I don’t typically discuss breeding on ReptiFiles, but since mourning geckos are parthenogenic and start laying eggs automatically at about 8-10 months old, it’s an inevitability.
How often do they lay eggs?
Some have observed that their colonies seem to cycle together, which means they also tend to lay their eggs at the same time. Each gecko will lay 1-2 eggs in 4-6 week intervals. Mourning gecko eggs are most often laid on the sides of the tank, pieces of bark, hides, plant leaves, etc.
Photo used with permission from ReptilesRuS
Do I need to incubate?
Mourning geckos are egg-gluers, which means that they secrete a glue-like substance when they lay their eggs. When this “glue” dries, the eggs become permanently affixed to the surface they were laid on. Attempting to remove mourning gecko eggs will usually break them.
Mourning geckos hatch anywhere between 2-6 months after being laid (higher temperatures tend to encourage faster incubation) and do not require special incubation.
Photo used with permission from ReptilesRuS
Protecting the hatchlings
As mentioned earlier, mourning geckos can be cannibalistic. Occasionally they will eat freshly-laid (soft) eggs, as well as hatchlings and juveniles. For this reason, many mourning gecko keepers choose to remove hatchlings as soon as possible. The easiest way to do this is to tape a small plastic cup (with ventilation holes) over any eggs, which will trap the 1” hatchlings for removal.
Photo used with permission from ReptilesRuS
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