Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've heard people say breed only animals upwards of 40-50 grams...the animal would be very obese and unhealthy providing it's not a "giant" gecko...any suggestions on size or weight for breeding?

40g is what ive always heard
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Hey,

Alot of people suggest(and recommend), breeding your leos when they are sexually mature(10 months of age). I would prefer my female to be at least one year of age though and weighing around 60 grams. Males are okay when bred at 10 months of age and weighing 45 grams or more from what I know. Other people have bred their leos at different ages and weights and had no problems, but this is the most common age/weight concern I have heard. Hope that helped!

-Britney
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40-50 grams is not obese or unhealthy for a normal sized adult leo (over 7". Personally I won't breed animals less than 45 grams. I would say 45-65 grams is a normal breeding weight, and I wouldn't breed animals significantly under 1 year old unless they were 55-65 grams or so. You want to be sure they have reached their adult size. I know people say reptiles never stop growing, but in my experience it slows so much after a certain point it's not noticeable. Females NEED to have good fat reserves to breed, breeding takes a lot of out of females. If they have fatty deposits under their front arms that is a good sign they are in good condition to breed.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
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You want your leo to be at least 40 grams. 50 is better. Females tend to lose their appetite, slow down eating, and then stop eating altogether while they are gravid. This in the middle of laying a whole bunch of clutches one right after the other without really having a chance to catch up on weight gain. You want them to start off at a good weight to begin with.

I've heard that 35 is the absolute minimum, but it's extremely risky. My female was only 35 grams when she laid her eggs, and it took a lot out of her. She was incredibly skinny afterwards, and I would not recommend anyone ever trying that.
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