Crested Geckos, formerly known as Rhacodactylus ciliatus and recently re-classified as Correlophus ciliatus, are native to Southern Grand Terre, New Caledonia and at least one small surrounding island (Isle of Pines). Crested Geckos are semi-arboreal, spending most of their time in small trees and low shrubs. They will, however, seek out hiding places near the ground to sleep during the day, and if you use paper towel as a substrate, they may use that as a blanket. 

Housing

Because Crested Geckos are so versatile and hardy, they can be kept in a number of different types of enclosures. Cresteds can be maintained in simple conditions or in elaborate naturalistic vivariums. Hatchlings to four-month-old crested geckos can be housed in 10-gallon aquariums or similar plastic keepers. In some cases, young geckos housed in large cages will have trouble finding their food and will not eat well. To avoid that we recommend that geckos less than 8 grams be housed in cages no larger than a 10-gallon aquarium. You can move up to a larger "forever tank" once the animal is most established. 

Regardless of what type of cage you use, height is more desirable than length or width as crested geckos are arboreal creatures and love to climb. There are now many glass and screen cages and terrariums that are designed specifically to house reptiles. These reptile specific terrariums have many advantages over aquariums designed for fish, and should definitely be considered even though the cost is a bit higher. A 12x12x18" enclosure such as the ones put out by Exo Terra or Zoo Med are the minimum recommended size for an adult geckos. Some people choose to make enclosures out of storage tubs, or even lanterns. You can be as creative as you like, just be sure the happiness of the gecko is more important than the aesthetics. It's what matters most of all!

Temperature, Heating, and Lighting

Temperatures for crested geckos should be maintained between 72 and 80 degrees for most of the year. At temperatures of 85 degrees or warmer, crested geckos will become stressed, which could lead to illness or death. This is particularly true of juvenile geckos who can be more sensitive to heat. Cresteds can tolerate night time temperature drops down into the mid 60's but it is not necessary to provide this type of night time drop. A two month cooling period is recommended to allow breeding crested geckos time to rest. During this period temperatures should be kept at 65 to 70 degrees.

A photo period of 12 to 14 hours of light is appropriate for most of the year, with ten hours of light being appropriate during the cooling period. Lighting is most easily achieved with the use of fluorescent lights placed directly on the cage top. This will facilitate both the requirements of the geckos and any live plants within the enclosure should you choose to have them. It is unnecessary to use UVB lighting for crested geckos. For large collections consider lighting the entire room with natural or artificial light.

 Crested Geckos may cease breeding and laying eggs if they are given less than 12 hours of light. In most situations room temperature is adequate for crested geckos, as long as the temperature stays within 70 to 80 degrees. If you are attempting to breed your Crested Geckos, temps should be kept between 75 and 78 degrees. Use a good digital thermometer with a temperature probe to monitor the environment. If temps cannot be kept in this range, a nocturnal black/blue heat light can be suspended above the cage for 24 hour heat. This type of light also allows for nocturnal viewing. Crested Geckos are not disturbed by this wavelength of light so it will not interrupt their photoperiod. Ceramic infrared heaters have also been used successfully, however these do not provide any visible light, making it difficult to view the geckos when they are most active.

Humidity

Crested geckos do require moderate humidity. In most cases, this can be accomplished by misting the cage once or twice a day. A good hygrometer or thermometer/hygrometer combo meter is a valuable tool. Ideally the humidity level should not drop below 50%. Crested geckos should get several hours of higher humidity (80-100%) every day to ensure that they shed properly. Misting heavily once or twice a day will achieve the required higher humidity levels. It is very important to allow the cage to dry to normal humidity levels in between mistings. If the cage is wet and humid all of the time, problems with shedding and bacterial infections can arise.

Diet and Feeding

Crested geckos can be fed a number of different ways. In this section I will outline the different methods of feeding them in captivity.

