Levis Gecko Breeding Set Up Help

[sxc_celly]

Hay guys.

Now ive got 5 adult levis levis geckos, 3 f 2 m. Ive only got 1m 1f atm, the other 3 are on there way next week. Im planning on breeding them this year. Ive got a 2ft aquarium which the 2 i have now are currently in, and ive also got a big 6 bay enclosure. Nothing occupies the 2nd or 3rd level yet so 4 60x60x60 enclosures. Now here comes the fun part. Im just wanting some advice or ideas, on how i should house these geckos. Im wanting to put each male over each female, for more of a chance incase breeding didnt occur successfully, or a female isnt receptive etc.

I can go:

FFF M M
FFFM M
FFM FM

3 different scenarios. Now i know they need a deep subtrate or either a few chinese containers full of moist sand to make burrows in. When a female is gravid i know you should remove the male, but should you also remove any other female? Should i house FFM FM in the bay enclosures, and when one becomes gravid put it in the 2ft tank, to burrow to its own liking? Or should i put all the females in the 2ft and seperate both males, then put each male in with the females at a different time, to get optimum success? The hatchlings already have a tank set up for them which is in storage, so i dont need to think about them. Just suggestions

Any advice would be most welcome! Thanks

Celeste

[hornet]

have 1 pair and 1 trio, just house normally with a laying box of moist spagnum moss

[Twiggz]

Yeah i agree with hornet- try keeping it simple to start with.
One thing, if you choose not to put a laying box in and wait until they deposit in the sand be sure that you dig them up nice and quick especially in they drop them on the heated end..........(based on very unfortunate personal experience).

[sxc_celly]

So you both think trio and pair? Or should i have the 3 females in one,, and then rotate the males through?

[hornet]

if you want to know which girl laid the eggs, put 3 girls in 3 enclosures and put the boys in

[MoreliaMatt]

i would put a trio and a pair in.... and as the females get noticeably gravid, move them into their own enclosure to lay..... looks like you have enough spare to do that....

this way you will know which male fathered the babies.....

[Magpie]

For maximum babies I'd house FFF, MM.

[sxc_celly]

Thats what i was thinking. House all 3 females in one enclosure, and then to the 2 males seperate but in the one enclosure spilt down the middle with a piece of board/timber piece as they cant jump or climb verically. As then id rotate the males. Some people have suggested trio and pair, so im having trouble deciding lol. Geckodan and his words of wisdom lol - said if i house all females together, if a female is gravid and lays, the other females shouldnt bother her or the eggs. Hope not Any more opinions appreciated...

[Anthony88]

Originally Posted by Twiggz

Yeah i agree with hornet- try keeping it simple to start with.
One thing, if you choose not to put a laying box in and wait until they deposit in the sand be sure that you dig them up nice and quick especially in they drop them on the heated end..........(based on very unfortunate personal experience).

How would you go about finding the eggs as they are small and only two? Also if you had sand deep enough for them to tunnel into and also a laying container would they use the sand or laying container?

[Twiggz]

Depends on where they feel comfortable to lay them and if the conditions are just.
Mine were initially offered laying containers, but refuse on each occassion, so now i just keep a closer eye on them and try to dig them up within a few hours of her dropping them. If you monitor the cage daily its pretty easy to identify loose sitting sand.......and the females tend to get a little territorial when digging them up to (not physically but rather inquisitively).