[SeaPadders]

Hi guys.

I have 2 females in separate tanks which i want to soon put together in a 3ftx2ftx2ft vivarium. One of them is 18 months old and the other 6 months old, i am waiting until the younger of the two is 8 months old first to make sure they are similar sizes but i want to get clued up in advance.

How should i got about introducing the younger gecko into my older geckos tank? I am thinking completely disinfecting everything in there, changing all of the decor around and them putting them both in, or should i introduce them to each other out of the tank?

I was cleaning both of their tanks out today and somehow they both got out of their carriers, i saw the older one running over to the younger one, almost like she does to her crickets so i picked her up just incase.

Is waiting until they are both the same size the best idea?

I have looked in the forums but something up to date would be much appreciated, i just want to get to know how i should go about the introduction and what i should look out for when i finally do.

Thanks guys!

[Saskia]

The best is to wait until they are similar sizes, to lower the risks of the bigger one injuring the little one, and, yes, the best way is to take the bigger out, and clean the tank deeply, and change all the decor (clean the hides as well, and would be beneficial to add a couple new hides), and then put them both inside in different sides of the tank at the same time (there should be no food around) and let them smell around, there shouldn´t be a problem, but keep a close eye, because some females (it´s not very common but it happens) don´t like company and will attack (one of my females doesn´t care for company and she chases and bites any cage mate I try to house with her, eventually I stopped trying and she lives alone now), so, keep them on sight for a couple of days, it would probably be ok!! Good luck!

[SeaPadders]

Originally Posted by Saskia

The best is to wait until they are similar sizes, to lower the risks of the bigger one injuring the little one, and, yes, the best way is to take the bigger out, and clean the tank deeply, and change all the decor (clean the hides as well, and would be beneficial to add a couple new hides), and then put them both inside in different sides of the tank at the same time (there should be no food around) and let them smell around, there shouldn´t be a problem, but keep a close eye, because some females (it´s not very common but it happens) don´t like company and will attack (one of my females doesn´t care for company and she chases and bites any cage mate I try to house with her, eventually I stopped trying and she lives alone now), so, keep them on sight for a couple of days, it would probably be ok!! Good luck!

Thanks Saskia, I will try this in a couple of months. So just to clarify, they shouldn't meet outside of the home to start with, i should just deep clean the tank and decor and then place them at either sides of the viv with no prior introduction?

[Saskia]

Yes, exactly, if you want some prior introduction you can do this: before cleaning the tanks exchange tanks, I mean, put each one in the other´s tank, so they can start smelling their future cagemate´s scent, leave them there for a few minutes and then do the cleaning and then, do the introduction in a new clean tank

[SeaPadders]

Hello again!

I just wanted to post a quick update on this.

I have not yet introduced my two geckos because my youngest is growing very slowly despite eating a mountain of crickets each night lol.

HOWEVER when I was handling my youngest yesterday, my older gecko clearly saw her through the vivarium glass doors. My older gecko had her tail waving up in the air, is this a good sign?
(It doesn't sound like it to me :S)

Paddy

[Debbie7054]

Slow tail waving can be a sign of aggression and submission leopard gecko's use a lot of body language. They wave their tails in aggression as a warning to others but they also wave them slowly when they are scared too - so that hopefully their attacker will go for their tails and not their bodies. That way they can drop their tails and they can escape.