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Crested Geckos are one of the easiest reptiles to own and the best for beginners. They require very little, great colors, and easy to handle.
Before you purchase your crested gecko, you need to make sure you have everything it could need.
Housing: Crested Geckos require very little when it comes to housing. You could get a critter keepers, 10 gal. tank, or even a 20 gal tank. The more crested you have, the more space they will require (*note: Keeping multiple males in once cage is not a good idea). Crested geckos like to climb so have some branches, a hide place(I use cardboard egg carton), water and a food bowl. Make sure housing has a secure entrance as to prevent the gecko from escaping. A good bedding could be paper towels, reptile carpet, and moss. Crested geckos need more climbing space then anything but for 1 adult to 2 adults can be happy in a 20 gal. tank.
Feeding: I have heard many different things when it comes to crested gecko diet but one thing stands true above all the rest, the powdered crested gecko food is the best. That alone will keep them healthy and happy for a long time. This is what I recommend to all who purchase geckos from me.
Temperature: Keep your crested geckos within 72 to 80 degrees. If you keep your house at a good temp then room temp is perfect. If you go above or below that range your crested gecko will become sick and could even die.
What to not to get: Crested geckos DO NOT need a U/V A or B light. Having one could throw off your temps and cause harm to the geckos. They DO NOT need daily misting. Too much humidity will cause health issues. They DO NOT need huge cages as babies. too large and they can get stressed out. They DO NOT need any fancy bedding. All of mine are on paper towels and they are happy. Using some bedding can be harmful to your gecko so be careful.
Handling: I have yet to see an aggressive crested gecko. Do keep in mind though that they are jumpers. If they fall from to high, it can hurt them real bad.From your head to the ground will lead to gecko death. They aren’t to fast of an animal but be sure when you are handling your gecko you have both hands available. WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER HANDLING. They do not sit still and will move around.
When you first get your gecko wait a week before you start handling your gecko. Start off with a short handling of 2 to 3 minutes the first time and 2 days later go for 5 minutes. Give them another 2 days and keep to the 5 minute handling and walk around your house some. This will get them use to the surroundings, smells, noises, and such. Give them breaks in between holding as I had in last sentences. This gives them time to calm down from the stress handling can cause at first. After a week or two of walking around the house start increasing the amount of time you handle the gecko. Crested geckos make great pets and handling will become a blast and you will get to show off your gecko pals.
Tail Loss: Since Crested Geckos can drop their tails I want to give full warning about their tail loss.DO NOT PANIC OR RUSH TO VET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They will be fine. It is part of their natural defenses. They will not die if they loose their tale and know it wont grow back either. They just won’t drop their tail for anything. You will actually have to grab it or squeeze it to have the gecko drop its tail. If you mishandle your gecko and it drops their tail DO NOT FREAK OUT. Put the gecko back in its cage and leave it alone for a week or two so the gecko can recover from the stress. After that return back to normal handling but try and be more careful. If your handling causes a gecko to drop its tail then you need to be less rough with your gecko.
Selecting a Gecko: Now you know what you need I suggest finding a reputable breeder online(NOT CRAIGSLIST), a good pet store(which be sure to check for mites) or go to a reptile fair near you to hand pick a gecko and meet the breeders. Trade shows also provides you a great opportunity to pick the breeder’s brain if you have questions. Make sure the gecko has a healthy weight to them, no sunken eyes, and look for tiny moving black specks to make sure the gecko doesn’t have mites.
Other then this the crested gecko is a very easy pet. Make sure it has food, water and keep a clean cage. They come in many different colors and patterns so find the one you want.