Crested Gecko Care

Crested Gecko: Rhacodactylus ciliatus The Crested Gecko is native to New Caledonia . It is perhaps the best
pet reptile to be “discovered” in the past century. Previously thought to be extinct, numerous Crested Geckos
were found happily living on several islands off of New Caledonia as well as on the mainland in the 1980's. Since
their rediscovery their capture and import has been ended. Not only comical and beautiful, these little guys are
extremely hardy and easy to care for! They also acclimate well to regular gentle handling and some even appear
to enjoy being taken out of their cages and held.

Average Size: 7 to 9 inches (half of this being its tail)
Life Span: Over 15 years if properly cared for.

Diet: Perhaps the best part of keeping Crested Geckos is that they do not need to be fed live insects. Although I
highly recommend a varied diet. They are an omnivorous species, which in the wild eats both insects and rotting
fruits and flowers. In captivity they can be fed an excellent powdered diet by Rapashy Superfoods (sold on this
site) mixed with banana and other ingredients, I call it Gecko Slop. See recipe below**
Feeding: If feeding the baby food or powdered diet mixes solely, most keepers feed either daily or every other
day, leaving the dish in there for a second night. I prefer to alternate feedings with gut loaded crickets lightly
dusted with a mineral powder. Crickets should be no larger than the width of the geckos’ head or they can choke
and die. Feeding crickets at least once or twice a week  keeps the geckos active and allows them to use their
natural hunting instincts. Plus its fun to watch!!

DO NOT FEED WILD INSECTS OR INSECTS FOUND AROUND THE HOUSE – THEY MAY CARRY DISEASES
THAT COULD BE DEADLY TO YOUR PET OR BE COVERED IN PESTICIDES

Housing: Crested Geckos can be housed in either screen or glass/ plexi enclosures. In drier areas it is
recommended that glass/ plexi cages be used to provide adequate humidity. In areas with higher humidity screen
cages are excellent for providing adequate ventilation. Cages should be permitted to dry out entirely during the
day following a heavy night time misting. Housing should be chosen to permit this to occur, otherwise problems
with molding of the housing from too high of humidity can occur, or the animals can have retained shed due to low
humidity. For more on different types of housing for different ages and sizes see pictures below.
Size: Since the Crested Gecko is arboreal (lives in the trees) it strongly prefers a cage that is taller than it is long.
Young geckos can be kept in small (1-2 gallon) cages or kritter keepers, until they are about 10 grams. Housing
that is too large (i.e. 30 gallon tank for a hatchling) should be avoided when keeping very young geckos as they
may have trouble finding their food. A single adult gecko can be housed in a 20 gallon long aquarium set up on its
long end, or in a screen cage measuring 1 foot long X 1 foot deep X 2 feet high. Multiple males should not be
housed together as they will fight to the death. Females can be housed together, though some may have
personality differences and quarrel. If this occurs they should be permanently separated- females that take a
dislike to each other rarely get over it. Overall the females seem to enjoy each others company, often being found
curled up under leaves together. If males and females are housed together mating and egg laying is almost
guaranteed. Juveniles should be kept in like sized groups as larger ones can and will bully smaller ones,
preventing their access to food.
Substrate: Paper towels or cage liners are by far the easiest substrate to use, though not very aesthetically
pleasing. If males and females are housed together with the intent of breeding they will make finding the eggs
much simpler, however.  Reptile barks can also provide a nice substrate, though they carry the same risk of
ingestion. NEVER use pine/ cedar chips intended for small mammals as they can make your gecko very, very ill.
Habitat: Crested Geckos love their vertical space. Bamboo poles and vertically placed cork flats will make your
geckos very happy. They are also especially fond of plants, such as Pothos (which is extremely hardy), both live
and fake. The more hiding places that you give your gecko the less stressed it will be, and consequently
healthier. If you are going for a sterile, easy to clean set up egg crates make excellent, though not pretty, hiding
places and maximize surface areas for your geckos. For breeding purposes I use a very simplified set up but you  
can make an amazing vivaria to house your gecko. However I do not recommend mixing different species of
geckos in the same enclosures.  You risk your gecko being eaten, injured, or contaminated with parasites and
diseases specific to other species.
Grooming and Hygiene: Cresteds require very little actual grooming. Most important is to maintain adequate
humidity to prevent retained sheds. In the case of a retained shed the gecko can be carefully soaked in shallow
warm water, or placed in a small plastic container (with holes punched) with damp paper towels for 30 minutes
twice daily until the shed is removed. Always wash your hands before and after touching your gecko or habitat
contents to help prevent transmission of Salmonella and other infectious diseases.

Temperature: Crested Geckos prefer to be kept at room temperature (from 65- 80 degrees F). They
experience stress at temperatures over 85 or under 65 degrees.

