Gecko Saves His Friend From Snake

How can I tell when my gecko is gravid / pregnant?

These geckos produce eggs many times during one breeding season. Usually they are laid two at a time, although a single egg is often produced at the beginning or end of the reproductive cycle. Each clutch will be laid at approximate three week intervals, although this can vary a bit based on conditions. The average female will lay about seven or eight pairs, although we've had females that produced eleven pairs in a single season!

In most US collections, mating and egg-laying will begin in February or March and continue through July or August. Please note that this may vary a bit based on your particular conditions. Timing of the breeding season may also vary a bit based on the particular strain you are working with, and the timing used by the breeder who produced them. Geckos produced 'off-season' tend to try to reproduce 'off-season' as well.

Here is a female Leopard gecko just starting to develop eggs. We've circled them in red, so you know where to look. At this early stage, the eggs are spherical and just under 1/2 inch in diameter. Gently bending the gecko backwards will push the eggs towards the thin belly skin, where they are easily seen. The eggs are surrounded by the pink glow of blood vessels nourishing the developing egg. 

Eggs are always located at the positions shown, but other white materials may also be present further down in the belly. We have hi-lighted this material in blue. This can include whitish urates (the white parts of gecko poop) and calcium or eggshell (being stored for use in eggshell-production). While this sort of material can be present year round, remembering the location of the eggs shown here will help you to determine when you are actually seeing eggs.