is not a harley because a flame crested has a reduced side and leg pattern. Just as patternless adults can produce tigers and harleys. It honestly just depends on how deep that gene or trait runs on if you will continue to produce it. So lets say mom and dad are both harley's, and all of the grand parents were harleys, yes harley will run deep, but you will throw flames also since they are both needed to make a harley. But say parents from dad were a flame and a tiger, and parents of mom were a harley and a patternless. You will also have the chances to produce tigers and patternless, or anything else from the great grand parents and before. But like I said the deeper the gene runs, the odds are better of producing it.

Before breeding I really would look into reading up alot more, it took me a good solid year before I decided to breed these guys, even after I had bred several other species, there is alot of info on these guys if you take a gander over at pangea or the repashy forums on breeding, you can see the mistakes people have made, and the great strides you will miss just sticking with this forum (which is a great forum, but is leo based). And one thread always suggest first time readers to read, very long but honestly has everything you should be considering once you have made the final step into "yes I had read everything that is needed to know on breeding, but what about the other stuff", this is that link
http://www.pangeareptile.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32241&highlight=supply+demand

And thank you, I have been keeping these guys for the last 5 years and breeding for the last 4, doesnt make me an expert by any means, but I have done alot of my homework and try to offer the best advice I can possibly give.