# Cooling period (off-season)

_Permalink: https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/cooling-period_

Breeding-age females need a genuine off-season to recover calcium and fat reserves. The hobby standard is a resting period from roughly November through February, during which males and females are housed separately and no breeding occurs. The rest is the part that matters. A deliberate temperature drop is common but debated: many established breeders keep temperatures steady all year and still see good fertility.

- If you do cool: drop ambient temperature to 68 to 72°F during the day and 62 to 66°F at night for 2 to 3 months.
- Reduce photoperiod to 10 hours.
- Continue feeding on a normal adult schedule (3×/week CGD). Reduce or stop insects.
- Separate males and females. Never leave a pair together year-round.
- Resume normal temperatures and pairings in late February or early March.

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