# Breeding readiness

_Permalink: https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/breeding-readiness_

Breeding too soon is the most common mistake new breeders make. The cost is the life or long-term health of the female. Wait for the numbers, weight and age, not for the temptation.

| Sex | Minimum weight | Minimum age | Ideal window |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Female | 40 g (strict) | 18 months | 45 to 55 g, 24+ months, proven feeder |
| Male | 25 to 30 g | 12 months | 35 g+, 18+ months, handles calmly |

In short: a female needs at least 40 g and 18 months, both, before her first season (Geck Inspect's readiness badge uses the same numbers), and a male at least 25 to 30 g and 12 months. Many breeders wait for 35 g in males too.

**Do not breed underweight or underage females**

- Calcium depletion and egg-binding are the two most common causes of keeper-inflicted female mortality.
- Breeders report that a female paired below 40 g often lays for one season and then declines: calcium loss, egg-binding, or worse the following season.
- Males can breed earlier safely, but the female is the limiting factor.

_Source: Geck Inspect Care Guide. Updated 2026-10-18. Cite https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/breeding-readiness_