Crested Gecko FAQ

Crested Geckos are Ideal Pets for Beginners
Crested geckos are excellent pets for beginners due to their low maintenance requirements and affordable initial setup costs. A lot of our information here comes from many reputable crested gecko resources, such as books and online guides. However, we have found David and his team at Tikis Geckos to have great reliable information both on their site and their YouTube channel, and both have proven to be an invaluable resource for us!

While this FAQ is a great starting point, it's always important to do your own research. There are many ways to care for crested geckos and many "experts" out there. This is what has worked for us so far.

We are always happy to help and answer any questions you may have to the best of our ability. Feel free to reach out via the contact page and we will do our best to get back to you as quickly as possible.

Pre-Arrival Checklist

Babies: 8-inch Exo-Terra/ZooMed cube enclosures.

Juveniles/Adults: 12x12x18 or 18x18x18 Exo-Terra/ZooMed cube enclosures.

Substrate to hold humidity (paper towels, cypress mulch, sphagnum moss), foliage, branches, food, and water bowl.

No additional lighting or heating bulbs are required.

We have some bioactive enclosures, so we have low wattage UVB bulbs to support our live plants, but those are not heat emitting and are not necessary for your gecko.

Arrival Care

  • After taking your gecko out of its shipping box, place it in its enclosure and leave it alone for the first 24 hours to reduce stress.
  • Ensure water is available.
  • Offer food after 24 hours and handle it only once the gecko has settled in completely.

Housing

Maintain humidity levels between 50-80%. A cheap hygrometer like this one is helpful in knowing your temperature and humidity in your enclosure.

This depends on your individual setup and humidity. Typically, you should mist twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, ensuring the enclosure stays humid. This can be modified based on your individual needs. Many keepers mist in the evening then check the hygrometer in the morning- once the humidity has fallen into the 50's they will mist again- typically the following evening. So you can see why a hygrometer helps educate your misting routine.

Paper towels, cypress mulch, sphagnum moss, and coconut husk are suitable substrates that help maintain humidity levels.

You can spot clean as needed by removing waste and uneaten food. Perform a deep clean every few weeks, sanitizing all surfaces and replacing the substrate.

Basic Information and Care

We are currently feeding Repashy Mango Superblend, Repashy Classic, and Pangea Breeding Formula. Babies get offered crickets weekly; adults get offered crickets bi-monthly.

Fresh banana, mango, wax worms, phoenix worms, mealworms, Repashy Grub Pie, and Repashy Banana Creampie.

Babies and juveniles: every other day. Adults: 1-3 times a week.

Calcium with D3 dusted on insects only.

They can live 10-20 years with proper care and grow up to 8-9 inches, and weigh 45-60 grams.

Once a month, but it’s a very fast process and typically happens at night when you are sleeping. You may notice your gecko looking a little "pale" before a shed. Usually they will eat their shed, so they don't typically require and help from the keeper.

Handling and Interaction

Handle them for short sessions a few times a week based on their tolerance and personality. Every gecko is different and each have their own temperament.

We have some who love to hang with us for long periods at a time, and others who would rather be left alone.

Use gentle techniques like sliding a finger under its chin and lifting it onto your hand. Always handle over a soft surface to prevent injury from falls.

You can use a technique referred to as "treadmilling" to help your gecko settle- placing each hand in front of the other as they walk across.

Health and Maintenance

Males have visible bulges at the base of their tails, while females do not. This can be determined once the gecko reaches a few months of age.

You can check out a video by TikisGeckos here to help you learn more.

Provide calcium with D3 dusted on insects and a balanced diet of commercial gecko food to prevent deficiencies and metabolic bone disease.

Maintain temperatures between 72-78°F with a nighttime drop to around 65°F. Keep humidity levels between 50-80%.

Common issues include metabolic bone disease, respiratory infections, and parasites. Prevent these with proper diet, humidity, and regular health checks.

Troubleshooting Your Crestie

Common reasons include stress, shedding, or environmental issues. Ensure the enclosure conditions are correct and offer a variety of foods.

Geckos can change color due to mood, temperature, or shedding. Darker colors may indicate stress or discomfort.

Sometimes a gecko can get excited by a certain stimulus- food, interacting with another gecko (if housing >1 gecko together) and can change to a more vibrant color- keepers refer to this as being "fired up". This does not necessarily indicate a problem with your gecko.

Tail loss is a natural defense mechanism. Ensure the enclosure is clean to prevent infection and provide proper care. The tail will not regrow.

Ensure all environmental conditions are optimal and try offering different flavors of gecko diet. If the gecko loses weight or shows signs of illness, consult a reptile veterinarian.

Multiple Geckos and Housing

Yes, but ensure the enclosure is large enough to accommodate multiple geckos, and avoid housing different species together to prevent stress and aggression.

  • It is not recommended to house more than one male together.
  • You can safely house 2 females together, 1 male and 1 female, or even 1 male and 2 females as long as your enclosure is large enough to accommodate them and you have enough visual barriers for them to avoid each other should they want to.
  • Even though you CAN do this, does not me you SHOULD.
  • Always do your appropriate research before going this route, and make sure you have an extra enclosure close by to house them individually just in case.
  • Remember, there is always the possibility for aggressive behaviors that may require you to separate them into individual enclosures.