Scientific name:

Rhacodactylus ciliatus

Lifespan:

As this species has only been kept in captivity since 1994 no definate lifespan has been established however it is expected that Crested Geckos will live for 15 to 20 years.

Size:

Crested Geckos can grow to a size of 8 to 10 inches.

Housing:

Crested Geckos are arboreal which means that they like to spend most of their time up high. This means that a vivariums height is more important than its length or depth. One adult Crested Gecko could happily be kept in a 45cm x 45cm x60cm (18x18x24 inches) vivarium. You could also house a pair of adults in an enclosure of this size however if you wish to keep more then 2 Crested Geckos in the same enclosure then idealy you would use a larger vivarium.

Males can not be kept together as they will fight causing injury to one another and this could result in death. Females can be kept together and a male can also be kept with females. If you do keep a male with a female/s then I would recommend you remove the male for a period of 6 months each year as males can hassle the females and mate with them regularly which is demanding and can be very stressful for the female. By seperating the male you give the female/s a chance to revive.

Personally I would recommend glass terrariums are used to house your gekcos because they retain humidity well, however some keepers may prefer to use wooden vivariums which work well and have a wider range of sizes. It is also possible to get a vivarium custom made to your requirements.

Hatchlings and younger geckos (upto 8 months old) should be kept in smaller vivariums as they can struggle to find food in larger enclosures, plastic Faunariums work well.

Substrate and decor:

I use paper towel as a substrate for my Crested Geckos as do a lot of keepers because there is little risk of impaction (which is when part of the digestive system gets blocked by a foreign object) which can happen if an alternative is used, particullarly in younger animals. If you do not wish to use paper towel then for adults Eco-Earch can be used which is a made especially for use as a substrate in reptile enclosures and is natural looking. This should not be used for young Crested Geckos because their coordination is not as good as adults and if striking for prey there is a chance they will miss and ingest some of the substrate. This risk is reduced in adults as they are better hunters.

Decor wise a rainforest setup is ideal. Plenty of plants and branches to climb on and jump between should be provided. It is likely that your Crested Geckos will hide in the plants during the day although they do spend time on the ground also so somewhere to hide at ground level should also be supplied. These can be made yourself by cutting a flower pot in half or making a hole in a plastic tub turned upside down. You can also buy reptile hides which look more natural.

Heating and lighting:

Crested Geckos require a temperature of between 72 and 80 degrees (75 to 78 being the ideal) which means that in most homes room temperature is satisfactory for them. If however the temperature rises above 80 this can cause problems for the geckos as they come from a cooler climate and may even result in death. You will need to include a thermometer in your setup so you can monitor the temperatures closely. I would recommend you use a digital thermometer as they are much more acurate.

If your home is not warm enough for this temperature range then you can use an additional heat source. A low powered heat bulb attached to a thermostat should be used. If you have a terrarium the bulb can sit on top of the tank as the top is mesh and the heat will disseminate through. If you have another type of vivarium then you should hange the bulb from the top. As the Crested Gecko is an excellent climber and jumps a lot you need to protect them from touching the bulb to prevent them from being burnt. You can buy metal mesh made for this purpose which fits perfectly around the bulb. Alternatively you can use a heat mat connected to a thermostat.

There is a debate amongst keepers as to whether UV lighting should be provided or not. UV lighting and some don't. However in the natural habitat Crested Geckos are exposed to UV light from the sun as they live high up in the sun canopies. You should seriously consider providing UV lighting and it is recommended you use a 5% UVB light which can be positioned on the top of the terrarium. If you have a different type of vivarium then you can fix this on the inside along the top. The geckos can not burn themselves on this bulb as it does not get hot enough so there is no need to worry about that. The UV light should be on for 10 to 12 hours per day.

Humidity:

Humidity levels need to be kept between 70 and 80%. This can be achieve simply by misting the enclosure once or twice a day. It is important to mist the enclosure in the evening so the geckos can drink the drops when they become active. If you need to mist the enclosure more then once per day then mist it in the morning as well.

Diet:

Crested Geckos can be fed Crested Gecko Diet (CGD), live food such as crickets and roaches and non citrus fruit such as melon, mango or banana. Citrus fruits should be avoided as these are harmful to your gecko. CGD comes in powder form and you just mix it with some water to create a thick gravy like consistancy. Leave some in a food dish in the enclosure and change it every other day as it can go mouldy. Crested Geckos do fine on CGD alone so there is no need to feed them crickets or fruit if you do not want to. If you want to give your Crested Geckos some live food then put some in the enclosure 2 or 3 times a week. This should be dusted in a calcium suppliment or else your gecko may have a calcium deficiency. If you want to supply some fruit then you should mash it up and place it in a food dish for them to eat from.

Crested Geckos drink water drops off of plants or the sides of your vivarium. Therefore it is important not only for humidity but for their water supply to mist the enclosure fully at least once a day. It is best to do this late eveing when the geckos are active or about to become active so they have the opportunity drink. You may also want to supply a shallow water dish as some Crested Geckos will learn to drink from this however many don't and they do prefer to drink drops.

Handling the Crested Gecko:

Crested Geckos can become very tame with some regular handling. To tame your gecko have some contact with him every day. To start of with just pick him up in his enclosure and then put him back down. As time goes on he will become used to this so you can then start to hold him for longer periods of time and eventually he will become tame and enjoy climbing all over you! Do not try to hold onto the gecko for long until he is used to this as this can cause them stress.

There are a few things to ensure though when handling your Crested Gecko. NEVER pull or hold its tail. There is a good chance that if you do this he will detach his tail which is a defence tactic to escape from predators. The Crested Gecko tail does not grow back unlike other geckos. Crested Geckos are fantastic jumpers and may jump off of you or out of you hands so try to handle him in a way that if they do jump they will not have a long fall to prevent them from becoming injured. ALWAYS wash your hands after handling your Crested Gecko.

Follow the above care guide and you will have a happy and healthy Crested Gecko companion from which you will get lots of enjoyment.