Separation?

[The lizards]

Hi guys!

So I have housed a male and a female leopard gecko together for 4 months now. My female gecko just layed fertile eggs a little less than a week ago. I've been debating whether or not I should separate them. They've been doing fine together. (from what I can see). I'm just worried about putting too much stress on my female's body. I have a spare tank and I can remove some of the hides from their current enclosure and put them in the other tank. I would have to buy 1 new hide and some decorations though. Any information would help!

Thanks!

 

[acpart]

When I was breeding leopard geckos I would keep the males together with their females for the entire breeding season. This was mostly because I needed the extra space for hatchlings. It worked out just about all the time. I had an extra cage or so in case someone needed to be separated and in 13 years of breeding that happened very rarely. I found that the males were very eager at the beginning of the breeding season and that by June or so they were "done" (absence definitely does make the heart [and other body parts] grow fonder).

Aliza

 

[The lizards]

When I was breeding leopard geckos I would keep the males together with their females for the entire breeding season. This was mostly because I needed the extra space for hatchlings. It worked out just about all the time. I had an extra cage or so in case someone needed to be separated and in 13 years of breeding that happened very rarely. I found that the males were very eager at the beginning of the breeding season and that by June or so they were "done" (absence definitely does make the heart [and other body parts] grow fonder).

Aliza

Thanks! My plan was to keep them together for as long as they live though. I hadn't realized she layed the eggs until about a week after, and they are all crinkled and smashed. I put them on some vermiculite as soon as I saw them. I don't think they will survive because of the damaging.

 

[Bliss13]

Is your intention to breed them and have hatchlings every year? If not then yes you would need to separate them. She will likely lay several more clutches this season.

 

[The lizards]

Is your intention to breed them and have hatchlings every year? If not then yes you would need to separate them. She will likely lay several more clutches this season.

I would like to breed them sometimes, but not all the time. I don't want to put too much stress on her body so I think I will separate them. I have a spare tank, that's not nearly as big as her current shared one but it will have to work. I'll take some hides out of her current enclosure and buy new decorations and some hides for the new one. If you saw my response to Aliza, I don't think her recent clutch will survive. Thank you!

 

[acpart]

Once the geckos have mated, the female will lay multiple clutches of eggs even if you separate them. I don't know if any research has been done about number of clutches laid after one confirmed mating vs. after multiple "encounters" though I imagine it varies from gecko to gecko.
I have found that male geckos are not ready an eager 12 months of the year and I honestly don't know how much difference it will make if you separate them at this point.

Aliza

 

[The lizards]

Once the geckos have mated, the female will lay multiple clutches of eggs even if you separate them. I don't know if any research has been done about number of clutches laid after one confirmed mating vs. after multiple "encounters" though I imagine it varies from gecko to gecko.
I have found that male geckos are not ready an eager 12 months of the year and I honestly don't know how much difference it will make if you separate them at this point.

Aliza

I think I'm going to separate them so that next season she won't have to lay fertile eggs also. My male is also stressing her out a little bit by constantly wanting to breed. Do you think that if I separate them now it will benefit for seasons after this?

 

[acpart]

It never hurts to be conservative about your geckos' expenditure of resources, so separating isn't a bad idea.

Aliza

 

[Young Geckoboy]

I would move the male so that the female does not become stressed and have to adjust to a new terrarium. This way she is familiar with the surrounding area and know where she is comfortable doing things. Hope this helps

 

[The lizards]

I would move the male so that the female does not become stressed and have to adjust to a new terrarium. This way she is familiar with the surrounding area and know where she is comfortable doing things. Hope this helps

Thank you!

 

[The lizards]

It never hurts to be conservative about your geckos' expenditure of resources, so separating isn't a bad idea.

Aliza

I ordered supplies for my new tank last night, most of it should get here today but the thermostat is coming tomorrow. Thank you for all your help!

 

[The lizards]

@acpart @Bliss13 @Young Geckoboy
Thank you for the responses! I moved the male into his new tank about a week ago.
This is his tank! It’s a bit dark.