1. CRESTED GECKO DIET ONLY: The easiest and most convenient method of feeding Crested Geckos is to use the powdered CRESTED GECKO DIET. We prefer Pangea for our geckos. These diets have been formulated to contain all of the essential fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins that cresties need. Crested geckos can be maintained on this diet alone however for optimum condition and health we recommend also feeding dusted and gut loaded insects once or twice per week.

2. CRESTED GECKO DIET & INSECTS: Crested Geckos can be fed the Powdered Crested Gecko Foods along with crickets or other insects. Offer Pangea Fruit Mix Complete Diet 3-4 times per week and insects 2-3 times per week.

Feeding Insects: We recommend using dubia roaches as insect feeders. We have found them to be not only nutritionally superior to crickets, but also much easier to maintain at home. Before you give your gecko a roach, ensure that it is no larger than the distance from the gecko's nose to its eye. Choking is a possibility with insects that are too large, as geckos do not chew their food.  All feeder insects should be dusted with a good calcium and vitamin d3 powder such as Zoo Med Calcium With D3. Insects should also be fed a high quality "gut load" diet for at least 24 hours prior to being offered to your geckos. Gut Loading enhances the nutritional value of the insects substantially. We give our feeders carrots, leftover dried Pangea, and household compost. Refrain from giving your feeders animal protiens, as this can cause kidney problems.  

Water

Crested geckos typically drink water droplets from the sides of their enclosure and from any plants or cage accessories. Some people insist that they will not drink from a dish, however, we have seen all of our geckos drinking from dishes and each gecko we keep has a water dish available at all times. This is one of the reasons it is important to mist your geckos daily. It is also recommended that a small dish of clean water is present in the enclosure at all times. It is important to change their water often, as cresties love to use their water bowls as a toilet. 

Handling Crested Geckos

Crested Geckos are among the most handleable of all lizards. They tolerate moderate to heavy handling even when they are relatively young, however, you should not handle geckos that are less than two weeks old, or geckos that have recently been purchased or moved. There is a recommended one to two week acclimation period for newly acquired geckos which allows them to settle in and get used to their new surroundings. Once they are settled in, you can introduce your gecko to handling a little at a time. Five minutes of handling per day for the first few weeks is sufficient to allow your gecko to become used to you and to become less jumpy. Once they are comfortable with you, you can begin to handle them more. We recommend no more than 15 to 20 minutes of handling per day so as not to stress the gecko too much.

If your gecko is jumpy or flighty you can use whats called the "hand walking" method. To do this you simply hold one hand out directly in front of the gecko and allow him to hop, walk, or jump to the extended hand, then you immediately place your free hand out in front again, and so on. Young geckos and newly acquired geckos typically need to be hand walked for several sessions before you can expect them to calm down. Quarantine measures are also VERY important when receiving a new gecko into your house. For 30 days, (60 to be on the safe side) your gecko SHOULD NOT be exposed to any other animals in your home, PARTICULARLY other geckos, and you should practice diligent hand washing before, and after handling your gecko. This is to ensure that any illness, virus, or parasite your animal may have does not spread, and any illnesses your existing pets have does not spread to your new pet. 

Tail Loss

Crested Geckos can drop their tails if handled improperly, or frightened. While most cresteds are reluctant to drop their tails, some have a higher startle reflex and can even drop them due to extremely loud noises, like thunder.   Careful handling does not usually result in tail loss. Tail loss is a normal defense mechanism and is not a medical emergency. The gecko will recover quickly and does not require any special care. Crested geckos are one of the few geckos that will not regenerate a new tail.

Baby Crested Gecko Care

So your wondering how to care for baby crested geckos. Baby crested geckos are cared for the same way as adults with a few exceptions. Babies should be misted twice a day, and should not be overhandled. Always allow newly acquired baby crested geckos time to acclimate to their new cage before you begin a handling routine. The acclimation period is usually one to two weeks. Care should be taken to make sure hatchli