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Crested Gecko Care Sheet Crested Geckos (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) are native to Southern Grand Terre, New Caledonia and at least one small surrounding island (Isle of Pines). Crested Geckos are semi-arboreal, spending most of their time in small trees and low shrubs. Crested Geckos will also seek out refugia on the ground during the day. They generally feed upon insects and fruits as well as nectar in the wild. Housing A 20-gallon
or equivalent is recommended minimum size for a pair of adults. A 20 long stanging on its side to make it tall, also works.
Height is important. A secure lid is a must. Tank furniture can include logs, plants, hides, cork bark and rounds, and PVC
tubing. Live plants such as Ficus or Sansiverus help with humidity. Papertowel and Cocofiber are great substrates. Temperature, Heating, Lighting and Humidity Temperatures for crested geckos should be maintained between 72 and 80
degrees for most of the year. At temperatures of 85 degrees or warmer, crested geckos will become stressed, which could lead
to illness or death. Cresteds can tolerate night time temperature drops down into the mid 60's but it is not necessary to
provide this type of night time drop.A two month cooling
period is recommended to allow breeding crested geckos to rest. During this period temperatures should be kept at 65 to 70
degrees. A photo period of 12 to 14 hours of light is appropriate
for most of the year, with ten hours of light being appropriate during the cooling period. Lighting is most easily achieved
with the use of fluorescent lights placed directly on the cage top. This will facilitate both the requirements of the geckos
and any live plants within the enclosure should you choose to have them. It is unnecessary to use UVB lighting for crested
geckos. For large collections consider lighting the entire room with natural or artificial light. Crested Geckos may cease
breeding and laying eggs if they are given less than 12 hours of light. Cresties do well in moderate humidity. Moderate should
not be misconstrued for wet. 65-75% humidity is fine (allow substrate to dfry between mistings. A large water bowl and regular
mistings help to acheive this). Diet Crested geckos are omnivores. Their natural food items are fruit, insects and nectars. In captivity, many of us feed the Crested Gecko Diet or “CGD” manufactured by T-Rex (formulated by Allen Repashy) and supplement with insects that have been gutloaded and dusted with calcium. Crickets should be the staple insect and should be no larger than the space between the eyes. Gutloading the crickets prior to feeding is essential, as your crested gecko will be eating whatever it is your crickets have in them. The better the diet your crickets are receiving, the better the diet your crestie is receiving. Crickets should be fed sparingly, once a week to once every other week, and should not replace the powder diet. WaterA shallow water dish with clean water should be offered at all times. Misting should be done 1-3 times a day, or as needed. Mist all plants and the sides of the tank. Cresties will often be seen licking the water droplets from these areas. Resources: www.pangeareptile.com/forums
Supply checklist: -enclosure
-spray bottle
-CGD -substrate (papertowel) -hides (pvc tubes) -branches -food bowl
-waterbowl -fake
or real leaves or plants. |
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