Care Sheet for Geckos: CrestedAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.32 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 11/24/2006 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Geckos: Crested |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Syrus |
Years Experience: | 1 to 2 Years |
Species: | Crested Gecko |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | gargoyle gecko |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Males will usually develop a bulge near the base of their tail at about 6-7 months of age. Females are often larger then males. Both females and males have white spurs near the base of the tail, these are not a reliable way to tell the sex at a young age. |
Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | To keep from impaction, a large substrate is preferred. I bought pet quality astro-turf that is softer then the average astro-turf and it works wonders |
Lighting and UVB: | No lights are needed if temps are kept to the correct level, some people claim that UVB lights cause their geckos to be more active, but these are not proven at this time |
Temperatures and Humidity: | A daytime temp of 75-78 and a night time temp of 72-74 is preferred during most of the year. Temps that exceed 82 degrees are dangerous, though they can tolerate temps dipping into the mid 60’s for short periods of time. Humidity should be kept to around 70%, misting about 3 times a day should do the trick in most places. Never mist to the point that the cage cant become dry within 2 hours |
Heating and Equipment: | Although this is some of a debate topic, I use normal heat lamps on top of the cage. Because I live in a cold area I need to use them, but in warmer areas no heat is required at all. Lots of foliage is required during the day for places for them to hide, without hides they become stressed easily.Although a water dish is not needed, it is good in case of a emergency and to help keep the humidity up. Crested geckos often lick the water off of leaves after misting. |
Caging Provided: | A single adult gecko does well in a 20 gal tank, you should had 5 gal to every extra adult gecko. A tall tank is preferred because they are arboreal. I currently have 2 adult geckos in a 35 gal tank, and they have thrived |
Diet: | Omnivorous |
Description of Diet: | These guys eat fruits, nectar’s, and bugs. Their are complete diets you can buy and crickets are suggested for extra protein, though they can live fine on just the complete diet. Some people feed them baby food, but their is not enough nutrition and alot of sugars in them so they aren’t suggested on their own. Your gecko will most likely look like its starving because food can look untouched and feed never be seen. These geckos eat late and night and often little bits at a time. Be sure to watch their weight if you suspect they are not eating. Just continue to feed them in the same spot every night so they will know where to find it. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | I feed my geckos CGD(crested gecko diet) about once a day to once every other day. The diet can be found at most petcos, and probably petsmarts. I give them crickets about once every 2 weeks, after gut loading them. |
Maintenance: | Pooped and the water dish(optional) should be cleaned about about once a week. The tank should be fully disassembled about once a month to scrub fake plants and clean off the glass. |
Some Words on this Species: | 2 adult males can be kept together as long as their is no female in the tank and they have never been exposed to a female. If you have a adult male and female, make sure to keep a nesting box in their tank in case the female gets pregnant. The nesting box should be about 2-4 inches deep and be able to fit the gecko(head to tail) in the box, and filled with peat moss that is kept moist. If you have live plants and no nesting box, females will often lay eggs in the potting soil. If no dirt is in the cage at all(plants or a nesting box) females might become impacted, and surgery required. Any eggs found should be removed to a perlite/vermiculite/peat moss mix that varies from person to person. I use a 50/50 peat moss and perlite mix that seems to work. Moisten the mix so when you squeeze it water droplets(only droplets) fall between your fingers. Mark the eggs before moving them so you know which side is up at all times, if they are turned to much they will die. Place the egg and mixture in a sealed Tupperware container and bury the eggs to only the top half of the eggs are visible. these should be incubated anywhere from 72-78 degrees. They often do fine on a shelf at room temp. Anywhere from 55 to 100 days(depending on temp) they will hatch. Hatchings should be kept in a smaller separate tank with paper towels as a substrate. Avoid unnecessary handling, they will shed within 12 hours after hatching and wont eat until then. They should eat pinhead crickets and CGD. |
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