Incubation for Leopard Geckos

What type of incubation media do you favor? What do you use for a water/media ratio do you find to be the most successful for hatching your leos. Any info and insite greatly appriciated. Reply or E-mail me at leogex411@yahoo.com

Thanks
Travis Taylor

hello,

I've had great luck with both perlite and vermiculite for many years. However, after losing a hatchling Strophurus c. ciliaris to vermiculite impaction, I now prefer to add the vermiculite to a stocking, add water until it is barely moist (holds together when squeezed). This prevents the neonate from coming into direct contact with the medium, preventing vermiculite consumption. The babies don't intentionally eat the medium, but upon shedding for the first time, often a piece or two will stick to the gecko, possibly ending up in it's mouth. Most are able to spit it out, but.....

Tom Wood

I use vermiculite as an incubation medium for leopard gecko eggs. I don't have a water to vermiculite ratio. I just mix the water and the vermiculite, adding just enough water to make it damp but not soppy wet. You should be able to pinch it and the vermiculite pieces should stick together but should not be dripping wet.

I have had very good luck in hatching leopard geckos that way. Hope this helps!

We have been using vermiculite for a long time.

I always see people referring to their mixture of water and vermiculite based on weight, and never could understand why anyone would do it that way. Measuring by VOLUME is so much easier to do and much more intuitive.

The formula we use for the leopard geckos is 1 part water to 6 parts vermiculite. In other words, take a cup and put 6 scoops of vermiculite into a container. Then use the same cup and fill it with water. Mix it up, and there you go. Check it in about a month and moisten the paper towel if it has dried out. Add enough water to soak through to the eggs, but don't overdo it. Replace the paper towel if it has started to get mouldy.

We keep them in plastic shoeboxes and fill the box about four fifths to the top. The more medium you have in the box, the better it will help to moderate any sudden temperature changes. It will also hold moisture a LOT better than by using a smaller amount of medium.

We cover the eggs completely and cover everything over with a moistened paper towel. Keep the eggs around 82 degrees and they should hatch in about 54 days.

We lose VERY few eggs each year.

Good luck!

My first set of eggs were layed on Dec. 14th and the 2nd set on the 25th. With the first set they were burried pretty deep and were very large eggs. They were also a tan color with speckles. The 2nd set were not burried atall and were white with speckles and allot smaller than the first set. Plus one of the eggs from the 2nd set was completely caved in and had a crack. I suspect she stepped on them....either way I have 3 eggs in the incubator. These are from my African fat tail pair. Has anyone seen eggs that were so different? First set are very large in comparison to the 2nd set. Almost double the size.
I have them in the incubator set at 84. Trying for a mixture of the sexes.
Veronica Davidson

I now have 5 eggs!!! yippy skippy!!!!!
My female was wondering around and laying in spots but didnt lay eggs till i changed the entire subtrate in the one corner where she loves to lay her eggs.. made it nice and damp for her but not too wet.. and boom...she went right to her spot and dug away...and i got to watch as the last egg was coming out.
I sure hope they hatch now.. worried gecko mom to be here

Sometimes the first eggs of the season are really large. I was told once that really large eggs aren't fertile. Since I have had larger eggs hatch, I can't vouch for that statement. I have had several eggs laid on the papertowels rather than in the lay box and I have discovered that no matter how soon I am able to grab those eggs, they don't hatch. They are infertile. I figure that maybe she knows something I don't. I still toss them in the incubator because hey you never know. AFT eggs are a little harder to hatch than leos, they have weird fertility. I had several eggs go full term last year and die in the egg.
Since these are your first eggs, let me give you some tips that I learned the hard way with baby AFT's. Last seaon I bred AFT's for the first time. I was having great success with leopards and was used to the way baby leos acted. What a difference with baby AFT's. Unlike little leos, these guys are REALLY shy. After their first shed, when you start feeding them, only toss a couple of cricket in at a time. Too many crix really stress these guys out. Make sure you house the babies separatly. I put two of my baby AFT's together, because I did that with leos for short periods, and one, refused to eat and was doing poorly until I separated them. He is a great little eater now, TG.
Good luck with them, they are a great little rewarding challenge.