Crested Gecko Care

Tank Setup

       Regardless of the morph your crested gecko, the care requirements will be the same. One factor that will change the needs of your animal is the age of your animal. Regardless of the morph and gender of the gecko, adult crested geckos reach about 4-5 inches long excluding the tail.

       Keep baby crested geckos in a 10-gallon tall tank with a screen top. Understand that this is not large enough for an adult crested gecko, and as they get bigger a larger tank will be required. For an adult crested gecko, use a 20-gallon tall tank with a screen top. A tall tank (rather than a wide/long tank) is preferred for crested geckos of all ages, as they are arboreal, meaning they live in trees.

       Keep the heat in the tank between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit in the warm area (the top of the tank near a heat source) and between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit in the cooler area (the bottom of the tank). Make sure the tank does not exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit or drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the reasons crested geckos are so popular is that they can survive at room temperature so long the temperature does not  Keep the humidity around 80 percent and do not let it drop below 50 percent. Mist tank with a water bottle twice daily to keep up with humidity. Note that crested geckos typically will not come to the bottom of the tank to drink from a bowl (though a water bowl should be provided) and they like to lick droplets from the walls of the tank and decorations. If you have difficulty maintaining humidity in the tank, try adding a water dropper or mister to the tank. Be sure to have a heat and humidity gauge in your tank to monitor your gecko's setup. 

       Crested geckos will need a few inches of a substrate to cover the bottom of their tank. Do not use sand, as crested geckos are from tropical, jungle areas. Sand also poses a threat to the gecko should it swallow the sand while catching food. Instead, cover the bottom of the tank with reptile carpet, coconut fiber, or a peat-moss-soil based mix. Reptile carpet is simple and easy to clean. For a more natural look that will better hold in moisture, use either coconut fiber or a peat-moss-soil based mix. The last two options are harder to clean, but look more natural and will help hold moisture in the tank. 

       Crested geckos need plenty of places to hide and climb. Provide your new addition with plenty of leafy plant decor. If using live plants, be sure to only use crested gecko safe plants. Include lighting to help plants grow and to illuminate the tank. Crested geckos love to hide and climb in leafy vines, so be sure to include one or two leafy vines for your gecko to enjoy. Owners can also include artificial vines, sticks, and cork bark.

       Be sure to include an appropriate hide in your gecko's tank. One could also include a log or piece of cork bark for the reptile to utilize. Crested geckos need hides in order to help them shed their old skin, which they will then eat. It is possible that your gecko will occasionally have stuck shed, meaning it failed to completely remove some of its old skin. Typically, the stuck shed will be seen stuck on the toes, backs or sometimes heads of crested geckos. This can be gently removed with a wet cotton swab. Never ignore stuck shed, especially if it is caught around the animal's neck, toes or tail. The stuck shed can cut off circulation to body parts and can lead to the death of affected tissue. For example, stuck shed left around a gecko's toe may cut off its circulation and kill the tissue. The dead tissue will turn black and eventually fall off. If your gecko suffers from stuck shed regularly, it is likely that the humidity in the tank is too low. Low humidity makes it harder for geckos to complete a clean shed.