3 Tips For Breeding Reptiles In Captivity

There are factors that will need to be taken into account such as if there are other reptiles in the housing they may not breed at all as many male reptiles will not attempt to breed if there is another male close by, some lizards such as chameleons won’t breed if they can see another male, even if he is in a separate enclosure. Usually you won’t have problems getting reptiles to breed if there are other females nearby; it is only other males that appear to cause a problem.

You will have to ensure that your reptiles habitat mimics that of where they originate be it dry and arid, or damp and humid if you want to make them feel comfortable enough to breed. You will also need to make sure that they have defined day time and night time cycles, just as they would have in the natural habitat. To do this you will need to make sure that you have the reptile supplies to create the correct temperatures and lighting all of which you should be able to purchase from quality reptile stores such as Swell Reptiles.co.uk.

Maybe the only exception to the day and night rule would be the leopard gecko, this is because the leopard gecko has been bred and kept in captivity for such as long time that it is doubtful that they will even know what to expect from their natural environment. This does not mean however that you do not need to take care with regards to heating, as you still do; it just means that you maybe do not need to follow their natural day and night cycle as close to the book as you would for a different species of reptile.

1) Correct Housing – It is important that you not only provide your reptile with a quality home, but also that you purchase one the correct size to ensure that they will feel they have enough room to move around comfortably, even when there is more than 1 reptile in the enclosure. Dependant on the type of reptile you own there are a number of housing options
available from glass terrariums to large wooden vivariums such as the viv exotic AX vivarium range.

2) Egg Laying Area – Your reptiles will need a safe egg laying area which you should add to your reptile enclosure as soon as you introduce the male. The egg laying area need to be easily accessed by the female but can be partially covered to make it less obvious to any other reptiles in the same housing. The egg laying area could be a braplast box or even a small plastic tub such as a margarine tub, there are many household items that could be converted into an egg laying tub so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty finding something suitable.

3) Incubation of Eggs – This is a vital part of the breeding process as eggs have to be incubated to ensure that they hatch safely when they are ready, which can be up to 55 days. As soon as you see that your reptile has laid eggs in the egg laying area you need to be looking to move then to your reptile incubator to increase their chance of hatching. Some reptiles have live young and so the incubation process may not be required, however they will need to be provided with a safe area away from any threat until they are older and able to fend for themselves. They will also be supplied with a consistent food source which should include live food such as small crickets.

If you do manage to be lucky enough to get your reptile to lay eggs, make sure that you learn to use the incubator correctly, and carefully monitor the temperature. Don’t just rely on the temperature gauge in the incubator, add another reptile thermometer to the incubator to be on the safe side and be sure that the reading that the incubator states is indeed correct.

By: Andrea Gregson

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Andrea Gregson works for Swell Reptiles, an online retailer of reptile supplies such as reptile heating and reptile lighting.