~Crested Gecko Care~

 Crested Gecko (Correlophus ciliatus)                                                                                                                                            

Adult Size: 5-8 inches
Life Span: 20+ years
Caging Requirements: Crested geckos are arboreal, so a vertical-style cage is best. A single adult can be housed in a 10 gallon tank, turned on it’s side, with plenty of plants and sticks for climbing. 10 gallons is a bare minimum. If you can afford to go bigger your gecko will love you for it! They have tiny hairs on their feet called setae that allow them to “stick” to slick surfaces like glass and plastic, so a secured lid is a must. Our young geckos are kept on paper towels for substrate with artificial foliage, to avoid the possibility of ingesting the substrate. Our adults are kept on fine dirt in bioactive set ups with live plants. This species does not require supplemental lighting or heating & are very sensitive to temperatures over 80 degrees. Their cage will need to be placed in a cool area to avoid overheating. Crested geckos do not require special lights (UVB/heat lamps). Some keepers offer uvb lights as they have noticed their geckos seem to enjoy basking under them. They can also help keep the day/night light cycle regular if your gecko is housed in a room that does not get much natural light. 

Diet: Our geckos are fed Pangea Fruit Mix Complete gecko diet, mixed as per instructions, and fed fresh every third night. I rotate all flavors of Pangea so they don’t get bored of one flavor. Geckos can be supplemented once or twice per week with gut-loaded, calcium dusted crickets or feeder roaches. Offer a standing water dish but also mist 1-2x a day to allow them to drink water droplets on their cage decor. This also helps with overall humidity. A dry out period each day is a must. A cage kept too humid can cause mold growth or respiratory issues.

Housing Multiple Geckos: Juvenile crested geckos (under 10 grams) can be housed together as long as adequate space, food, and shelter is provided. I personally house mine individually as it allows you to monitor food intake and waste for each gecko. Female geckos can be housed together as long as they are the same size and get along. Male geckos do not belong together, as two males will fight to the death. A male and female gecko can be housed together for the purpose of breeding but should be separated once breeding has taken place. It only takes one single breeding for a female to lay 4-8 clutches of eggs. Sometimes sperm is held for over 2 years. When a male is kept with a female constantly the female is not allowed a break. This can be very taxing on her body and calcium levels. 

Handling: Allow your new gecko time to adjust to its new environment. When your gecko is back to eating regularly it is safe to attempt to hold for short periods of time until you get to know what your gecko will tolerate. Crested geckos tolerate handling pretty well—however rough handling can cause them to become spooked and drop their tail. Unlike most other gecko species, their tails do not grow back. This does not affect the health or well-being of the gecko, as most of them lose their tails by adult hood in the wild. 

Breeding:  It is recommended that you do not attempt breeding until a female is 2 years of age and over 40 grams, and a male is over 35 grams to ensure healthy clutches & to avoid over stressing the female. Crested geckos are very prolific breeders & can breed year round if not separated. Females usually lay two eggs every thirty days during breeding season. Because of this, she will need to be supplemented with extra calcium—to make up for what she has lost during egg production. She will need a moist dirt or dirt-like substrate to bury her eggs & the eggs will need to be retrieved as soon as possible, to place into a separate container.  These geckos do not guard or care for their young, and if eggs are left to hatch in the adult enclosure, the babies will possibly be eaten. Males should be separated from females to allow a “cooling” period for the females to recover weight lost during breeding. Even when not breeding, females will lay non-fertile eggs, so dirt substrate or a “lay-box” should be available at all times to avoid egg binding.

Important!  Please do not leave your gecko in a car or in the sun or any warm place after purchase because this can kill them!  Crested geckos are very sensitive to temperatures over 80 degrees.  Your gecko is healthy at the time of purchase.  Underground Geckos will not replace any gecko or refund any money due to lack of care on your part.  Please be a responsible gecko owner. 

This is basic information that has worked for us, it is recommended to do your own research outside of this care sheet prior to purchasing a gecko. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us! We are here to help and love talking geckos!