# Lizards > Rhacodactylus Geckos >  Crested Gecko Care.

## deeplove

I'm going to be a total nOOb on this and ask...

Care for a Crested Gecko.

My daughter wants to get one after she saw one at Petco. They had a Green Iguana there that she wanted but I said no. Those kats can grow big. And I don't have room for one. My daughter is 5 going to 6 in November. I'm going to be keeping it in a tub for a time being till I can get an Exo Terra cage or something.

I need help on keeping one. Totally new just like my Ball. She's not afraid of lizards, snakes and some. She even picks up the household roach if she wants. Eww. But as the man of the house, I have to step in and control her urge to buy any reptiles.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Help. Crested Gecko. It's no Morph or anything fancy. Just a BEAUTIFUL creature that the "daughter" wants to have.

 :Razz:

----------


## deeplove

Oh, I forgot to mention.

If the daughter would want to have a Morph or such by any chance...

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Where and who does she have to talk to?

This is all asked by a 5 year old. What a great daughter.

 :Good Job:

----------


## Laooda

his is a great care sheet...
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....ewarticle&id=6
And Emily is a great breeder!  
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/member.php?u=1182

----------


## deeplove

Thanks for the links. I'm really looking forward in getting the Cresties. Very cute bunch of guys. Anywho...

Will this rack work?

http://reptilebasics.com/Iris-Arbore...k-p-16193.html

I want to buy one Crested tonight and order the rack maybe this week coming up.

----------


## mlededee

That rack will work, but I'd recommend just starting with an appropriately sized kritter keeper for just one crested. That will be easier on your wallet, and after you have some time with your first crested you will be able to decide whether you want to add more to your collection in which case you would need more housing. That said, that the tubs in that rack are only large enough to house single adults--I house adult males, one per tub in a similar rack. One of the large exo-terras is better suited to more than one adult gecko.

----------


## deeplove

Ok. I need the criticism so I can figure this one out. I'm sure this gal, is some what older. Here's a pic.



For the time being, she's in a 10G tank. Which is...



The most important thing I forgot was the vines. Now, the humidity stays pretty high. The temps are at 72.3F high and 71.3F low. Humidity is around 80%. I have both a regular 18W CF fixture which is 6600K color and a Red Heat lamp which is about 60W.

Should I use the red heat lamp for the time being at night? I'm kinda scared that the Crested will climb to the top and burn it's toes. Cute ones by the way.

I read the care sheet but I'd like a quick personal opinion. I will get the vines and leaves tomorrow.

Oh, and it tried to climb the sides but she kept slipping. Is there something wrong with her?

I was looking at the Exo Terra but they're some what expensive. I have 2 10G tanks laying around so I thought I'd make use of them. DId I do Ok?

Oh, mlededee... One of your posts about your feeding schedule. I read it somewhere but I can't find it now. What's your routine? Should I start to feed or should I wait.

----------


## mlededee

You got her at Petco? It's not often that you find adults there, especially not females!

Your temps are fine and I would not add any heat unless it gets below 65 at night. In that case you will need to move the light off of the top of the cage as it will get too hot on the glass. You don't want it to get above about 80 degrees in the cage.

Humidity should be around 60%. Once your substrate dries out your humidity will come down some to a better level.

If she cannot climb the glass she is likely either approaching shed or she has been kept in too dry of conditions. Keeping her at the appropriate humidity levels will help to correct this problem. They do also have trouble climbing the glass sometimes when it is wet after you mist the tank.

The 10 gallon turned that way is fine for a single adult. Add some vines like you plan to and you're good to go.  :Good Job: 

You can go ahead and start offering her CGD now, but don't panic if she doesn't eat right away. Sometimes they need up to a week or so to settle in before they start eating. I don't feed insects for the first 3-5 days or so while they settle in. I feed on a schedule similar to this:

Day one: CGD
Day two: leftover CGD
Day three: no food
Day four: dusted crickets or other insects
Day five: no food
Day six: CGD
Day seven: leftover CGD
Day eight: no food
Day nine: dusted crickets or other insects
Day ten: no food

You can skip any of the insect feedings and feed CGD instead--I usually feed insects once per week or so. It's not a set thing--if they eat all of their CGD the first day then day two is the no food day, not the leftover CGD day. If I feel like making a fresh fruit mash they might get that instead of insects and some weeks I don't feed insects at all. Figure out what works for you and your gecko and go with it.  :Smile:

----------


## deeplove

I'll see if I can take a picture later on tonight with a ruler. Cute thing. Didn't let me sleep. She kept crawling under her water and food bowl and into the Repti Bark. The humidity is in the 60% - 80% so if it's about to shed, I'm sure that's a pretty good level. 

