When you get your leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius), you might call them male or female without really knowing what they are. For example, if you plan on adding more geckos to your space, you might want to tell if your gecko is really male or female. Alternatively, you might be curious if your leopard is egg-bound (if they are female). At other times, you might be curious for the purpose of assigning your beloved pet a gender-specific name.
Believe it or not, there are a few ways you can tell if you have a male or female scurrying around your terrarium. With some gentle respect, you can do a quick inspection and find out once and for all.
Begin With Careful Handling
Before you can check, you’ll have to make sure your leopard gecko is relaxed and comfortable. Never stick your hand in the cage and grab them up unexpectedly.
To acclimate your gecko to handling, slowly place your hand to the bottom of the cage so they can familiarize themselves with your presence. Then, slowly encourage them to come onto your hand by corralling them with the other.
Once your gecko walks safely onto your hand, cradle them securely, but not too tight. Give them a few minutes to warm up to the situation before you start prodding around.
- Tip: Sit close to the ground in case they can wiggle out of your hand. Never grab your gecko by the tail since they can snap it off as a defense mechanism. This action may, at times, lead to infection.
The 4 Ways to Tell a Gecko’s Sex
Now that you have your little one secured, it’s time to check things out. Especially if you plan to introduce a new cage mate or two, knowing the sex can prevent breeding—or aggression—since male pairs are known to spar.
1. Hemipenal Bulge
The vent lies on the underbelly at the base of the tail. When male geckos develop, they form what is called hemipenal bulges directly below the vent. They look like two small nodules directly beneath the skin.
Females never develop bulges in this area. So, if you see these two nubs, this is the easiest way to tell if you’re dealing with a boy or girl. Geckos usually sexually mature between 18 and 24 months. However, the bulge itself can be seen on a male when they are as young as 6–12 months of age.
If your gecko is this age or older, the hemipenal bulge should be fully apparent if you look closely enough. Absence thereof means you have a girl on your hands.
2. Preanal Pores
This is another surefire visible difference between the two. Even though males and females share preanal pores, a female’s pores aren’t as prominently visible to the naked eye unless you really strain to see. Males are much more prominent and noticeable.
Preanal pores secrete a waxy substance containing pheromones that mark territory, telling other nearby geckos who’s in charge. These pheromones are also responsible for attracting potential mates, letting others know they’re looking for love.
If you look at the vent area above the slit, you might see tiny visible dots in an upside-down V formation. If you peek and spot this mark, you have a boy on your hands.
3. Breeding History
If you have a very young leopard gecko on your hands, a very interesting way to help you determine their sex is by asking the breeder the temperature at which their egg was incubated. This is because the temperature can directly affect the odds of a leopard gecko being born as a male or female.
| Incubation Temperature | Female Chance | Male Chance |
| 79°F (26°C) | 100% | 0% |
| 86°F (30°C) | 70% | 30% |
| 93°F (34°C) | 95% | 5% |
| 90°F (32.5°C) | 25% | 75% |
4. Physical Differences
As with many other critters, male leopard geckos are larger than females—in most cases. But before they’re fully grown, the physical traits aren’t too trustworthy. However, it has been observed that male geckos range from 8–11 inches (20–28 cm) long while females are typically 7–8 inches (17–20 cm) long. This also makes them heavier than females on average.
In addition, a male gecko’s head is also larger than that of a female. Perhaps the most reliable physical evidence that helps identify a leopard gecko’s sex is egg-laying. This behavior is exclusive to females. As such, if you have a lone leopard gecko who lays eggs (females may lay eggs even in the absence of a male; these eggs will be infertile), you would know that you have a female on your hands.
Be cautious with using egg-laying as a sign to identify your leopard gecko’s sex though. Though only female leopard geckos lay eggs, a female only does so if conditions are right for her to do so. This involves the correct environmental and hormonal triggers. In other words, it’s wrong to assume that your leopard gecko is a male just because they haven’t laid eggs.
Finally, we do advise you to be very careful when relying on these physical traits. The other methods that we discussed are much more efficient ways to tell. Males may sometimes carry female attributes and vice versa.
When in Doubt, Ask a Professional
There are possibilities that you might not know exactly how old your gecko is when you purchase them. Because of that, you might be looking too early and won’t be able to spot the differences right away.
The only real way to tell for sure is to take your gecko to a professional, whether a breeder or a veterinarian. They will be able to look and tell you the sex of your little critter.
Not only is this the most educated way to find out if you have a male or female, but it is also the safest. You don’t run into the risk of harming or injuring your gecko. You also don’t risk them dropping their tail due to stress, which can wind up leading to infection and a slow healing process.
Conclusion
Even if your curiosity strikes, you might not need to know whether or not you have a male or female. You can name your male gecko Ms. Frizzle and your female gecko Dr. Spock and they would be no worse for the wear.
But if you’re asking because of potential breeding or thinking of adding a cage mate, you must discover exactly what you have. If you can’t tell by visual cues, don’t hesitate to ask your vet. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and you want to keep everyone in your terrarium as safe as possible.
Featured Image Credit: BANK lloyd LIGHT, Shutterstock
