Crested Gecko

About Crested Geckos

Area of origin: New Caledonia
Adult size: 15-25cm
Captive lifespan: 10+ years

Housing, heating & lighting

Enclosure

Crested Geckos are curious, active little lizards who love to climb, jump, and hunt for their food. They’re also a little shy. All these traits combined indicate that a good sized enclosure with lots of places to hide is best for them. For my crestie, Jester, I’ve opted for a 45x45x90cm arboreal enclosure with live plants, and lots of cork and tronchos branches to climb on. The plants provide him with plenty of hiding places to sleep in during the day, and give him the option to shade himself from the light. Crested Geckos like their humidity to sit between 60-80%, so glass enclosures with mesh top are best.

Heating

Cresties do well in cooler climates, so you’ll be looking to provide a heat gradient of 24-26°C at the top end of the enclosure, down to 18-20°C on the lower end. Night time drops shouldn’t go below 18°C to keep your Crested Gecko nice and comfortable.

Lighting

Crested Geckos are most active at dawn and dusk, so they don’t require high levels of UVB, however a 6% UVB bulb will be greatly appreciated. I like to use the compact bulbs in conjunction with a plant grow lamp. This gives Jester a UV zone that he can choose to use as and when he needs it. UVB allows for vitamin D3 sythesis and the proper uptake of calcium to support healthy bone growth.

Feeding & handling

Feeding

Crested Geckos should always be provided with a high quality Crested Gecko Diet. These often come in powder form and contain all of the supplementation your gecko needs. That being said, Cresties are active geckos and love their bugs- so make sure these are supplemented with a good multivitamin and calcium too. Jester likes to hunt his clean up crew, which keeps him active and fit.

Handling

Cresties can be handled well, however they can be nervous and flighty. Each handling session poses the risk of your gecko dropping their tail- not a pleasant experience! As they use their tails for balance when climbing, it’s best they keep hold of it, so if you can resist, I’d recommend keeping handling to a minimum and enjoy your gecko exhibiting natural behaviours safely within their enclosure.