You might give your gecko a specific gender when you first get them. You might be tempted to add more geckos to your home if you don’t know if they are male or female. But how do you tell?
There are several ways to tell if your terrarium has a boy or a girl. You can quickly inspect your terrarium and determine if there is a problem with gentle respect.
Start with careful handling
Before you can inspect, make sure that your gecko feels comfortable and relaxed. Do not reach for them unintentionally.
Your hand should be placed at the bottom of the cage to familiarize your gecko with your presence. Slowly encourage them to climb onto your hand and then corral them one after the other.
After your gecko has walked safely onto your hand, secure your hands around them, but not too tightly. Before you begin to poke around, give your gecko a chance to get used to the environment.
Four Ways to Tell the Gender of a Gecko
Once you’ve secured your little one, it’s time for you to go over the details. Knowing the gender of your cagemate is important, especially if you are looking to prevent aggression or breeding. Male pairs have been known to spar.
1. Hemipenal Bulge
The vent is located at the tail’s base on the underbelly. The vent is formed by male geckos when they develop. They look like two small nodules just beneath the skin.
This area is not prone to bulging in females. This is how you can tell if your child is a boy or a girl. Geckos are sexually mature between 18-24 months.
If your gecko’s age is between this and older, you should see the hemipenal bulge if you pay enough attention. If it is absent, you may have a girl.
2. Preanal Pores
Another obvious difference is the one between them. Although males and women share preanal pores (males and females), a woman’s pores can’t be seen by the naked eye unless one really strains to see. Males are more noticeable and prominent.
Preanal pores secrete waxy substances containing pheromones. This marks territory and tells other geckos where it is. These pheromones also attract potential mates and let others know that they are looking for love.
You might notice tiny dots in an upside-down V formation if you look above the slit. This mark is a sign that you have a boy.
3. Maturity
As your gecko gets older, you will see differences between the male and female. It would be better if this method was not used as a guideline, since geckos grow at their own pace.
Leopard geckos mature sexually faster than crested geckos. You might be able to tell in 3-4 months if your Leopard Gecko has a girl or a boy. You might need to wait up to 6 months for crested geckos to show signs.
Make sure you do your research to ensure that your gecko is not misidentified after reaching these ages.
4. Physical differences
Like many other animals, male geckos tend to be larger than their female counterparts. However, their physical characteristics are not reliable until they reach adulthood.
You might see tiny spur-like protrusions on the back of your gecko’s hind legs. Cloacal spurs are found in both genders. You can compare the cloacal spurs of male and female animals by putting them side-by-side.
The femoral pores are similar to the preanal pores in male geckos. These pores are not found on the underbelly but run down the thighs. You might be a little lady if you don’t see anything.
These physical characteristics should not be relied upon. These are not the only methods to determine. Males can have female traits and vice versa.
If in doubt, ask a professional
It is possible that your gecko might not be able to tell you how old they are when you buy them. You might not be able to see the differences if you look too early.
You can only tell if your gecko is healthy by taking it to a professional, such as a breeder or veterinarian. They can examine your gecko and give you sex information.
This is not only the best way to determine if your gecko is male or female but also the safest. There is no risk of your gecko being injured or hurt. It is also not possible for them to drop their tails due to stress. This can lead to infection and slow healing.
Conclusion
You don’t necessarily need to know if you have a male and female gecko, even if you are curious. It would not be worse to name your male gecko Ms. Frizzle or your female gecko Mrs. Spock.
If you are asking about breeding or considering adding a cage mate to your pet, you need to know exactly what you have. Ask your vet if you are unable to see visual cues. You want everyone to feel safe in your terrarium.
How can you distinguish between male and female geckos?
The most precise approach to detect whether your gecko is male or female is to look for pre-anal pores. Pre-anal pores are a short, V-shaped line of pores located directly above the vent between the legs of male geckos. Males have prominent pores that resemble huge black or brown spots, but females have not.
Do geckos become lonely?
Because geckos are inherently solitary and territorial species, they do not become lonely when kept alone in a cage or separated from their caretaker for an extended period of time. They would rather keep their food and heat to themselves than share it with another gecko.
Geckos can they cry?
Screaming or screaming is a vocalization used by leopard geckos when they are threatened or scared. It is a high-pitched shrieking sound that lasts only a few seconds. Leopard geckos generally scream in this manner to frighten or intimidate whatever or anybody they believe to be a threat to them.
Do geckos require lighting at night?
True, their activity frequently stretches into the night, but that is not when it begins. Leopard geckos require a balanced day (light) and night (darkness) interval to maintain a healthy internal clock due to their sensitivity to the time of day.
Can geckos hear what you’re saying?
Remember that leopard geckos and other reptiles have acute hearing since they are frequently desert species accustomed to calm conditions.
Scream female leopard geckos?
Screaming is the least common sound you will hear from your leopard gecko. Screaming indicates that your leopard gecko is afraid and believes it is in danger. Adult geckos seldom scream, but juvenile leopard geckos do.
How often should a leopard gecko be fed?
Two to three times each week Leopard geckos eat mostly live, moving insect food. A suitable diet may include commercially bred crickets as well as lesser amounts of silkworms, roaches, mealworms, super worms, waxworms, and other live insects. Juveniles should be fed every 1-2 days, and adults every 2-3 weeks.
Why do geckos perform push-ups?
Lizards perform push-ups as a mating display to show females that the males are healthy and ready to mate. However, both male and female lizards do these in order to establish their territory, calm themselves, and remove dead and shedding skin. Push-ups are an essential component of a lizard’s mating ritual.
Can leopard geckos consume fruit?
Leopard geckos are insectivores, which means they can’t consume fruits or vegetables. Only meat, such as insects, can be digested by a Leopard Gecko’s body. They are unable to consume fruits and vegetables because their systems are not intended to handle or digest them.
How can you determine if a leopard gecko is male or female?
Inspecting the regions before and after the vent is the most reliable way of leopard gecko sexing. Males have pre-anal pores, which appear as a thin line of dots on the underside of the rear legs in front of the vent. Females have no pores or hemipenal bulges.