CRESTED GECKO
Whether you're bringing home a classic Harlequin or a high-end Lily White, this interactive guide contains everything you need to help your "eyelash gecko" thrive.
| 🏆 VITAL STATS & DIFFICULTY | |
|---|---|
| Experience Level: | Beginner |
| Max Size: | 8–10 Inches (Including tail) |
| Lifespan: | 15–20 Years |
🏗️ Cage Requirements & Structural Standards
Crested Geckos (Correlophus ciliatus) are arboreal (tree-dwelling) lizards native to the rainforests of New Caledonia. They require vertical space for climbing and jumping.
Minimum Enclosure Dimensions:
- Juveniles: 12" x 12" x 18" (Minimum).
- Adults (8+ inches): 18" x 18" x 36" tall is the absolute minimum standard for a fully grown adult to thrive.
Provide a dense canopy using fake vines, cork bark tubes, and live or artificial plants (like Pothos or Bromeliads). Aim to fill at least 70% of the enclosure with climbing structures and visual barriers. Front-opening enclosures are highly recommended.
NEVER house two male Crested Geckos together. They are highly territorial and will fight, leading to dropped tails or severe injury. While a male and female pair can be housed for breeding purposes by experienced keepers, keeping them solitary is always the safest option for a pet.
☀️ The UVB Standard (Beneficial & Recommended)
While Crested Geckos can survive without UVB if provided with proper dietary Vitamin D3, offering low-level UVB is highly recommended. It promotes natural behaviors, regulates their circadian rhythm, and provides a safety net against Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
Ferguson Zone Classification:
- ★ Zone 1 (Crested Geckos): Crepuscular / shade dwellers. Mid-day UVI target of 0.4 to 0.7 (Maximum 1.0).
- Zone 2: Partial shade dwellers (Occasional baskers).
- Zone 3: Open or partial sun baskers.
- Zone 4: Full sun baskers (Extreme desert species).
UVB Requirements:
- Type: T5 HO (High Output) Linear Tube.
- Strength: 2.4% to 7% (e.g., Arcadia ShadeDweller).
- Coverage: The bulb should span roughly 1/2 of the enclosure top.
📐 The "Mesh Factor" (Lighting Precision)
A standard screen top will filter out roughly 30% to 50% of UVB. With a 7% T5 bulb resting on the mesh, the closest climbing branch should be roughly 8-10 inches below the top to prevent eye damage or UV burns.
🌡️ Temperature & Humidity Gradients
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Basking Surface Temp | 82°F (Absolute Max) |
| Ambient Daytime Temp | 72°F - 78°F |
| Daytime Humidity | 50% - 60% (Dry-out period) |
| Nighttime Humidity | 80% - 100% (Spikes via heavy misting) |
| NIGHTTIME DROP | Healthy drop to 65°F - 70°F is natural. |
| CRITICAL HEAT WARNING | Temperatures over 85°F are quickly FATAL. |
Hydration Standards:
Crested geckos rarely drink from standing water bowls. They rely on licking water droplets off leaves and the enclosure glass. You MUST mist the enclosure heavily every evening to spike humidity and provide drinking water, allowing it to slowly dry out to around 50% by the next afternoon.
🥣 Nutrition: The Crested Gecko Diet
Crested Geckos are frugivores and insectivores. The vast majority of their nutritional needs should be met using a commercially prepared, complete Crested Gecko Diet (CGD).
🥣 The CGD Staple
Brands like Pangea and Repashy are complete diets formulated with the exact ratios of fruit, protein, vitamins, and calcium your gecko needs.
- Preparation: Mix the powder with water until it reaches the consistency of ketchup or a fruit smoothie.
- Serving: Offer it in a small plastic cup on an elevated feeding ledge. Arboreal geckos feel vulnerable eating on the ground.
- Schedule: Offer fresh CGD every other day. Remove uneaten food after 24 hours to prevent mold.
Supplemental Live Insects
While CGD is a complete diet, offering live insects provides excellent enrichment, exercise, and growth protein.
- Frequency: Offer live bugs 1 to 2 times a week.
- Types: Dubia roaches, crickets, or small black soldier fly larvae (BSFL).
- Supplementation: If feeding live bugs, you must dust them lightly with calcium powder before feeding.
Never feed human baby food to your crested gecko.
In the past, keepers used fruit baby food, which led to a massive epidemic of Metabolic Bone Disease. Baby food contains far too much sugar and virtually zero calcium. Stick entirely to formulated reptile diets like Pangea or Repashy.
🌿 Substrate Safety & Selection
Because Crested Geckos require daily misting and humidity spikes, the substrate must hold moisture well while resisting mold growth.
Recommended Moisture-Retaining Options:
- Paper Towels: The absolute best choice for babies under 10 grams, or for quarantining new reptiles. Very easy to clean, holds some moisture, and carries zero impaction risk.
- ABG Mix (Atlanta Botanical Garden): The gold standard for natural or bioactive setups. It drains beautifully and supports live plants.
- Coconut Coir / Eco-Earth: Holds humidity exceptionally well.
Bioactive Setups:
Highly recommended for this species. Adding a "Cleanup Crew" of tropical isopods (like Dwarf Whites) and springtails to an ABG-style substrate will break down feces and prevent mold in the damp environment.
- Feeding Risks: If using a loose substrate (like coco coir), do not feed live insects directly on the ground. A gecko lunging for a cricket can swallow a mouthful of dirt, leading to a fatal impaction. Use feeding tongs or a separate feeding bin for bugs.
- Sphagnum Moss: While great for humidity, loose strands of moss pose a severe choking and impaction hazard if accidentally ingested. If used, pack it down tightly or cover it with leaf litter.
📝 Preparation & Care Checklists
Setup Readiness Meter
Interactive Essential Setup Gear
Routine Maintenance
🎮 Interactive FAQ Flashcards
👆 Hover or tap the cards below to reveal the answers!
Will its tail grow back?
Hover to RevealNo. Unlike leopard geckos, if a crested gecko drops its tail (autotomy) due to stress or a loud noise, it is gone forever. They heal quickly and live perfectly normal lives as "frog butts."
Why is it licking its eyeballs?
Hover to RevealCrested geckos do not have eyelids! They have a clear scale over their eye called a spectacle. They use their long tongues to wipe away dust and hydrate their eyes.
How does it stick to the glass?
Hover to RevealTheir toe pads and the tips of their tails are covered in millions of microscopic hairs called setae. These create weak intermolecular bonds (van der Waals forces) that let them stick to completely smooth surfaces.
What does "Fired Up" mean?
Hover to RevealCrested geckos change color! When they are sleeping or relaxed, they are pale and muted ("Fired Down"). When active at night, stressed, or exposed to humidity, their colors become dark and incredibly vibrant ("Fired Up").
Can I hold my crested gecko?
Hover to RevealYes, they are generally very docile. However, they are "jumpy" and love to leap. Use the "hand-over-hand" treadmill method, letting them jump from one hand to the other. Never grab them by the tail!
What is Floppy Tail Syndrome (FTS)?
Hover to RevealIf a gecko sleeps upside down on the glass constantly, gravity pulls their heavy tail over their head. Over time, this warps their pelvis. Prevent FTS by providing tons of horizontal resting branches and foliage.
Why did it turn dull and grey?
Hover to RevealThey are getting ready to shed. Make sure the humidity is spiked at night. They will pull the old skin off and eat it to recycle the nutrients! You will rarely actually catch them in the act.
Why did it make a barking noise?
Hover to RevealWhile usually silent, crested geckos can chirp or bark. This is usually a defensive sound meaning "leave me alone," often heard if you startle them or if a male is trying to court a female.
