Although it sounds complicated, proper leopard gecko egg incubation can be done by anyone who owns a breeding pair of geckos. It's best to prepare a leopard gecko egg incubation box
prior to the arrival of actual eggs that way you can put them in there as soon as possible to prevent any problems with the gecko incubation.
Though there are commercial incubation chambers you can buy, it's also not hard to set up your own homemade one. The favorite type of container for egg incubation is actually either a plastic shoebox or plastic container for food. Whichever you use as a leopard egg incubation chamber, make sure it is shorter than it is tall and has a good tight lid.
You need to fill this box (the leopard gecko egg incubation chamber) with vermiculite or something similar. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that expands when exposed to heat. Synthetic versions of vermiculite are also available.
Because eggs need to be kept moist, but not soaked, vermiculite, just needs to be mixed with water. While there are some very complicated vermiculite to water ratios existing, it really doesn't have to be that hard.
First, put your vermiculite in a bucket and add a tiny bit of water at a time. This is best achieved by filling a cup, and then gently pouring a little tiny bit from that cup into the bucket as you stir. Do not empty the whole cup at once. This will often create vermiculite that is way too wet. You're looking for the vermiculite to reach the consistency of fresh powdered snow.
In other words, make a little ball of vermiculite. If it holds together as a little ball and falls apart when you touch it, then it's the right consistency. If you cannot form a little ball, it's too dry to keep the eggs in your leopard gecko egg incubation chamber healthy and moist. If it doesn't fall apart easily than it is much too wet. If your vermiculite is too wet, this can cause fungus or even rotting in the eggs.
Once your vermiculite is the right consistency, a layer about 2 inches of it in the bottom of your leopard gecko egg incubation chamber. Once you have eggs, embed them in the vermiculite right side up. (This will be the side they were laid on) they should be at least a half inch apart from each other. If you have many eggs, then more than one box/chamber can be used for proper gecko egg incubation.
Once these eggs are all snug in the vermiculite, many leopard gecko breeders actually make a mark on the side that goes up with a permanent marker. This is because if an egg gets turned around for too long during the leopard gecko incubation period the baby leopard gecko can actually drown in his own fluids. Sometimes these eggs to turn slightly on their own, and that mark will help you keep them straight.
Another thing to keep in mind during the leopard gecko egg incubation is the temperature you're exposing the eggs. While you can get a happy, healthy leopard geckos at any temperature between 77 to 92 °, since they are reptiles the temperature determines if you're getting males or females.
Higher temperatures produce lower temperatures produce males while females. If you have a lot of eggs you might want some of each.
The best way to keep these eggs warm if you do not have a professional leopard gecko egg incubation chamber is to use the same sort of reptile lamps that you use for your gecko on the eggs and monitor the temperature.
Be sure to open the lid of your leopard gecko egg incubation chamber at least once a week to let in fresh air, check for damaged eggs and to make sure that no egg turned over. (Remember the mark?) Any eggs that look like they're starting to rot or getting a fungus should be removed immediately.
You don't want them to organisms contaminate the healthy eggs. This is very important for proper leopard gecko incubation.
About 45 to 90 days after you started the whole leopard gecko egg incubation process you have a whole back of happy healthy baby geckos. It's best to have the box set up before your gecko lays any eggs. That way you can put the eggs in the vermiculite immediately.
Enjoy your new baby geckos.
Chris Newell is a film longtime gecko owner and breeder. Chris has developed a website which aids fellow gecko owners in the correct way to implement new and advanced health care techniques.
If your interested in learning how to have a healthy, happy and longer living gecko, or simply just grabbing page after page of valuable gecko information then take a look at the website. http://www.leopardgeckoinfoonline.com/
prior to the arrival of actual eggs that way you can put them in there as soon as possible to prevent any problems with the gecko incubation.
Though there are commercial incubation chambers you can buy, it's also not hard to set up your own homemade one. The favorite type of container for egg incubation is actually either a plastic shoebox or plastic container for food. Whichever you use as a leopard egg incubation chamber, make sure it is shorter than it is tall and has a good tight lid.
You need to fill this box (the leopard gecko egg incubation chamber) with vermiculite or something similar. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that expands when exposed to heat. Synthetic versions of vermiculite are also available.
Because eggs need to be kept moist, but not soaked, vermiculite, just needs to be mixed with water. While there are some very complicated vermiculite to water ratios existing, it really doesn't have to be that hard.
First, put your vermiculite in a bucket and add a tiny bit of water at a time. This is best achieved by filling a cup, and then gently pouring a little tiny bit from that cup into the bucket as you stir. Do not empty the whole cup at once. This will often create vermiculite that is way too wet. You're looking for the vermiculite to reach the consistency of fresh powdered snow.
In other words, make a little ball of vermiculite. If it holds together as a little ball and falls apart when you touch it, then it's the right consistency. If you cannot form a little ball, it's too dry to keep the eggs in your leopard gecko egg incubation chamber healthy and moist. If it doesn't fall apart easily than it is much too wet. If your vermiculite is too wet, this can cause fungus or even rotting in the eggs.
Once your vermiculite is the right consistency, a layer about 2 inches of it in the bottom of your leopard gecko egg incubation chamber. Once you have eggs, embed them in the vermiculite right side up. (This will be the side they were laid on) they should be at least a half inch apart from each other. If you have many eggs, then more than one box/chamber can be used for proper gecko egg incubation.
Once these eggs are all snug in the vermiculite, many leopard gecko breeders actually make a mark on the side that goes up with a permanent marker. This is because if an egg gets turned around for too long during the leopard gecko incubation period the baby leopard gecko can actually drown in his own fluids. Sometimes these eggs to turn slightly on their own, and that mark will help you keep them straight.
Another thing to keep in mind during the leopard gecko egg incubation is the temperature you're exposing the eggs. While you can get a happy, healthy leopard geckos at any temperature between 77 to 92 °, since they are reptiles the temperature determines if you're getting males or females.
Higher temperatures produce lower temperatures produce males while females. If you have a lot of eggs you might want some of each.
The best way to keep these eggs warm if you do not have a professional leopard gecko egg incubation chamber is to use the same sort of reptile lamps that you use for your gecko on the eggs and monitor the temperature.
Be sure to open the lid of your leopard gecko egg incubation chamber at least once a week to let in fresh air, check for damaged eggs and to make sure that no egg turned over. (Remember the mark?) Any eggs that look like they're starting to rot or getting a fungus should be removed immediately.
You don't want them to organisms contaminate the healthy eggs. This is very important for proper leopard gecko incubation.
About 45 to 90 days after you started the whole leopard gecko egg incubation process you have a whole back of happy healthy baby geckos. It's best to have the box set up before your gecko lays any eggs. That way you can put the eggs in the vermiculite immediately.
Enjoy your new baby geckos.
Chris Newell is a film longtime gecko owner and breeder. Chris has developed a website which aids fellow gecko owners in the correct way to implement new and advanced health care techniques.
If your interested in learning how to have a healthy, happy and longer living gecko, or simply just grabbing page after page of valuable gecko information then take a look at the website. http://www.leopardgeckoinfoonline.com/
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