How can You Tell If the Leopard Gecko Is Male or Female? Knowing which signs to look out for may make identifying male from female leopard gecko difficult; if your gecko was purchased directly from a breeder they may already know which gender it belongs.
Male and female leopard geckos incubate their eggs at different temperatures; therefore, to determine what sex your leopard gecko is you must look in the appropriate places1.1 The underside of their bodies holds clues as to their gender but to properly pick your gecko up first is recommended before proceeding further.
Picking Up Your Leopard Gecko
Sometimes the hardest part of owning leopard geckos is handling them properly. Geckos have been known to “drop” their tails when threatened or scared; this poses a real risk if your leopard gecko is unaccustomed to being handled and picked up regularly. Dropped tails occur when gecko tails detach from its body completely, so for maximum success when picking up your gecko safely in its enclosure slowly and approach slowly towards them in its enclosure.
Carefully stroke and slide your hand under your leopard gecko to pick them up. Be gentle if they are unfamiliar with being picked up; instead gently yet firmly hold their body instead of their tail if your gecko struggles to escape from you; they may drop their tail in order to escape quicker from you if they feel trapped! Once they become comfortable being held this way, peek between fingers to examine their underside in order to sex them!
Sexing Leopard Geckos
Sexing juvenile leopard geckos, unlike adult leopard geckos, can be very challenging to do successfully. As your leopard gecko matures over time and becomes easier to handle for mating purposes. Therefore, it is recommended that sexing is performed when at least six months have passed since birth.