Some questions about breeding.

[quinnman999]

First, how do I know when my geckos have bred. Second, how long after breeding can I expect eggs. And third can I leave the male and the female in the same tank after they have bred. All replys are appreciated.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

1. You won't know for sure unless you've observed them having a successful copulation.
2. Generally 3-4 weeks, +/-
3. Debatable, some breeders to leave their male & females together all year long, others separate them right after copulation. I prefer separating them, as the males tend to want to do it more often, while the females don't always like the idea. They are especially more aggressive when they're close to laying, and will bite the male if the male even tries.

 

[GreatGeckos]

Pretty much the same as what online geckos said. When I introduce a male to a female , I watch them for the first 5-10 minutes to make sure they get along okay and they're not being overly aggressive .. Most encounters only take a half hour or less to achieve a successful copulation (in my experiences).. We leave our males in the cage over night (provided he's a gentleman). As online geckos said females can become extremely aggressive when close to laying .. I've seen this when the female is within about a week of laying .. Males only need to be introduced once a month to ensure eggs are fertilized for each clutch(one mating can last a whole season but the fertile egg rate drops tremendously) .. We reintroduced the male 3 days after each clutch. This year I have had a 100% fertile egg rate. Save for 1 virgin females first clutch . The most important part is making sure you have a healthy female that has been supplemented properly ... Calcium vitimans , proper weight / age ect ... Hope this helps ! Good luck to you.

 

[quinnman999]

I put them together last night but I'm not sure if they mated. I think because my male is kind of small they might not have. Do you think I should leave them together longer?

 

[GreatGeckos]

What age and weight is he ? Same with the female what is her age and size ? Pictures would be helpful if possible to post .

 

[stager]

I separate right after. Females need a break after breeding to bulk back up.

 

[CharmedMom]

I always separate after, no need to stress the female any more than necessary.

What age and weight is he ? Same with the female what is her age and size ? Pictures would be helpful if possible to post .

+1

 

[quinnman999]

I put the male back in his normal tank and put the female that is normally housed with the female that bred back and the female that bred attacked her. Now I separated them and put the one that didn't breed in a temporary cage I just setup. Ia it normal for breeding females to be aggressive? Should I try to put the two females back together?

 

[GreatGeckos]

I house all my geckos individually so I don't have any exsperience in this situation, females generally do get along though. If they're attacking eachother you should defnitely keep them separated . Maybe in a day or 2 you could try again and see how they react. Maybe the female is stressed and on edge from being bred making her less tolerable of the other one. Keep a close eye on them .. Females moving tails in a waving motion when placed together is a bad sign . Be on the look out for these signs

 

[quinnman999]

I tried putting them together again and it didn't go well. Will I just have to separate them forever?

 

[OnlineGeckos]

First, make sure your female is even ovulating before you attempt to put her in with a male. There's no sense to force the act if she's not ovulating, and she likely won't be happy about it either. Secondly, if she's indeed ovulating but not receptive, then you'll just have to try again later. One of the things new breeders learn quickly is that not all geckos are good breeder candidates. Meaning some females will always refuse mating, and some males are bad breeders. It's unfortunate if you got one of those, but it happens. Not saying you have one of those, but just letting you know you could have one. Right now there's no way to be sure unless you know for sure she's ovulating and rejecting the male.

Keep in mind the gravid female that attacked the other female may have smelled the male's scent on her. When a female is gravid and no longer want to mate, she can get aggressive at the sight or scent of a male. It probably is better and safer to just keep them in separate enclosures.