Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently been given a female leo that someone didn't want anymore. I already have a male that i bought as a baby who is now approx 2 yrs old. After hiding for a few days the female is finally coming out as long as she doesn't know you see her. My male did notice her when i put her in with him. He shook his tail.... she ran lol. She couldn't shake her tail back because hers had fallen off short while ago. I'm assuming because all she has now is a fat stub. She's not eating and i know that is normal due to her new enviroment. My first question is about my male, he has all the sudden changed his behavior. Where before he mostly laid around or slept in his hide cave he now taking up the habit of making sure he is on the highest thing in his home. He doesn't pace but every time i walk by him he's like on the look out. He has given up his hide cave to his new room mate and i will often walk by and see him with his head poked in there as if to say ya ok in here. He's eating the same, stools are the same. What would be signs beside the obvious them fighting (which they aren't or haven't) that he's stressed? Is this typical male behavior? and, can i keep them together or do i need to seperate them. I know they'll prolly mate and i'm prepared for that but if they breed like rabbits then i am not sure i want to keep them together. I've read they lay 2 eggs at a time if i'm correct but how many times do they lay eggs? or how far apart i should say. I've read that keeping the female in with the male can stress them out during this time also. I guess i'm basically wondering how to house them. If anyone has any advice they can add it would greatly help me out.

thanks in advance,
stephanie

Not a smart move putting them in together.

1) You MUST quarantine new additions for at least 60 days. I prefer 90. Leopard geckos harbor diseases and parasites that are not always apparent to the naked eye. You just set yourself up for disaster. Separate them now.

2) You should not be housing the new female with the male anyway. He is exhibiting typical mating behaviour. Breeding is very stressful for leos. They lose weight, their colours dull, they need specific supplementation schedules. If you house her with him, she will probably become calcium deficient due to all the egg production and be under constant stress from his persistant harrasment. Also, she's already stressed aclimating to a new home.

If you care about your leos healths and stress levels, separate them. Now. Your male will also suffer in this set-up.

Males and females should not be housed together year round. The only exception would be with experienced professional breeders who maintain year-round colonies with an appropriate male:female ratio consisting of 1 male to an appropriate number of females. One male should never be housed with one female.
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Too many Leos
1.0 feline "Spot"
0.1 canine "Tika"

I had a male and a female housed together and it was bad. My male would beat up my girl and finally bit off her tail which is very unhealthy and can cause alot of stress. Also she was so stressed out she wouldnt eat and had to be hand fed sometimes forcefed. She didn't grew and was very lethagic.

Once I seperated them she gained weight, grew and is doing so much better.

You should never house a male and female together like cherribomb siad unless you are a proffesinal breeder and know what your doing.