Accidental meeting/breeding of older geckos.

[CLButterfly]

I have a 10 year old female Leopard Gecko and an eight year old male. They have never been together although their ten gallon aquariums were often right next to each other. This summer I had a very large aquarium become available so I built a divider out of a window screen, split the tank in half, and put them each on a side. Everything seemed to be going well until today. When I arrived at the school where I teach and keep my geckos I found my female in with my male. I believe she climbed a stick, then the screen to a half inch gap at the top of the cage (18” up). They obviously did some fighting as she had a scab about half way down her tail and red marks (bruising?) on the side of her neck.. I put her back on her side and fixed the gap. What I am wondering is did she go in there because it is breeding season? Is the bite mark on her neck from mating? She has never laid eggs before do I need to get a nest box ready or is she too old? Ant help is appreciated, she is a very sweet girl and we are worried about her. Thanks!

 

[acpart]

She probably went in there because "it was there!". She may have mated, but it's hard to know for sure. You can look at her belly and see if there are pink spheres around mid-abdomen which is a sign of ovulation. I have had 8 year old geckos lay fertile eggs. If she is gravid, eventually you will see the eggs as elongated white ovals on either side of her belly. You can giver her a hide with moist coco fiber inside in case she needs to lay. I recommend googling "breeding leopard geckos" to get more information about what may happen and what you can do.

Aliza

 

[CLButterfly]

Thank you for your reply. Here is picture of her abdomen.

I do not see any pink spheres but I am not sure what exactly I am looking for. Do you see any?

 

[CLButterfly]

One more picture. Is what the arrow is pointing at, what I am looking for?

 

[acpart]

It's hard to tell from the picture, but it's possible.

Aliza

 

[CLButterfly]

So, it has been a week and almost a half. She was looking a little more plump than usual so I picked her up. This isn't the greatest picture because it makes her belly look lopsided and it isn't, my hand is pushing more on the left side. Still, is that an egg on the left side?

 

[acpart]

Yes, I think it's an egg on the left side, though sometimes it's hard to distinguish that from a fat deposit.

Aliza

 

[sunfighter]

Love will find a way.

 

[CLButterfly]

It has been 19 days since she climbed into the males cage. She hasn’t been eating for the last few days and is spending all her time in the nesting box. Yesterday and today she dug herself a hole in it and then slept in the hole. Any day now or should I be worried she is eggbound? Here is today’s belly picture.

 

[acpart]

Give her another few days. I think 1 egg is coming very soon.

Aliza

 

[LoveReps]

I know this is a late reply but I'd suggest fixing the divider to something that's not see through if you haven't already. It might stress the male out to see another gecko and be so close to it. Much luck to you and your female and keep a close eye out for complications if she does end up laying.