Lighting: As a nocturnal species your Crested Gecko will likely not come out when bright lights are on. They do
need some ambient light in the room at night or they will be disoriented in total darkness. I DO NOT recommend
basking lights, moon glow, or red nocturnal lights. These lights even in low wattages get way too hot and tend to
heat the enclosure to unnatural temperatures.  This is important especially for the cooling seasons.  You need to
allow your geckos to experience natural fluxes in temp with the seasons.  As long as you do not let your home dip
below 65 or above 85 you are in the safe zone.  The best night time lighting I have found for display purposes is
mini red Christmas lights just bunched up and set on top of the cage.  It is really pretty and will not heat up the
cage.
Water: Provide a constant supply of clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water in a shallow bowl that cannot be
tipped over. Using a clean (new) spray bottle, mist your Crested Gecko  twice daily. They will eagerly lap the water
off of the surfaces in their enclosure, and the misting will provide much needed humidity.  Don’t over mist or you
will get a mold problem.
Habitat Maintenance: Change water in the bowl daily, remove feces daily.
Thoroughly clean the tank at least once a week. Use a 10% bleach solution once a month to clean and disinfect
the enclosure.

Normal Behavior and Interaction: Crested Geckos are a nocturnal species that will spend all day sleeping.
Once they get up in the evening they are amusing to watch wandering around their cage. They seem to enjoy
each others company greatly and often sleeps together during the day. At night it is not uncommon to hear  
growls, squeaks, barks and yips as they talk to each other in the same cage, and to geckos in other cages.
Cresteds are normally amenable to handling with a little bit of patience and work. Very young animals (under
three months) should be handled very little, if at all. Older juveniles and adults can be handled for as much as
they tolerate, which will vary from individual to individual; some never really settle down, while others are happy to
sit on a shoulder or desk for hours at a time. Two warnings should be heeded. First, Crested Geckos love
to jump! Animals that are not accustomed to handling should be kept close to the ground until they
have lost their desire for flight. Second, if your Crested Gecko drops its tail it will never grow back (unlike
many other species). These stumpy Cresteds suffer no long term negative effects, but never regain their
beautiful, prehensile tails. Rough handling and overly stressing your gecko should be avoided if you want your
pet to retain its caudal appendage.

Signs of a Healthy Pet: Active and alert, Healthy skin ,Clear eyes, Eats regularly, Clear nose and vent .

Common Health Issues and Red Flags:  
Mites: Although mostly uncommon in a private collection, mites are a possible complication. They will most likely
be noticed first around the eyes or the corners of the mouth as little round, black/brown creepy creatures. They
can be treated by many commercial products available at a local pet shop or by a veterinary strength solution
available from your veterinarian. Be sure to follow the directions on the product. Treatment of mites usually takes
close to a month of continuous care as eggs can hatch daily and must be taken care of' ASAP. These little bugs
have an extraordinary reproductive rate. If you have more than one infested reptile, take extra precautions not to
transfer the mites from one to another. Impaction: If you are keeping your Crested Gecko on a natural substrate
and feeding insects it will likely ingest some of the substrate at each feeding. In small quantities this will not be
overly harmful, but in large quantities your gecko may become impacted with substrate in its intestine, a condition
that is almost invariably fatal. Prompt treatment by an exotics vet may save your pets life. Calcium Deficiency -
Without adequate calcium in your Cresteds diet, aside from a slow growth rate, you will more than likely encounter
Metabolic Bone Disease. The first symptom usually noticed is uncontrolled twitching of the geckos toes or legs, a
floppy jaw, or a kinked tail. This can be a fatal disease if not treated promptly. If this problem occurs, I suggest
raising the amount of calcium in the gecko's diet immediately. Take your gecko to a good exotics vet who can
prescribe a calcium supplement. This is most common in breeding females.
Internal Parasites - A common internal parasite in Crested Gecko's is Entameoba invadens , which needs to be
diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian. If left untreated too long it can be fatal. Other internal parasites are also
possible in Crested Geckos, and can be diagnosed by your veterinarian via a stool sample. If you notice any of
these signs, please contact your exotic animal veterinarian.

Recommended Books:
**** Crested Geckos by Adam Black  ** (my personal favorite and most current publication)
***Crested Geckos by Philippe de Vosjoli
**Rhacodactylus by Philippe de Vosjoli, Frank Fast, Allen Repashy



Gecko Slop Recipe:
Blend in a blender to a runny consistancy,(a little more runny than baby food) It will solidify a little with time.
1 1/2 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons Rapashy Superfoods powder
1/2  large ripe banana or one small banana
1/2 cup Musselman's Natural Unsweetened Applesauce (no suger substitutes)
1 small pinch calcium powder( without phosphorus, Bone Aid Microstick cal powder is what I use.
I add a couple more secret ingredients but this is the basics .
Thor
Has stunning color.  We are not
sure yet what he will turn out to
be.  His Ma was bright Red and
his Pa was bright Yellow.  He
changes daily and every color
is a knock out. We can't wait
till net season.
Crested Gecko Care Sheet
Queenie
What a beautiful Olive Flame
Blusher.  She is currently
paired with Kingston and they
make beautiful babies.
Hatchling setup 0-2months
are play dough lids and the
grassy looking stuff is aquarium
grass.  It comes in a large section
and I cut into the size pieces I
need. Aquarium grass is perfect
and I cut into the size pieces I
and I cut into the size pieces I for
babies to hide in and it helps for
babies to hide in and it helps with
shedding.
Babies cage 2- 5
months old
Lola
Adult enclosures
1 male with 2-3 females
enclosures
Ripley
One of our future yellow
Dalmation breeders.  He is full
of personality and comes from
The Pangea Reptile Co.'s
Stunning Super Dal Line.  He is
one of Keeblers Kids and is
showing amazing potential
Kimberly Lucas
Crested Gecko Enthusiast