# Lizards > Rhacodactylus Geckos >  My first crested gecko

## Kinra

I posted earlier that I had an empty 29 gallon tank and needed something to put in it.  Reptiles65 suggested a list of various options and crested geckos were one of the options.  After doing some research during my lunch break and talking with my guys at my local reptile shop I decided that crested geckos would be prefect, I have too many snakes and needed another four legged friend.   :Smile: 

This little girl came home with me today:


Sorry it's not the greatest image, I wanted to let her settle in so I didn't take her out for a photo op.   :Razz: 

There is a possibilty that she is a he, but I was told she was big enough to sex and most probably female.  I think I'm going to get 1-2 more sometime next month, once I'm sure I'm not messing up her care too much.

Here's a picture of her setup:


I know she probably won't drink out of the water bowl, but I felt better putting it in there, and I doubt she will use the repti shelter, but the potted plants aren't really big enough for her to hide in yet.  I was told they grow quickly, so I hope they will get bigger soon.  She seems to really like the plastic plant on the back wall.  Does she have enough to climb on though?  I really don't want her to get FTS.   :Sad:

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## AkHerps

I would put in more cover in the form of Plants, egg cartons, etc...
I like my cresties to feel safe, you should have to look for them in their cagr, not be able to spot them instantly, in my opinion.

And some will sleep in shelters on the ground.

He/she is a cutie!  :Very Happy:

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## Kinra

> I would put in more cover in the form of Plants, egg cartons, etc...
> I like my cresties to feel safe, you should have to look for them in their cagr, not be able to spot them instantly, in my opinion.
> 
> And some will sleep in shelters on the ground.
> 
> He/she is a cutie!


Thanks!  :Smile: 

I was thinking about buying 2 more of the plastic plants and setting them up on the sides.  I don't want to put too many fake plants in though because the lady at the store made it sound like the live plants were going to get pretty big.  I don't want to have a bunch of fake plants hanging around because then I'll be able to convince myself I need another cage to put them which means I will need another animal to use it.   :Razz: 

It's good to know that she may use the hide.  It's going to be huge for her, but it does give her something else to climb on.  Maybe I can put it on an upside down flower pot, then it won't be on the ground.  ^_^

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## dragonmoon

Just got to a dollar store or craft store you can pick up vines cheap enough  :Smile:  they also like toilet paper/paper towel tubes they climb on them and use them as hides  :Very Happy:

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## reptile65

Congrats! Just so you know...cresties are addictive!  :Smile: 

I would definitely add some more things for her to climb on. All of the suggestions above would work fine.

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## Kinra

> Congrats! Just so you know...cresties are addictive! 
> 
> I would definitely add some more things for her to climb on. All of the suggestions above would work fine.


Thanks!  I'm already pretty sure I'm going to pick up 2 more next weekend.   :Razz: 

I'm also stopping at a craft store on the way home for more fake plants.

Being addicted to BPs and cresties isn't a bad thing.  ^__^  Cresties at least seem to a little cheaper than BPs if I decide to get into morphs, but I think 3 random colored cresties will be just fine for me.

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## reptile65

> Thanks!  I'm already pretty sure I'm going to pick up 2 more next weekend.  
> 
> I'm also stopping at a craft store on the way home for more fake plants.
> 
> Being addicted to BPs and cresties isn't a bad thing.  ^__^  Cresties at least seem to a little cheaper than BPs if I decide to get into morphs, but I think 3 random colored cresties will be just fine for me.


Just make sure you quarantine the new geckos, just as you would with ball pythons. Also, I'm not sure if you were planning on keeping them all together, but a 29 gallon tank is too small for 3 cresties.

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## Kinra

> Just make sure you quarantine the new geckos, just as you would with ball pythons. Also, I'm not sure if you were planning on keeping them all together, but a 29 gallon tank is too small for 3 cresties.