I took a couple of nice dumps also. Yay for a new home. Tonight I'll get the leaves. I wanted to get a live plant for it, but there's not that much space in the 10G. Once those leaves go in, I'm sure it will get crowded.

This house never dips below 72F so the temps stayed at a steady 74F. I might go with a Rheostat just to control the amount of light it produces and I'll keep an eye to make sure that the heat doesn't go past 75F. The light will just be for viewing.

 :Dancin' Banana: 

Oh, and yes... Petco. They had some Tokay and Skunks for $20. I was about to get a Tokay but my wife loved the Cresty. I don't know how much difference in care for a Tokay or a SKunk, but I do have another 10G laying around.

----------


## mlededee

I'd recommend saving the other 10 gallon for your next crested.  :Very Happy:

----------


## deeplove

Believe me you. Once I get used to this one, more will follow.

 :Smile: 

Question...

How active are they at night. My wife says that it dug itself into the Repti Bark under the water bowl and it's been there most of the day. It's 5:54pm now and it's still there.

SHould I worry?

Also, when I get the crickets, how much will it eat? 

Later on tonight, I'll take some pictures with the ruler to see if you guys can tell me how old it is or something.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm happy I found this plave.

 :Good Job:

----------


## mlededee

They are somewhat active at night and sleep pretty much all day. She basically found a place she felt secure to sleep and that's where she will stay until she wakes up and decides to come out and about. Most of mind start to get active around dusk but some don't until later--that's with no light other than some very dim light from a covered window. If you are using lighting in the room or on the cage this may vary.

Also, keep in mind that active for a crested could be coming out and perching on a leaf for to stare at you while you wait for it to do something. Then as soon as you leave the room you hear a thump and all kinds of action.  :Razz: 

Here is a thread that has some cresteds of different ages on a ruler for size reference: http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=26873. From what I can tell yours looks pretty close to adult size, but a ruler pic will definitely help determine that.

----------


## deeplove

She felt like taking a picture as soon as she woke up.



The new and improved Pad. Vines and leaves. I'm sure she's diggin it.

Can you see her in the bottom?

----------


## deeplove

HOTTIE ALERT!!! SEXAY!!!



That's in total darkness. Is it a she or a he? 

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## mlededee

She looks big enough that she should be showing a bulge if she is a male. Do you know how much she weighs or did you get a photo of her next to a ruler?

That pic of her first waking up is too cute!  :Aww:

----------


## aaramire

ok maybe this is a silly question but I was wondering what do you keep on the front of the 10 gallon tank( the top if it was right side up) to keep her from escaping? it is unclear to me from the pics and I think this setup is pretty nice!

----------


## deeplove

> She looks big enough that she should be showing a bulge if she is a male. Do you know how much she weighs or did you get a photo of her next to a ruler?
> 
> That pic of her first waking up is too cute!


The apple bottom jeans gives her away.

 :Wink: 

I'm sure she's a female. I do have to get a scale so I can weigh her.

I have to get her on a ruler but she's a bit shy. Every time I've tried, she hops away. I'll try tonight. If so, she's bee very active at night an sleeps during the day. Turning on the daylights, making noise and Armageddon won't wake her up. 

She loves her leaves.




> ok maybe this is a silly question but I was wondering what do you keep on the front of the 10 gallon tank( the top if it was right side up) to keep her from escaping? it is unclear to me from the pics and I think this setup is pretty nice!


The 10G is actually bottom front. So I keep the top in the back with a 10G top with screen. I don't like how the screen top looks so I placed it backwards. If I need anything, I'll just turn the tank around.

