Crested Gecko
Difficulty
Beginner
Size
15-20cm
Life Span
Up to 15 years
Diet
Insects & Specialist Gecko Food
Temperament
Friendly
Temp
22-27C (72-80F)
HOT Spot
26-29C (78.8-84.20F)
Introduction
Buying any pet is a big decision but there are several things you may want to consider first to make sure that a Crested Gecko is the pet for you:
Are all of the people in your household happy with a gecko coming to live there?
Can you guarantee that you will have a regular supply of live insects to feed to your gecko?
Are you happy to keep live insects in your home?
Are you prepared to look after an animal that can live up to 15 years?
Is there someone that you can ask to look after your gecko if you are away?
Crested Geckos are nocturnal animals so will sleep in the day and be active at night.
Equipment Needed
Housing
Glass Terrarium
Heating
Heat-Bulb
Lighting
UV Tube (12 hours on/off cycle)
Substrate
HabiStat Coir & Moss
Water
Water via an elevated feeding platform, and Misting
Types
Crested Geckos (Correlophus ciliates) are available in a wide variety of colours/morphs, with Harlequin, Flame and Pinstripe being just a few of what is available.
Buying Crested Gecko
- Check before buying:
- The Crested Gecko is feeding well.
- The Crested Gecko is healthy.
- 5 point animal health check:
- Make sure that the animal is alert and responsive.
- The mouth should be clear of any thick mucus and should not smell bad.
- The underside of the Crested Gecko should be clean, free from sores or raw skin and have a clean vent.
- The Crested Gecko should be able climb the glass and enclosure décor without any problems.
- The Crested Gecko should be a keen feeder.
Top tips
Ensure temperatures are not allowed to get too hot as these geckos do not like too much heat.Choose a tall Terrarium for this arboreal gecko.Allow some open spaces in the Terrarium so that the gecko can jump from branch to branch.Try using an elevated feeding platform to offer Meal Replacement Powder and water.Crested Geckos prefer to drink water droplets after the tank has been sprayed.Housing
A relevant sized Terrarium is the perfect housing solution for a Crested Gecko throughout its whole life. A Glass Terrarium Measuring 45cm x 45cm x 60cm (18x18x24”) is great for a single Gecko. This should be considered a minimum, the more space the better. Females can generally be kept together without any issue provided with enough space and hiding places. Males should be housed separately.
Environment
Heating
Crested Geckos are nocturnal animals and will thrive with a suitable background temperature combined with a warmer area towards the top of the terrarium. A heat-bulb run on a Dimming Thermostat is the ideal solution for providing this heat overhead. Dimming thermostats are designed to regulate temperatures using a thermostat probe (also known as a sensor). Correct placement of the probe is critical to avoid overheating and injury to the Crested Gecko. Insert the probe through the lid of the terrarium and attach directly to a branch or similar in the top quarter of the enclosure ensuring this area has a range of 26-29C (78.8-84.20F)
Temperature and Monitoring
Providing a warmer area towards the top of the enclosure does offer a heat gradient for the Crested Gecko. The temperature should not go above 29C (84.20F) in the basking area. This leaves a cooler temperature range within the rest of the enclosure ranging between 22-26.50C (72-800F). The temperature must not be allowed to rise above 29C (84.20F) or below 18C (64.40F). Night-time temperatures should be 20-26C (68-78.80F). If night-time temperatures are dropping too low a Heat Mat can be used to provide heat as mentioned above. Make sure temperatures are checked regularly to ensure that there are no extreme fluctuations.
Lighting
In the wild, Crested Geckos are exposed to low levels of light and UV due to their primarily nocturnal nature. In captivity, a UV light should be used for a Crested Geckos health and wellbeing. We recommend using a UV tube which has been specifically designed for forest dwelling reptiles such as the Arcadia ShadeDweller. Make sure the UV light is fitted correctly and the Crested Gecko is not able to get too close.
Substrates and Decoration
Personal choice will dictate how you decorate your enclosure, but we recommend the following as a guide:
Crested Geckos can be housed on Coir with Moss added to the mix. This will retain moisture and help maintain humidity.
Wood/branches for climbing, hiding and sleeping on.
Live or artificial plant decoration will provide darker areas for the Crested Gecko to shelter.
Feeding Dish on an elevated feeding platform will be of great benefit to these arboreal geckos.
Diet and Water
Babies through to adults should be offered appropriately sized insects and a specially formulated Crested Gecko food. The gecko will be at its most active during the night, so it is best to feed your Gecko in the evening. Crested Geckos are keen fruit eaters and nectar drinkers so should be offered one of the specially formulated Crested Gecko Food once a week. A source of fresh water must always available for Crested Geckos – best provided in an arboreal feeding platform to maintain hydration. Misting the enclosure will allow the Crested Gecko to drink droplets which form.
Supplementation
Crested Geckos need additional supplementation to their diet to help them to flourish and maintain healthy and productive lives. We recommend using a calcium and multi-vitamin powder as per the product instructions.
Health & Hygiene
We recommend the following cleaning routine to keep your gecko healthy and happy:
| Water | Substrate | Enclosure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | Change old water for fresh water | Spot clean | Check vents on enclosure are not blocked and allow air to pass through freely |
| Weekly | Disinfect water bowl or dish | Agitate substrate to prevent any bacterial build up and to allow any dirty bedding to be removed | Wipe down glass and walls with a reptile safe disinfectant |
| Monthly | Take out old substrate and replace with new substrate | Wipe down inside the enclosure and disinfect décor with a reptile safe disinfectant |
Always wash your hands, surfaces and equipment with warm water and disinfectant immediately before and after handling your gecko, their food, enclosure, and any other equipment.
Additional Information
• A Crested Gecko has the ability to drop its tail if it feels threatened or under attack. • Once the Crested Gecko has dropped its tail it will never grow back unlike most other species of Geckos. • When a Crested Gecko sheds the process will begin by the gecko rubbing its face against an object to loosen the skin around its face. Once this has been achieved, the gecko will take the loose skin in its mouth and begin to eat the skin as it is shed. The gecko will normally shed its skin in one piece and eat it all. It is worth checking the gecko’s toes to ensure that all of the old skin has been shed as if any is left it will begin to constrict the blood supply to the toes and will eventually cause the gecko problems.
Crested Geckos have a prehensile tail, which allows the tail to be used for gripping on to branches as well as providing stability when moving amongst the tree canopy.
FAQs
They will grow roughly 15-20cm
It is best to feed a varied range of insects and specially formulated crested gecko diet. Variety not only helps with nutritional diversity, but offers visual, mental, and physical enrichment – but also gives far less chance of your Crested Gecko refusing certain food types.
Crested Gecko’s don’t always tolerate being handled - with the young of the species being far more skittish (jumpy). Adult Crested Geckos will often come out to an outstretched hand at the entrance of their enclosure. We don’t recommend trying to grab your Crested Gecko. This can cause injury.
Crested Geckos can live up to 15 years in captivity, if cared for correctly.
We recommend watching our demonstration video on how to sex your Crested Gecko as well as carry out a general health check. You can find this under the News and Info section on our website.
Bearded Dragon & Leopard Gecko.
01353 655 794
info@elyexotics.co.uk