Geckos & Reproduction

Geckos are increasingly popular household pets. Owners should know a few basics about their reproductive habits so they are not surprised by the aggressive activity. It's also useful to be able to identify your gecko's sex if you do not wish it to reproduce.

  1. Boy or girl?

    • Male geckos tend to be larger and bulkier than females. The best way to determine sex is to check under the tail. The male has a bulge at the base of the tail caused by the hemipenis.

    Breeding

    • Most geckos are sexually mature between 10 and 15 months of age. Breeding occurs between February and September with males copulating several times a month.

    Action

    • The male vibrates his tail vigorously when approaching a female. She will respond by swaying her tail back and forth across the ground. He will lick her to get her scent and begin biting at her lower body, working his way up to her neck. If she does not bite back, the deal is sealed as he takes skin from the back of her neck into his jaws, wraps his tail around hers and places his body parallel to hers with his hind leg over her tail allowing the insertion of the hemipenis.

    Eggs

    • Approximately 30 days after copulation, the female will lay one or two eggs. These incubate for six to 12 weeks depending on species and temperature conditions.

    Offspring

    • The gender of the gecko inside the egg is determined by the temperature at which the incubated eggs hatch. This principle applies to both domestic breeding programs and eggs laid in the wild. However, in domestic breeding programs, the use of incubation, in which temperature, humidity and oxygen levels are strictly controlled, gives breeders more control over which gender they produce. Female eggs tend to hatch at 79 and 80 degrees. Between 85 and 87 degrees Fahrenheit, the eggs hatching tend to be an equal mix of males and females. Many male eggs will not hatch in temperatures less than 90 to 92 degrees. Females can hatch at the higher temperatures, but the resulting gecko is usually too aggressive to submit to mating rituals.

    Asexuality

    • Geckos are one of many reptiles that can produce asexually. However, this leads to less genetic variation and does not continue for extended periods.