noob feeding and breeding questions

I might get some adult leopards from someone...

how many adults can be housed in a 10 gallon?

crickets vs mealworms whats better/cheaper? I would like to use mealworms because they don't jump or make noise, but if crickets are the way to go I don't mind. Will most leos eat crickets or mealworms if they are dead?

can you hatch eggs in the cage if you monitor temp or does anyone know how to make an easy and cheap incubator? is it okay for temps to fluctuate?

If i have adult leopard geckos ready to breed how long until should expect breeding and then egg laying and eventually babies?

"how many adults can be housed in a 10 gallon?" I would put no more then 2 in a 10 gal long tank.

"crickets vs mealworms whats better/cheaper? I would like to use mealworms because they don't jump or make noise, but if crickets are the way to go I don't mind. Will most leos eat crickets or mealworms if they are dead?"

mealworms I think are cheaper. I use mealworms and superworms you also need a good gut load. leos like there food alive.


can you hatch eggs in the cage if you monitor temp or does anyone know how to make an easy and cheap incubator? is it okay for temps to fluctuate?

you really should have an incubator. no it is not ok for temps to fluctuate.

I agree with everything said except for the incubation information. You can incubate eggs in the tank. I placed my first clutches in a small tupperware in part of the tank that tended to stay around 80 and they hatched fine (I did this for two years and had over 100 hatchlings total). Eggs can tolerate gradual temperature swings (day/night changes) fine. It's sudden frequent changes that cause problems. I had a problem with birth defects from eggs incubated in my incubator, later when I got a better thermometer I realized that my incubator was continuously bouncing between 80 and 82 degrees. I decided to incubate my remaining eggs in my room which usually ranges from the mid 70s at night and the low 80s during the day to see what happened. These babies all hatched fine and free of deformity. Since your tank is only going to be 10 gallons, it would be best, however, to incubate them somewhere else so that you don't crowd the geckos. You should also plan on letting the geckos get established for about 3 months before you think about breeding. You will also need to get a high quality calcium and vitamin supplement (I use rep-cal & herptivite). You may also want to check out some on-line caresheets or search this forum for ideas about feeding, gutloading, cage set-up etc.

-Alice

thank you very much for the advice, I've gone through serval care sheets. I'll probably put them in a 29 gallon that I have.

Andy, your choice to put them in a 29 gal is much better than a 10 gal. Allthough a single Leo can be housed in a 10gal even a large single Leo would be cramped in a 10gal. Two adults should not be housed in a 10 gal. Is the 29 gal long or tall? Long would be best.

As far as housing only two, I'm assuming one male and one female, I would also reconsider that. When housing a male with females I would keep him with no less than 2-3 females. When housed with one female she will never get a break from his mating attempts and will become stressed. Placing a male into a single females enclosure for matting only for a few days is fine.

It's the same as a 20 long but its higher (even though I know its not necessary). I am getting a male and 2 females

Thanks for the advice

wow my bad not sure what I was thinking when I said 2 in a 10 gal sorry about that. I have a 20 gal long. it had been just for one of my males. right now I have one female with that male. she has been in there for a few months now and she is more active, eating more then she ever did and laying good eggs. she had laid duds last year. so maybe some females can get stressed being with a male all the time. but I'm not seeing it with this girl.

LOL Shawn, I was wondering why you would say 2 in a 10gal. With the issue of 1.1 housing. I think it really depends on the male's appetite for mating and the females ability to deal with it. Kind of like marriage...LOL

well the male I have her with is over 3 years old and he is semi retired this year. he looked like he needed a lady friend. heck she might have been a little stressed in my adult breeder rack and is just happy being in a bigger space.