Somebody recently asked about incubating leopard gecko to get a certain sex. I prepared this, then couldn't find their post.
I don’t use an incubator. I put my eggs in a Tupperware type container and keep them in the top of the closet. The temperature fluctuates between 80 and 82 degrees F throughout the four seasons. This temperature is perfect for producing female leopard geckos. If you want males you should incubate at 85 degrees and up. For a combination of males and females, incubate between 83 to 84 degrees. These temperatures also work for Fattail Geckos.
The incubation medium doesn’t really matter whatever you prefer. Perlite allows most of the water to sink to the bottom whereas Vermiculite holds the most water up near the eggs. Some people use a combination of both Perlite and Vermiculate.
The water that is added to the incubation medium is perhaps where most people go wrong; too little water and the eggs dehydrate and collapse, too much water and the eggs will mold and collapse. It is best to err on the side of too little water as dehydrated eggs might be salvaged, most likely molded eggs are not salvageable (some people try an antifungal foot powder but once the mold is there it is hard to get rid of). In order to always get the proper amount of water, use a digital scale. To the weight of the vermiculite or perlite use 75% water weight.
Inside the egg there is a small air pocket that allows the embryo to breathe. It is important not to let the eggs roll around during incubation, otherwise the embryo could suffocate. When you collect the eggs try to pick the egg up exactly as the female laid it, without turning the egg, set it into the incubation medium. When the babies begin hatching they’ll stomp all over the other eggs that are still incubating causing them to roll. In order to always know which side is up, you should mark the correct side of the egg with a Sharpie, (this will not harm the embryo).
Most of the time the eggs take 60 days to hatch but I’ve had them hatch in 39 days and as long as 93 days. In my opinion, leopard geckos are the easiest reptile to work with. Some Panther Chameleons, Frilled Dragons, and snakes take over a year to incubate with lots of pitfalls during that time. Good Luck.
