Crested Gecko Care
The crested gecko, this species is a hardy and fairly easy gecko species to care for. However no matter how easy the crested gecko care is, it is still important to know how to care for your crested gecko when you first get one. In this crested gecko care guide we will be going over everything you need to know on how to care for a crested gecko. This includes the enclosure, heating & lighting, humidity and diet for your crested gecko.
THE ENCLOSURE
When it comes to the enclosure for your crested gecko it will be dependent on the size and age of your gecko. Personally we split our crested gecko enclosure into three sizes. the baby enclosure, the juvenile enclosure and then lastly the adult enclosure.
Baby Enclosure
[Our Premium Gecko Kit Enclosure]
When it comes to babies we classify this size at 0-6 months old and under 10 grams of weight. For this size of crested gecko we always recommend a small set up where the gecko can feel comfortable and secure in its enclosure. Keeping this in mind we find a standard 6qt shoe box bin works great with new crested geckos. They are fantastic at keeping humidity and making your gecko feel safe. However we know not everyone likes to use tubs for their geckos. A couple of other great options are our gecko kits. We carry both a tub version and then an 8*8*12 set up that you see pictured above.
Juvenile Enclosure
[12*12*18 Bioactve Enclosure]
For this size of crested gecko, we classify juveniles as 1-2 years old or 10g-20g in weight. After your crested gecko gets over 10 grams in weight it is time to upgrade its enclosure. For this new size we recommend a 12 *12*18 for your new crested gecko enclosure. While this used to be the minimum recommended size for adult crested geckos, we feel that amount of space is not sufficient enough. While great for a gecko around the size stated above, we feel that it is not enough space as a permanent enclosure for an adult crested gecko.
Adult Crested Gecko
[18*18*24 Enclosure]
Finally we get to an adult crested gecko, for this we classify an adult crested gecko as 2+ years old or 20+ Grams in weight. For this size of crested gecko we recommend an 18*18*24 or 29 gallon enclosure as a minimum size. This size will be large enough for an adult crested gecko to spend its life in. However even though this is the minimum size it does not mean you have to stick to it. larger can be better when we talk about established adult geckos. The 2x2x2 zen habitat enclosure would be a great cage size for those wanting to go above the standard for their crested gecko!
[2*2*2 Zen Habitat Enclosure]
https://www.zenhabitats.com/?aff=27
HEATING & LIGHTING
Next up, lets talk about the heating and lighting requirements for your crested gecko. This can be very easy depending on your home temperature. Crested geckos require an ambient temp of 70-79 degrees during the day and 70-60 degrees during the night. If your home is around the temperature stated above there is no need to add supplemental heat for your gecko. If your house is on the cool end then there are a few different options you can go with. Personally we find that a standard basking bulb or heat matt [requires to be plugged into a thermostat] are some great options. The wattage you will need for the basking bulb is dependent on how cold your temps are and the size of enclosure you are working with. Heat matts or heat tape are great since with needing a thermostat you can set the exact temperature you will want for your crested gecko.
[EX. of heat tape with thermostat]
Lighting
Now that we know the heating, lets get into the lighting portion of this section. When it comes to lighting there is debate on weather a crested gecko requires uvb lighting. While your crested gecko can live without uvb, they can benefit by providing it and you will even find your crested gecko basking in the uvb when it is on. However if you decide to not use uvb, you will need some sort of lighting option to have your gecko understand the day/night cycle. this can be done by giving an led or regular light that gives off uva rays [visible light] or just making sure that the light in the room the gecko is in stays on during the day.
[CAUTION] While you would think putting your enclosure next to a window would be good for this ,IT IS NOT. If a glass enclosure is left in direct light, that said light will magnify heat inside the enclosure and make it far to hot for your gecko to tolerate.
[EX. of uvb lighting]
HUMIDITY
The humidity in your crested geckos enclosure is vital for your geckos health. Crested geckos need an ambient humidity of 60%-80%. The humidity for your crested gecko should not be stagnated to one level, but should be in a gradient curve. An example of this is misting the enclosure in the morning, spiking the humidity and then having it slowly drop through out the day, then misting again at night to start that process over again. If you are having trouble keeping humidity up in your enclosure here are a few tips that can help. We find keeping a large shallow bowl of water can keep humidity up, just make sure it is not deep enough to risk your gecko drowning. Another great way is covering some of the top ventilation that most front opening enclosures and aquariums use. This will help the humidity not leave immediately from that top screen. Automatic misters are another great option to keep enclosure misted and humid while you are away.
We DO NOT recommend using foggers or humidifiers of any kind in your geckos enclosure. prolonged exposure to this fog can lead to raspatory issues for your crested gecko.
[EX. of automatic mister "Mist King"]
DIET
Now we are at the final crested gecko care topic, the diet you need for your crested gecko to live a happy and healthy life. For this there is no better way then providing a crested gecko complete diet. This is a dehydrated food supplement specifically designed for crested geckos. Some great brands we recommend are Pangea and Rapashy, 2 company's that have been leading the way for crested gecko diets. While most people [even myself in the earlier days] will say you only have to feed your gecko crested gecko food. We have personally found that giving a variety diet of this food & live insects will greatly benefit your gecko. Some great options for insects to feed your gecko are crickets & roaches. We'll be working on a full insect feeder guide in the future to give all the information you need on the nutrition each feeder insect gives your reptile.
[EX. of crested gecko diet]
CONCLUSION
In conclusion the crested gecko is a hardy gecko species that we find to be great for beginner keepers looking into getting reptiles as pets. From first time keepers to the advance reptile keeper, everyone can have a great experience keeping crested geckos. For more information check out our YouTube video we made on caring for crested gecko.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=4MylpU9uEyk
