It’s important to know whether your gecko is a male or female if you want to give them a companion or breed them. While female geckos can live together, males cannot. Male geckos are territorial and will fight each other. [2] X Research source

While female leopard geckos do have pre-anal pores, they are usually invisible. If they are slightly visible, they are typically clear instead of brown. Male geckos secrete a waxy substance from their pre-anal pores. The substance contains pheromones that attract females when males want to mate.

On most male geckos, their hemipenal bulges contain their reproductive organs. So, it makes sense why females don’t have these bulges.

Femoral pores release an oily substance that is also full of pheromones. Geckos lick a fellow gecko’s pores to determine whether they’re male or female. The pheromones are also used to attract interested mates. Generally, pre-anal pores and hemipenal bulges are more reliable ways to tell if your gecko is male or female. Once you’ve checked for those and have your answer, looking at their femoral pores can confirm their sex.

Ask your breeder what temperature your gecko was incubated at. If they don’t know, that’s okay. The best way to tell if your gecko is male or female is still to wait until they’ve reached maturity and check for pores and hemipenal bulges.

While leopard geckos are pretty small, to properly care for them, keep them in a tank that’s at least 20 gallons (75 L) large.

However, without a male around, a female’s eggs are infertile. So, no baby geckos will come from her eggs. If you want to breed leopard geckos, place a male and female in the same enclosure and let nature take its course. Once the female’s laid eggs, remove them, being careful not to rotate or roll them. Put them in a plastic cup that’s full of soil that’s slightly damp. Then, place a lid on top with holes poked through it. You can then put the cup back in the enclosure, or set up a separate incubation station.

If your leopard gecko is hiding from you, drooping their tail, or running away, back off and approach them once they’ve calmed down. When leopard geckos are frightened and stressed, they can drop their tail. While their tail regrows, picking them up when they’re not stressed can prevent this from happening.

Be sure not to place your gecko on their back or squeeze them tightly. This is uncomfortable for them, which can stress them out. [12] X Research source