Crested Questions

[Mephibosheth1]

Greetings All!!


So, I am thinking if trying to branch out past Ball Pythons and to expand into other herp species. Fellow user Anya recently got a crested gecko, and they look pretty cool. I am currently investigating the needed equipment for one, and would like y'all's input on it.

I imagine I will need a thermometer/hygrometer Accurite combo, but based on want I've read I don't need a heat pad??

what other supplies would I need for a crested?? Plants, water bowls, humidifiers, etc?? I've read the FAQ on them, but (no offense to JLC) I like hearing from many people, not just one care sheet.

Are crickets (or Dubais) necessary?? Or will they do OK on just their Gecko food??

Finally, I have a 10-gallon aquarium that I had housed my Ball Python in for about a month; can I use that as an enclosure if I tip it vertically, or does it have to be an actual vertical tank??

Oh, and how much do they usually cost??

Thank you for your help; feel free to address any questions I should be asking that aren't listed too.

Mephi

[SnowShredder]

Cresties are normally pretty darn cheap, unless you're looking for a morph. Even a morph will run you only a couple hundred. Normal unsexed babies are about $20.
I've never used a heating pad, but my reptile room is kept at a constant 78 degrees farenheit. I do not provide a heat gradient for them (I've had around 6 total, currently only have 1) and kept them this way for several years. I've even kept them at room temp (72 degrees) with no issues.
The 10 gallon should be perfectly fine sitting normal, there is enough height, it's just that the floor space will probably not get used very often.
I always provide a water bowl but they rarely drink from it. They prefer drinking the water droplets left from spraying their cage (which I do 1-2 times daily, always before night time because that's when they become active).
They need a fairly high humidity, I'd say at least 60%. You don't want everything soggy all the time though.
I've done several different feeding methods. I'd fed strictly crickets, strictly dubia, strictly CGD, and every combo. They will be perfectly fine living off CGD, but I like to provide live prey because they love the hunt. It is not necessary though.
Provide plants, I have used fake and live. They like to be hidden and they like their cage clustered.

They're very low maintenance. Awesome little guys!

[elbee]

Cresties actually do better at lower temps and do not need a heat pad unless it gets below like 60 in your house. Room temperature 70-75 is good. I mist mine heavily at night and let the humidity drop yo around 50-60% during the day. They mostly drink from licking water droplets but offer a water bowl too. Repashy CGD is perfect and comes in several flavors. Crickets can be offered once a week or so dusted to give some extra calcium but are not needed daily. My enclosures are taller plastic tubs from The Container Store for bigger geckos. I cut out one side and replaced it with screen for ventilation and easy misting . Replace cgd every other night is the usual practice, as some like it better the second day. I haven't been into these critters a long time, but I have two females, one hatchling and 6 more eggs incubating.

[Anya]

You have a new nickname! Mephi!

Looking at CG prices at the show I went to (last month? May? June? Can't remember) in our area they went for about 20 (for a teeny tiny normal/cheap morph newborn) to 600 (For a gorgeous breeding size expensive female morph)

[BHReptiles]

I've had my crestie for about 30 hours now so I can't offer a whole lot of advice, but I thought I would let you know that I paid $40 for mine. I saw them anywhere from $30-$200 at the show yesterday

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Crested are great starter geckos.

Very easy to care for, 68-78 degrees is really ideal, if the temps are comfortable for you they will be for your gecko, they do not need for supplemental heat or light. Temps in the 80's will stress them and can lead to death.

As far as humidity goes misting twice a day is all it takes to provide proper humidity.

They can eat bugs however it is not a requirement, they do fine with only CGD (aka crested gecko diet, a powder that you mix with water), this means if you do not want to deal with bugs you do not have to. However if you do want to offer bugs crickets and dubias are a great choice (I prefer dubias since they have a better meat/shell ratio, are resilient and do not stink like crickets do). Cresties will grow faster if they eat CDG (fresh CGD provided every other day and Bugs provided at least once a week)

They do well in tanks as well as in tubs, a small critter keeper for an hatchling will work fine as a temporary solution until they are big enough to be housed in their permanent home so will a 10 gallon tank (need to be used vertically). Plants I recommend plastic so they can be cleaned. Substrate I prefer paper towel it is absorbent, holds humidity and can be easily changed when soiled.

Personally I am using tubs (much easier with multiple animals) and I found the perfect ones too that have a front opening cutting down on time when doing maintenance.



As far as housing goes 2 females can be housed together if they are the same size however when young they may compete for food, which means one can get bullied and not grow as fast as the other which is why I recommend to house animals when full grown or close to full grown.

Males should not be housed together.

You can have a male and female together however I recommend to separate them to give the female a break, and of course they should only be housed together when both optimal weight for breeding.

Here are some good sources http://www.acreptiles.com/main/index...=53&Itemid=316 , http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/c...-sheet-en.html

As far as pricing it can go from $50 to $1000, it depends on the mutation and quality of the animal, there are some very high end cresties out there..

[Mephibosheth1]

Thanks guys; tons of info here

There won't be any structural problems turning a regular 10 gallon tank on end??

[Anya]

Thanks guys; tons of info here

There won't be any structural problems turning a regular 10 gallon tank on end??

Nope. Not unless you plan on putting a weight on the top after you do...can't make any promises then.

[Mephibosheth1]

@Anya

you may have sent me some (just can't find them lol) but can you post pics of your tank for your Crestie (did he get a name yet??)

[Anya]

@Anya

you may have sent me some (just can't find them lol) but can you post pics of your tank for your Crestie (did he get a name yet??)

Here ya go:



It has plans to be a planted Viv, but right now it's just the bare basics. He loooves the fake vines.