----------


## aaramire

> The apple bottom jeans gives her away.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sure she's a female. I do have to get a scale so I can weigh her.
> 
> I have to get her on a ruler but she's a bit shy. Every time I've tried, she hops away. I'll try tonight. If so, she's bee very active at night an sleeps during the day. Turning on the daylights, making noise and Armageddon won't wake her up. 
> 
> She loves her leaves.
> ...


Ahh I see! Thanks so much! I really like this setup and this seems like a great way to keep a crestie!

----------


## deeplove

Ok guys and gals. I just bought a new pad for my baby and I'll post it up later. I wanted something a bit more fancy per say. The door on the screen top is too small and it isn't as convenient per say. 

But anywho...

I bought her some live crickets and I battered them in a nice mixture of Calcium goodies. Now, can I leave the crickets in there overnight for her to eat or are they MAN EATERS?!?

She's really focused on them but I'm sure she doesn't want us around for her Chow Down.

 :Wink:

----------


## deeplove



----------


## NightLad

Looks fantastic! I have mine in a 18X18X24 Exo-Terra, with a medium Exo-Terra waterfall for a constant humidity of mid-60's to mid-70's, with a spike of 80ish after a late evening misting. Cresties love tall enclosures and vines to hide in. However, it is also important to provide some horizontal perch for them to relax on. Some people believe that sleeping upside-down on the glass can lead to the 'floppy' or 'dead' tail condition in which the muscles at the base of the tail basically stop working and their once near-prehensile tail just sort of flops back and forth like a dead limb.

You can get a Repti Hammock (made by ZooMed) in various sizes and stick it in one of the back corners behind some vines. That works well. You can see a picture of it here: Repti Hammock

Another thing to remember; don't let the temp get over 80. Most people say 82F is the highest, but I prefer 80 just to play it safe. Prolonged exposure to temps above 80-82F are _fatal_.

If you want to provide a small basking area in one of the upper corners of the enclosure I'd recommend a low wattage (25-30) ceramic heat emitter. I recommend a CHE because in my experience heating/basking lamps kill humidity.

Don't forget to clean the waterfall at least once a week, and to clean out the enclosure at least once per month. A fantastic cleaning agent you can use for this job is "_Healthy Habitat_ all-Natural Cleaner/Deodorizer". It is also a mild disinfectant, devoid of toxins and fully biodegradable. It comes in a convenient spray bottle, so you can just mist out the empty enclosure and wipe it down, then wipe it clean with a water-damp washcloth. You can also use it on the vines and whatnot. (Works great for your BP enclosure too! Some harsher cleaners, like vinegar, will damage the aquarium silicone over time.) See a picture of it here: Healthy Habitat Cleaner

One thing I would caution you to keep an eye on; that substrate you are using. Some people have reported that when lunging for crickets the cresties can get a mouth full of the bark. Depending on the size you are using it may cause issues. The professional Crested Gecko breeders I know don't use anything other than paper or simple paper towels for their animals. I see that you are going for a more 'natural look', and I am totally into that look too, but after some thought I decided that a simple layer of brown parcel paper was good enough. It is also far simpler to clean every month; just roll it up and toss it out. The brown is 'natural' enough looking for me. I put a few stones in each corner of the cage to keep it from rolling up due to humidity over time.

I hope some of my thoughts have been helpful! Again, kudos on the great setup and wonderful new pet! They can live upwards of 20+ years, so your daughter may have a best friend for a long, long time. hehe.

----------


## mlededee

Nice new set up--I really like those enclosures.

All good points to take into consideration given by NightLad. Definitely check the temps under your lamp and on the screen as it may get quite hot. You can also use coconut coir type bedding like bed-a-beast for a more natural look--this will not cause impaction if ingested and will not cut or damage their mouths if they chomp down on it.

Crickets can be left in the enclosure for 24 hours after which time they should be removed so they don't annoy or chew on any gecko toes.

