What I need now is a male of the same quality.

Theres a few online at the moment. Don't know if I would buy from them as they were telling me they were sure of the sex despite the geckos only being 4 or 5 months old.

What is the secret to hatching them? My eggs tend to colapse after 3 or 4 days. Maybe dehydrating I thought so tried adding a little more water to the vermiculite medium, but then they go mouldy, tried with lid on but that made no difference nor did adding a dish of water to incubator. One idea I plan to try next time is to almost bury them. Have been incubating at about 30 degrees. I must be doing something wrong or they are all infertile.

i would suggest infertility is your problem.Although I have never hatched leopard gecko eggs,infertlies in beardies,boxies show up much the same way as you describe.I would think you would have some signs of development well after `a few days`,if you did have fertility?

Brumation tends to increase fertility.

Each female will only lay 2 eggs at a time so only possible to have 2 from a clutch.

What is the secret to hatching them? My eggs tend to colapse after 3 or 4 days. Maybe dehydrating I thought so tried adding a little more water to the vermiculite medium, but then they go mouldy, tried with lid on but that made no difference nor did adding a dish of water to incubator. One idea I plan to try next time is to almost bury them. Have been incubating at about 30 degrees. I must be doing something wrong or they are all infertile.

Did you candle (shine a torch) on the eggs to see if they are fertile? If they are fertile they will glow pink and if infertile they will glow yellow. Sometimes you can tell immediately but sometimes it takes a few days. It sounds like they are infertile. Are you breeding from a pair that has had success at breeding before?

When it comes to the vermiculite it best to add water to the point that when you place a handful in your hand and squeeze, just a little water water should squeeze out. If it is dripping heavily or running then it is too wet. The US breeders have found more success incubating their eggs completely off of the vermiculite/perlit. Check this link out:

http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=71613

One of mine I am keeping back (10 week old female)

Nice one Alan. looks like she is going to colour up nicely

Love the orange on the back legs :thup:

Here's a dumb question from someone who knows nothing about these animals - do they stay those colours or do they change as they age?

Hi Caryl. They are born with bands. As the grow and shed the bands break up and they become spotted. Their colours can also change and intensify as they grow.

So you have no way of knowing what your baby gecko will look like when it is fully grown?

Thats all part of the fun!

The black bands tend to end up as more concentrated areas of the black dots. It is also claimed that the higher the incubation temperature the less black so males should have less black.

Very nice Alan.

Something I would like to add here, I have been using a moon light tube which still gives off uva/uvb for a few hours each night. It is something like 15% uva/uvb of what the normal reptile tubes give off. The leo's bask in it, spread themselves flat and spend up to 2 hours under the light. Thought it might be worth mentioning, you guys are still the guru's but it might be worth investigating further, as it is giving them the option to regulate their dh3 intake through basking, together with a very varied diet I am having great results. growth rates on these 2 little girls I have has increased dramatically since the introduction of the tube. They may have been due for a growth spurt anyway but I think it warrants further investigation.

once again Alan, she is beautiful, well done and good luck with breeding her in the future.

where did you acquire this moonlight? :smln:

pet store, with all the other tubes.

Not from this particular store but you can check it out at least.

http://www.petandgarden.co.nz/shop/show_single_product.php?prod=1157

There is some information on the web about them, lists the uva/uvb output ect.

I dont think those moonlight bulbs actually do produce any uvb. Correct me if Im wrong. If they do I might try it as I have a very slow growing lep. But it doesnt mention UVB in that link or any other sites that have the reptile one moonlight bulbs.

I read from the reptile one catalog that they produce 15% of the uva/uvb of the daylight tubes. I also had a website with a write up on them before I decided to get one. I will try find it again.

this is the quote from an online brochure.

The Reptile MoonLight tube is a low light fluorescent

tube that provides a soft light that replicates moonlight

while providing small amounts of UVA and UVB light.

These tubes are ideal for nocturnal species and can help

to replicate natural lighting conditions in any reptile or

amphibian enclosure.

http://www.reptileone.com.au/catalogue/ReptileOne_A5_Mini_brochure.pdf

There was a more descriptive write up around some where too, I will keep looking.

Thanks. And so do you only leave it on a few hours a night? Ive got one who only eats 2 bugs every second day approx. I try to get him to take more but he just nudges them around a bit then wanders off.

yeah just 3 hours a night, from 9 till midnight. They bask under it too, I never noticed them out as often before.

Thanks. And so do you only leave it on a few hours a night? Ive got one who only eats 2 bugs every second day approx. I try to get him to take more but he just nudges them around a bit then wanders off.

I have one like that, wont really eat mealworms, on rare occasions may take a wax moth grub but it loves crickets which are real hard to get at the moment. Barely grew until I started feeding it crickets.

Did you candle (shine a torch) on the eggs to see if they are fertile? If they are fertile they will glow pink and if infertile they will glow yellow. Sometimes you can tell immediately but sometimes it takes a few days. It sounds like they are infertile. Are you breeding from a pair that has had success at breeding before?

When it comes to the vermiculite it best to add water to the point that when you place a handful in your hand and squeeze, just a little water water should squeeze out. If it is dripping heavily or running then it is too wet. The US breeders have found more success incubating their eggs completely off of the vermiculite/perlit. Check this link out:

http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=71613/quote

Have not bothered candling, didnt want to disturb eggs any more than needed, but that basket gaget on that website looks very interesting. May consider buying some. If others are interested let me know and I may get them in bulk and sell on.

http://www.yourgeckoguy.com/?page=geo may work better.

I am definatley interested in a few

mate in aus reckons these are the go. http://carpetpythons.com.au/sim-incubation-tubs/

edit: seem to be used for geckos too http://www.lovegeckos.com/sim-incubation-container.aspx

looks like the way to go.. could diy something with some plastic egg crate.

and saw this the other week 8)

http://www.3news.co.nz/Baby-crocs-to-hatch-in-Auckland/tabid/423/articleID/212989/Default.aspx

They are a similar type of product but bigger, but they cost AU$30 each while the other ones are US$5 or less depending on how many are bought, then add freight. And I think the US$ has a better exchange rate than AU$ now. Happy to be corrected if I am wrong on that.