Reptile & Amphibian Forums

well knowledgeable people of the kingsnake forums, I need your input. I feel like such a "newbie" asking this question but anyways here it goes. Is there any reason why two leopard geckos would fight as part of the maturing process (ie. hormonal induced fighting or something)? I swear that I have a male and female yet for the past couple days I've witnessed aggressive biting from the two. The supposed male gecko has pronounced bulges at the base of his tale but the presumed female has absolutely no bulge, yet they are still giving random bites to one another. Has anyone ever experienced having a male and female grow up together and then spontaneously commence aggressive behaviour?
Just in case anyone is wondering, they reside in a 15 gallon long tank, with multiple hiding spots so I don't believe it would be fighting for more space. They will be separated if this behaviour continues any longer.

Thanks guys,
Sorry the message is so long.

From what you described, it sounds like you do have a male and female. Watch their tails when they interact, males and females have distinct behaviors. Males will vibrate (very fast, very small movements) their tails when meeting a new gecko. If the other gecko vibrates back, you will usually end up with a fight. Don’t confuse this will tail waving; both sexes will do this and is usually defensive posturing. A female who is waving her tail (high in the air) at a male, is typically telling him that she is not interested in mating. If he makes further advances, and tries to mount her, she may begin to thrash her tail around in an attempt to get away, or even bite him. In that situation, they should be separated for at least a few days. Just remember that a receptive female will just sit still and be very passive.

One of my females Bitie (het. blizzard), is a very antisocial gecko. It was a real challenge to get her to breed this season. She doesn’t tolerate other females in her cage, and she would try to beat up the male every time I put him in there. In the end, she ended up mating once, after a bout 10-15 dates. But after all that work, all of her eggs turned out to be infertile. I’ll try her again next season, and see if we have better luck.

Long story short: All leos have different personalities, and need to be cared for accordingly. Separate anyone who is not getting along, and if you plan to breed them, they should only be introduced on supervised dates. You didn’t mention their weight or age, please don’t try breeding them until the female is at least 40 grams, and has a big fat tail. Best of luck, and let the forum know if you have any more questions.

DaveCable

Thanks very much. Exactly what you described about the tail waving and the attempted mounting by the male is what occured this evening. They have been separated and when any reintroduction does occur, I will be sure to monitor them closely. I have yet to obtain a reliable digital scale for measuring their weights but their ages are about the same at approximately 7 months old.

Thanks again,

-Adam

and let us know what you learn. Most females are not that aggressive, Bitie is the only one of my ten adult females that acts that way. 7-8 months old may be pushing it; i think most other breeders would agree. All of my leos are noticing the change in weather (seasons), and all my girls have stopped laying eggs. I'm letting everyone have a break until jan-feb, i can't wait till then! It might be best for you to wait a few months and let the female build up her fat stores.

I've read about females being hatched from higher temperatures and then having fiercer temperaments and being sterile.
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Lovin' would be easy if your colors were like my dreams...

It has always been in the back of my mind that she might be a hot female. I bought her as a virgin adult, and I do not have any history on her.

hot females have been proven to be nothing more then regular females that just tend to grow slower. there is nothing more to it, its just a myth that they are aggressive, and basically, a misunderstanding that they are sterile.
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your head will collapse, but there's nothing in it, and you'll ask yourself, "where is my mind"

if you have AIM, IM me at chichandoCONrosa

Thanks for your input. I did watch Bitie copulate, but only once, with a proven male. All nine eggs that she laid this year were infertile. I haven’t given up on her yet; I’ll try my best next season. If anyone has advice, it would be appreciated.