Question about breeding leopard geckos.

[Awag]

So I have concluded that my first project for breeding is going to involve Snows. I was going to cross Mack Snow X Giant Mack snow. Now my question is they both have distinct stripes down their back, but are not labeled as bold stripes or stripes. I was wondering if the stripe going down the back would be a polygenic trait and could be passed down to children?

 

[acpart]

Many leopard geckos have a light area down the back called a dorsal stripe. I think it's really there for all leopard geckos because they are bilaterally symmetrical and the midline divides the 2 sides. I find that these stripes are more prominant in some geckos than others. It may be that if you pair geckos with more prominant stripes you'll find that it's inherited. It also may be that if you look at patterened geckos more closely you'll see that they all have dorsal stripes.

Aliza

 

[Awag]

I will show you a picture of what I am talking about. The stripe is formed by her pattern rather than just a dorsal stripe going down the back. I am thinking maybe it was a jungle mack snow as a juvi and developed the stripe as it aged. So my questions is if I would just produce jungles if I breed her to a gecko with a similar trait or could I get some off spring with possible stripes like this one displays. Also would you know what is a good weight to start breeding male giant leopard geckos?

 

[acpart]

Now I see. Yes, she is definitely a stripe. You can see from her tail which is not banded. I have found that striped geckos, even if bred to non-stripes, seem to have a very good chance of producing patterns in the stripe continuum which ranges: aberrant, jungle, stripe, reverse stripe, patternless stripe. Ideally the male should be at least 9 months and at least 50 grams so he's well grown enough not to suffer from not eating (which often happens with mating-crazy males) at a crucial growing time in their lives. If it's the male that's the giant, you may want to consider letting it get a bit bigger.

Aliza

 

[Awag]

Thank you very much for all the info! and yeah I will def beef him up, I will need to quarantine them anyway. Also thanks for the break down of the different ranges. I will be sure to keep this in mind when I can hatch some out.