----------


## deeplove

> Looks fantastic! I have mine in a 18X18X24 Exo-Terra, with a medium Exo-Terra waterfall for a constant humidity of mid-60's to mid-70's, with a spike of 80ish after a late evening misting. Cresties love tall enclosures and vines to hide in. However, it is also important to provide some horizontal perch for them to relax on. Some people believe that sleeping upside-down on the glass can lead to the 'floppy' or 'dead' tail condition in which the muscles at the base of the tail basically stop working and their once near-prehensile tail just sort of flops back and forth like a dead limb.
> 
> You can get a Repti Hammock (made by ZooMed) in various sizes and stick it in one of the back corners behind some vines. That works well. You can see a picture of it here: Repti Hammock
> 
> Another thing to remember; don't let the temp get over 80. Most people say 82F is the highest, but I prefer 80 just to play it safe. Prolonged exposure to temps above 80-82F are _fatal_.
> 
> If you want to provide a small basking area in one of the upper corners of the enclosure I'd recommend a low wattage (25-30) ceramic heat emitter. I recommend a CHE because in my experience heating/basking lamps kill humidity.
> 
> Don't forget to clean the waterfall at least once a week, and to clean out the enclosure at least once per month. A fantastic cleaning agent you can use for this job is "_Healthy Habitat_ all-Natural Cleaner/Deodorizer". It is also a mild disinfectant, devoid of toxins and fully biodegradable. It comes in a convenient spray bottle, so you can just mist out the empty enclosure and wipe it down, then wipe it clean with a water-damp washcloth. You can also use it on the vines and whatnot. (Works great for your BP enclosure too! Some harsher cleaners, like vinegar, will damage the aquarium silicone over time.) See a picture of it here: Healthy Habitat Cleaner
> ...


 :Surprised: 

Thanks for all the good info. I'll be swapping the substrate out soon. I'll look into one of those waterfall thingy. Even though my humidity stays around 60% and up. 

Yep, those Exo Terra setups are nice.




> Nice new set up--I really like those enclosures.
> 
> All good points to take into consideration given by NightLad. Definitely check the temps under your lamp and on the screen as it may get quite hot. You can also use coconut coir type bedding like bed-a-beast for a more natural look--this will not cause impaction if ingested and will not cut or damage their mouths if they chomp down on it.
> 
> Crickets can be left in the enclosure for 24 hours after which time they should be removed so they don't annoy or chew on any gecko toes.


I'll take out those crickets later on when I get home then. Oh, the red light is there but it's not on. I turned it on to see her eat. Also, I'm sure that bulb would suck out the humidity so that's why I'm not using it. If it's on, then it's temporary.

----------


## deeplove

Sorry for that.

----------


## deeplove

BIG UPDATE!!!

My baby laid EGGS!

 :Surprised: 

They look like white oval thingies. I hope they're eggs. If so, how do I care for them? This was totally unexpected! I guess she wasn't a "MISSY" when I got her. I'm worried. I wouldn't want them to die.

----------


## Kristy

Holy Cow!! I had the same thing happen to me. I had rescued/adopted a female from petco last year. She started laying eggs left and right. Well in Feb. I got 3 healthy mystery babies from those eggs that are now about 9 weeks old :Smile: 

Okay what you want to do, is mark the top with a marker as you found them. You don't want to turn them, it will kill the developing baby if they are fertile.

Then get a small container, some perilite from lowes or home depot with NO added chemicals. Mix it with water, I use two parts perilite to one part water, and squeeze out any extra moisture so it isn't dripping wet but will clump together.

Then place the eggs gently into the perilite about half way to 3/4 of the way deep, but make sure that you can at least see the mark on the egg.

Then put the lid on the container, and wait, wait wait.... since your house is kept pretty warm they should hatch at around 80 days give or take a few.

OH and open the container once a week or so to air out and add fresh air.

Now a little note. IF you have already moved the eggs without marking them. Take them into a dark room with a small flashlight. The tiny maglights, or small keychain led lights work. Shine the light through the egg, find the red veins. It should look like a cheerio, with a dot in the middle. That should be the top, mark it.

Sometimes the veins don't appear for the first couple of weeks, so if you can't find them, don't throw them out until you are positive they are bad. 

Keep us updated!!

----------

