Your First Crested Gecko Breeding Season: A Month-by-Month Plan
A beginner breeder plan for your first crested gecko season: readiness weights, cooldown, pairing, egg laying, incubation, and hatchling care, month by month.
Your first crested gecko breeding season is mostly about patience and preparation, not technique. Correlophus ciliatus is one of the most forgiving reptiles to breed, but the two mistakes that hurt beginners most, pairing a female too young and chasing incubation heat, both happen before a single egg hatches. This month-by-month plan walks the full cycle so you know what to do and, just as importantly, what to leave alone.
The season below assumes the Northern Hemisphere. If you keep geckos in the Southern Hemisphere, shift every month by six. The biology follows temperature and day length, not the date.
The cooldown is the step first-time breeders most often skip, and it is the cheapest way to improve a season. A rest period of six to ten weeks with cooler nights and a shorter photoperiod mimics winter and helps synchronize a healthy laying cycle when things warm up. It is not strictly required for eggs to appear, but skipping it tends to produce a ragged, less fertile season.
Published 2026-07-08.
TL;DR
- Only breed a female that is at least 18 months old and holding a stable 40 grams or more. Age and weight matter more than the calendar.
- Crested geckos breed through the warm months and rest over winter. A cooldown from roughly November to January resets the cycle.
- A proven female can lay two eggs about every four to five weeks across the season, so plan for many clutches, not one.
- Incubate at cool room temperature (about 70 to 74 F). Eggs hatch in roughly 60 to 90 days. Never chase heat to speed it up.
- Track every pairing, lay date, and hatch so next season is driven by data instead of memory.
Frequently asked questions
What age and weight should a female crested gecko be before breeding?
A female should be at least 18 months old and holding a stable weight of 40 grams or more, and many breeders wait for 45 grams. Age and weight both matter, a heavy but young female is still not ready. Breeding too early risks calcium depletion and egg binding.
When is crested gecko breeding season?
In the Northern Hemisphere, crested geckos typically breed from roughly February or March through September, with a natural winter rest. A cooldown of six to ten weeks from about November to January before the season helps synchronize a healthy, fertile laying cycle.
How many eggs do crested geckos lay?
A proven female lays two eggs per clutch and can produce a clutch roughly every four to five weeks across the season, so a healthy female may lay many clutches in a year. This is why keeping her at weight and well supplemented with calcium is critical.
How long do crested gecko eggs take to hatch?
At cool room temperature (about 70 to 74 F), crested gecko eggs hatch in roughly 60 to 90 days. Warmer incubation is faster but increases the risk of deformities and weak hatchlings, so cooler and slower is the safer choice.
Do I need an incubator for crested gecko eggs?
No. Crested gecko eggs incubate well at normal room temperature in a lightly moist medium. A dedicated incubator is optional and, if it runs warm, can do more harm than good. A stable cool room is usually the best incubator you have.
Should I let my crested geckos rest over winter?
Yes. A cooldown with cooler nights and a shorter light cycle for six to ten weeks before the season mimics winter and tends to improve fertility and cycle timing. It also gives the female time to rebuild condition between seasons.
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