Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello again, it's been awhile since I was on here. Anyway, I just tried introducing my big male blizzard to my normal female for the first time to produce blizzard hets. I have bred leos before, but this time I had a bunch of problems. When I introduced the two, the male showed immediate interest and started licking the female's back. He followed around the tank for a minute, and his tail started wiggling very fast like they do when they are about to strike at food. He finally caught up to her, bit her on the back of the neck like I expected when they breed. However, this time she reached around and bit the crap out of him. They both began shaking their heads, as if trying to bite off chunks. I reached in quickly and separated them, and removed her because I have never seen this before. She looked like she really hurt him in her bite back, and I didn't want to risk him as he is my first designer gecko. I know that he is a male, and I know that she is a female because she has bred and laid for me before. Any ideas what went wrong? was she just not receptive, or is this going to be a bigger problem? Thank you so much.

Buy a copy of the "Leopard Gecko Manual" read it, and you should have figured out what you are doing wrong by then.

>>Hello again, it's been awhile since I was on here. Anyway, I just tried introducing my big male blizzard to my normal female for the first time to produce blizzard hets. I have bred leos before, but this time I had a bunch of problems. When I introduced the two, the male showed immediate interest and started licking the female's back. He followed around the tank for a minute, and his tail started wiggling very fast like they do when they are about to strike at food. He finally caught up to her, bit her on the back of the neck like I expected when they breed. However, this time she reached around and bit the crap out of him. They both began shaking their heads, as if trying to bite off chunks. I reached in quickly and separated them, and removed her because I have never seen this before. She looked like she really hurt him in her bite back, and I didn't want to risk him as he is my first designer gecko. I know that he is a male, and I know that she is a female because she has bred and laid for me before. Any ideas what went wrong? was she just not receptive, or is this going to be a bigger problem? Thank you so much.
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Justyn
Intense Herpetoculture

and I don't remember seeing anything about why females will fight back when breeding...
anyways, your problem might be just the time of year. The days are getting shorter and your female probably just doesn't want to breed with winter coming on. It can be done, but I put a male/female together last week and neither showed much interest in the other (both proven breeders)
I'd say your best bet is to just wait until march or so unless you want to give them longer days with lamps. You might have luck with this method

good luck!
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4.5 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Marbled Gecko
1.1 Red Eared Sliders
0.2 Siamese Mice

It just means the female is not receptive. It is out of season, that could be why, though I have had it happen in season, too, especially with females that have been housed singly their whole lives. I have found housing them with other breeding females for awhile during breeding season helps to make them more receptive, I don't know if it is pheremones or just getting used to the company of other geckos. In January she should be more receptive. Or it may just take a few introductions. Wait a few weeks, and try again, maybe try again in November, and if she still acts that way, maybe wait til January.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

Thank you, I just sort of wanted confirmation that this actually has happened before. I figured that it was too early (or late, whichever way you look at it) and that she was not in season, but this female has bred at this time of year before for me. She has never done this before, so I was just worried.

BTW, Justyn: I have been keeping and breeding leos for a few years now, and don't appreciate your curt dismissive response to my legitimate question. I understand the number of posts on here left by very inexperienced people who use this forum instead of proper education and vet care, but that does not mean that all "newbies" are irresponsible. I usually don't buy into bickering and politics on these forums, but I did feel a bit insulted by the first reply to my question.

Thanks again,
Nate.

I only suggested a reference material. There should be no harm in that! I did not mean to sound rude, I was just trying to be to the point. Your female is just being unreceptive, most likely due to fact she is not ovulating. Now, lets just be friends.

>>
>>BTW, Justyn: I have been keeping and breeding leos for a few years now, and don't appreciate your curt dismissive response to my legitimate question. I understand the number of posts on here left by very inexperienced people who use this forum instead of proper education and vet care, but that does not mean that all "newbies" are irresponsible. I usually don't buy into bickering and politics on these forums, but I did feel a bit insulted by the first reply to my question.
>>
>>Thanks again,
>>Nate.
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Justyn
Intense Herpetoculture

Just to show you a warm gesture, I'll explain more in detail. Leopard geckos are a species that has testosterone as the main sex hormone, and it is found in both sexes. Testosterone affects behavior of both the male and the female but in relation to the question, I'll just stick to testosterone levels in the female in various stages prior, during, and after ovulation. Prior to ovulation (vitellogenesis), testosterone levels are building up, during ovulation testosterone levels at their peak, and after ovulation testosterone levels drop significantly. Well, in female leopard geckos the higher the amount of testosterone the more receptive the females are (in 60% of the cases), females with low testosterone levels are generally unreceptive (83 % of the time). Females show they are unreceptive by not allowing the male to successfully mate with her, this often includes physical conflict. I know it is a bit confusing, hell if I went into even more detail we might all get lost! I would be happy to clear any questions up regarding this issue.
Thanks
Justyn

>>I only suggested a reference material. There should be no harm in that! I did not mean to sound rude, I was just trying to be to the point. Your female is just being unreceptive, most likely due to fact she is not ovulating. Now, lets just be friends.
>>
>>>>
>>>>BTW, Justyn: I have been keeping and breeding leos for a few years now, and don't appreciate your curt dismissive response to my legitimate question. I understand the number of posts on here left by very inexperienced people who use this forum instead of proper education and vet care, but that does not mean that all "newbies" are irresponsible. I usually don't buy into bickering and politics on these forums, but I did feel a bit insulted by the first reply to my question.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks again,
>>>>Nate.
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>>Justyn
>> Intense Herpetoculture
>>
>>
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Justyn
Intense Herpetoculture

Thank you Justyn. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. In reply to your last message, that is great information, and I am glad that I have this resource. It is information like that that I have not seen in most care books (of which I do have a few), and is really the reason I read these forums. Anyway, thank you again.

Nate