DragonCrest Reptiles

Crested Gecko Care Sheet

Crested Geckos, if kept properly, are among the simplest pet lizards to raise in the reptile hobby today.  

HOUSING:

Crested Geckos can be kept happy and healthy with some basic requirements.   They should be kept between the temperatures of 70-78 degrees.  They do NOT require basking lights, and, because they are completely nocturnal, do not require any additional artificial lighting.  If kept at temperatures lower than 70 or higher than 80 degrees for extended periods, they can easily stress and death can result.  Generally, average household temperatures are OK for Cresteds. 

I keep hatchlings and juveniles in Kritter Keeper type plastic housing or plastic shoe boxes.  Using plain paper towels for substrate will allow you to monitor feeding, since baby Crested Geckos eat such small amounts it is easier to look for waste using paper towels, not to mention ease of cleaning and it is cost effective.   Small Kritter Keepers and plastic shoe boxes can be used for hatchlings up to 3-5 months of age.  It is a good idea to keep smaller geckos in smaller enclosures to ensure they find their food easily and to monitor their health. I increase enclosure size as the gecko grows, to larger Kritter Keepers and Sterilite tubs, until they reach sub-adult size at around 30-32 grams.  Then they are moved to 58 quart or larger Sterilite bins or equivalent sized enclosures.  Some recommended sized enclosures for adults include 20 gallon high for one or two adults, 20 gallon LONG placed on its side for one to two adults, and 18x18x18 Exo Terra cages for up to two adults.  

Babies should be kept separately after they reach about 8-10 grams.  Males will fight each other and sometimes squabbles among geckos kept together result in lacerations and lost tails, which do NOT grow back in Crested Geckos.  If geckos are to be housed together, it is best to wait until they are able to be visually sexed, then only place females together.  Only geckos of equal size should be placed together to help prevent bullying. Females will still sometimes fight but mostly they will live together relatively peacefully.   It is safest to house geckos individually.  

Crested Geckos are arboreal, and should be provided with branches and vines to climb.  I use plastic vines and treated wood branches, found in pet stores and in department stores.  They should also have access to hiding areas, for retreats and to sleep in during the day.  I use either decorative hides sold in pet stores or plain old toilet paper tubes or vines.  They seem to enjoy very low-lying hides the most, such as bunched up vines in a corner.  Always wash and rinse the cage furnishings thoroughly when they become soiled to prevent illness.

HUMIDITY:

Crested Geckos need humidity to help facilitate shedding and to prevent shedding issues.  I keep water bowls in all of my gecko's enclosures, but they must be monitored carefully every day to ensure that it is free of feces or any insects that may find their way into the bowls.  Many breeders do not use water bowls, but will lightly mist the cages once or twice a day.  I use both for the most part. It is recommended that you mist the cages lightly at least once per day (I do this in the evenings before the geckos wake up) to provide drinking water and to raise the humidity.  Here in Kentucky, the weather is generally more humid in the summer, but in the winter I often mist twice per day when the humidity is less.  The cages should be allowed to completely dry out between mistings, to prevent mold and other issues.   Since geckos will drink water droplets from all surfaces, it is important to routinely clean the enclosures and furnishings to keep gecko waste from contaminating the misted surfaces.  

FEEDING:

One of the best innovations, in my opinion, in the lizard keeping hobby is the development of the Crested Gecko Meal Replacement Powder by Allen Repashy.  Crested Gecko Diet MRP, or CGD, can be purchased in some pet stores marketed as T-Rex Crested Gecko Diet (Sand Fire Super Foods) or online in bulk.  The bulk version is the same as the T-Rex version but it can also come in several different flavored nectar that you can mix with the food base if you desire. 

The CGD is a complete diet, which eliminates the need to feed insects or the guesswork of trying to balance nutrition from various "traditional" gecko foods such as baby food and home made "smoothies".  While some breeders do still give their geckos baby food or a smoothie as a treat, it is only very occasional, maybe once a month or less.  CGD was designed to provide the Crested Gecko with all the nutrition it will need from a hatchling to a breeding adult. 

My guarantee is only valid if you feed your gecko the Repashy Crested Gecko Diet.   

You can find an online CGD distributor through the Repashy website: Repashy.com

Simply follow the directions on the label for feeding.  I feed my animals every other day, leaving the dishes overnight.  The mixture as directed, will be a bit runny at first, but will thicken up after a few hours.  Some of my geckos like the runnier food while others like the thicker version, that's why I keep it in the cages until the next feeding.  Always monitor the food dish and remove it if mold appears, which can be a sign of too-high relative humidity.   A baby gecko will eat only very small amounts, so I usually offer about 1/4 teaspoon per animal per feeding.  I offer about 3/4 teaspoon to each adult gecko. If the gecko "cleans its plate", then you can offer more food the next day instead of waiting every other day.  Let the gecko tell you its food needs!

You may also offer crickets or feeder roaches to your geckos occasionally.  My geckos get gutloaded, dusted insects once a week to every two weeks, in between CGD feedings.  I gutload the insects with collard greens and the Repashy Insect Gutload ILF for one day prior to feeding, and dust with either the Repashy Calcium Plus ICB or sometimes with a bit of powdered CGD.   Remember, if you feed CGD exclusively, there is no need to feed insects as it is a complete diet.   I like to give them insects occasionally to either boost a bit of calcium to breeding females or as a treat.

Questions?

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at:

heatherk@dragoncrestreptiles.com