Probably a dumb question, but I plan on buying them from the same place I got this one, they are all kept in the same cage, do I really need to quarantine them?  I would have gotten at least two when I got this one, but I get paid monthly and the pay check doesn't come until next Wednesday.   :Sad: 

Also I read that a 29 gallon tank is big enough for 3, if that's not true could I keep two in that tank?  I've read that they are pretty socal at night so I feel bad leaving her all alone.

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## reptile65

> Probably a dumb question, but I plan on buying them from the same place I got this one, they are all kept in the same cage, do I really need to quarantine them?  I would have gotten at least two when I got this one, but I get paid monthly and the pay check doesn't come until next Wednesday.  
> 
> Also I read that a 29 gallon tank is big enough for 3, if that's not true could I keep two in that tank?  I've read that they are pretty socal at night so I feel bad leaving her all alone.


Hmmm... I guess in that situation you might be okay without quarantine, but I'm not sure. The general recommendation is 20 gallons per gecko. I've heard of pairs being kept happily in a 29 gallon tank, but I personally think 3 would be pushing it. Also, I would recommend only keeping females together. Males will fight each other and a male and female kept together will breed too often.

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## Kinra

> Hmmm... I guess in that situation you might be okay without quarantine, but I'm not sure. The general recommendation is 20 gallons per gecko. I've heard of pairs being kept happily in a 29 gallon tank, but I personally think 3 would be pushing it. Also, I would recommend only keeping females together. Males will fight each other and a male and female kept together will breed too often.


Thanks for all your help.   :Smile: 

I hoping to get another female, if they get too crowded I'll buy a bigger cage.  I really don't want a male just yet.  I don't think breeding cresties is something I want to do.

I added lots of fake plants to the tank when I got home today.  I like it and hope the real plants still grow pretty big.   :Smile: 



I took her out while I was adding the plants so I got a few pictures of her too.   :Very Happy:

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## reptile65

The tank looks much better now and your gecko is very cute! Great job!

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## DC Reptiles

For how small that gecko is, way to big. Go small 10 gallons is fine for even three that size. I bred cresteds for years and I did the same thing I thought bigger was better, with them its not. As far as a 29 gal for a trio when they are adults is fine, more then enough room for them. With the tank being smaller you will be able to monitor their health and eating habits easier. Just my 2 cents. congrats on your new addtion!

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## reptile65

> For how small that gecko is, way to big. Go small 10 gallons is fine for even three that size. I bred cresteds for years and I did the same thing I thought bigger was better, with them its not. As far as a 29 gal for a trio when they are adults is fine, more then enough room for them. With the tank being smaller you will be able to monitor their health and eating habits easier. Just my 2 cents. congrats on your new addtion!


I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. As long as the gecko is able to find its food, the 10 gallon should work fine. I have a 4 gram crestie in a 10 gallon tank and (s)he is doing great. Also, I can't imagine keeping 3 full grown cresteds in a 29 gallon tank. That's less than 10 gallons per gecko!

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## DC Reptiles

I had a couple trios in tanks that size and I never once had an issue. How much do your cresteds move around, they sleep all day and run around at night. I mean your only taking about a 6 inch gecko. If your wanting to display as natural I could see going larger but for breeding purposes I dont see why you would need more room? I'm not saying you should do things the way I did, just giving my imput on what worked for me and I had 100's of clutches and only lost one hatchling in 8 years. All of my geckos were more then healthy and produced very well.

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## dragonmoon

> I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. As long as the gecko is able to find its food, the 10 gallon should work fine. I have a 4 gram crestie in a 10 gallon tank and (s)he is doing great. Also, I can't imagine keeping 3 full grown cresteds in a 29 gallon tank. That's less than 10 gallons per gecko!


Its not about the gecko finding food ... they will be able to find the food in whatever size tank .....its about the gecko feeling secure same as noone on here would dream of putting a hatchling snake in a large tank its the same with cresties... A large kritter keeper would be better until the baby reaches a bit bigger size .....
and although it works out at less than 10 gallons a gecko a 29 gallon is widely acknowledged to be an acceptable size for a breeding trio (although not saying a 40 gallon wouldnt be better lol)

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_DC Reptiles_ (06-05-2011)

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