Picked up 3 cresteds and have a ?

[jfreels]

Yesterday I was picking up a few things and was offered a good deal on three cresteds. With the wife's approval, I got them and set them up at home. I put them in a ventilated tub with some fake plants for a while and researched what exactly I needed to put together for them.

All three have been together for quite some time. Two of them for a year and a younger one, but couldn't say exactly how old any of them are.

I first separated the smaller one. It's probably half the size of the others, and even not knowing yet exactly what these guys need, I knew he had to be separated.

Pangea is where I went to get a care sheet. Reading their care sheet, it stated that Ecco-Earth would be a fine bedding. I just happened to have some, so I replaced the paper towel with the ecco-earth and one of them started digging and then climbing around so I thought all was good.

Later, I go check on the little on who is in his own tub and his entire mouth is full of ecco-earth. PACKED FULL. WTH!

I took him out, cleaned him up and put him back into the tub. This morning when I checked on him, his mouth was packed full again.

I tossed the bedding and replaced it with paper towel. Any ideas why he'd do that? Also, should I remove the ecco-earth from the tank with the other two in it? I'm planning on doing the sticky tutorial to build them their own tubs. I figured that the two big ones have been together for this long, another week won't hurt them. They both appear to be male to me, which I have read is bad and I'll be sure to alleviate that issue soon.

Pics to come tonight.

[Elise.m]

Maybe he saw something moving and thought it was a prey item? I've not read anything like this before, but I've only read heavily about CG for about 2 months.

Typically people will recommend to use paper towels for the first week just to make sure the gecko is going to the bathroom. After that you can use whatever fits them and what you like.

Personally, if two are male and one is female, I would separate all of them until you're ready to dig through the substrate for eggs. I've heard that males that are raised together can do fine living together, but I would assume once a female is introduced things will change.

[jfreels]

If he was looking for or thought something was food, then he's not too bright! I'm saying his mouth was PACKED with substrate. Not just a small layer.

I have no plans on breeding them, in fact, I'd venture a guess one or two will be re-homed. I just couldn't pass up the good deal and I've wanted them ever since I got leopard geckos.

They will all be separated, so no one should worry about that. I just figure since the two big ones have grown up together, there is no immediate need to separate them right now. Though maybe a stressful move could trigger them to fight. I sure hope not. I'll get that sorted out soon.




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[Elise.m]

I think Emily would know more about why he would do that. I've read some threads where the gecko would be eating live prey and they would get a mouth full of substrate as well... But that's when they actually had live prey in the enclosure, lol. I tried to search for it, but couldn't find anything.

Enjoy your new additions! They're alot of fun

[Stacykins]

While eco earth looks better and holds humidity better, I personally use just paper towels for substrate. In the winter I need to mist twice a day to keep a proper humidity cycle, but that is because the air is so dry. With paper towels in the summer, I just mist once in the evening.

There is a very easy way to avoid substrate ingestion with live prey around if you keep the eco earth. Just put the calcium/vitamin dusted crickets or roaches in a glass tumbler that is high enough so they can't crawl or hop out. Cresties, with their awesome sticky toes, can climb in, help themselves, and climb out. However, I feed 100% Crested Gecko Diet.

Good luck! They are addicting little guys (aren't all reptiles?)!

[jfreels]

Thanks for the advice. That's actually exactly what I did do. There was no live prey in his cage when this happened.

I don't care that it looks natural, I was just going with what I thought was a good substrate. I remember Pangea being the #1 place to go for rach help. I should have just read the sticky here

[The Hedgehog]

Have I told you yet you have too many animals??? I'm actually jealous as I don't have a ton of room at my place. And I want to see pics soon!

[AkHerps]

I have two young cresties and both are on a mixture of soil and eco earth, but that is because we have zero humidity here and paper towels and misting just don't cut it.

You could still use the soil for humidity, and stick paper towels over it.

I do not feed bugs since I'm using a loose substrate.

I did the Tub DIY and it is pretty easy and a lot of fun

There may have been an insect like a spider or something in your tub, or you have a Crestie that likes to eat everything. My Bearded dragon ate his paper towels and fake plants, so now he is on shelf liner and nothing he can break off and try to eat.

[jfreels]

Have I told you yet you have too many animals??? I'm actually jealous as I don't have a ton of room at my place. And I want to see pics soon!

Dude, just come over

I'll take the pics though

[mlededee]

Definitely separate the males and keep the smaller gecko separated as well. If the smaller one is eating the substrate, just use paper towels for now. It's possible it has never experienced loose substrate before and maybe is curious about it (thus licking it a lot) or maybe somehow thinks it is tasty (maybe it has a nutritional deficiency or something if it wasn't fed properly before). I have only ever put adults on loose substrate and they did lick it a little bit at first while checking out the new enclosure, but not enough to get a mouthful. There might really be no good reason for it that you can tell at all, but paper towels will be your friend for this gecko.