Crested Gecko Care Sheet

Crested Gecko Enclosure and Setup

One adult crested gecko needs a tank of 20 gallons or larger. They love to climb, so height matters more than floor space, and the lid should be screened for ventilation and to stop escapes ^[1].

• Sturdy branches at several heights, strong enough to hold the gecko's weight ^[1].
• Non-toxic live or plastic plants for cover and humidity. Skip silk plants, which don't hold humidity ^[1].
• At least two hides, one at the warm end and one at the cool end, plus a humid hide packed with damp sphagnum moss or paper towels for shedding ^[1].
• A substrate that holds moisture, such as coconut fiber, damp sphagnum moss, paper-based pellet bedding or reptile carpet ^[1].
• Never house two males together, since they are territorial and will fight, and never mix species ^[1][2].

Crested Gecko Temperature

Crested geckos overheat easily. Keep the warm end around 72 to 75°F and the cool end between 68 and 75°F, and never let them sit above 80°F for long periods ^[1].

Check both ends daily with two thermometers or a digital point-and-shoot thermometer ^[1]. In a warm room, a low-wattage bulb on top of the screen is often all the heat they need ^[1].

Crested Gecko Humidity and Water

Keep humidity at 70 to 80% and check it every day with a hygrometer ^[1]. Mist the enclosure daily; crested geckos drink droplets off leaves and also need a water dish big enough to soak in, refreshed every day ^[1].

Let the enclosure dry a little between mistings. Merck warns that cutting ventilation to hold humidity in often causes skin and respiratory disease ^[2].

Lighting and UVB

Crested geckos are nocturnal, but PetMD recommends 10 to 12 hours of UVB a day so they can make vitamin D and absorb calcium, which helps prevent metabolic bone disease ^[1]. UVB output drops as a bulb ages; Merck says UVB bulbs should generally be replaced about once a year and it is best to check output with a UVB meter ^[3]. At night, switch to darkness or a nocturnal light ^[1].

What to Feed and How Often

A complete powdered crested gecko diet, mixed with water right before feeding, is the staple ^[1]. Add gut-loaded, dusted insects as an extra: crickets and Dubia roaches are good choices ^[1]. Banded crickets are naturally resistant to the cricket virus that wiped out many house-cricket farms, and ours are virus-free and parasite-free. We use a special high-quality cricket feed and have a state-of-the-art watering system.

The size rule: insects no bigger than the widest part of your gecko's head ^[1]. Our feeding guide uses the space between the eyes; size down when unsure.

Insect schedule and sizes from our crested gecko feeding guide; PetMD's numbers are shown where they differ. Powdered diet on the other nights. Large and Jumbo crickets are too wide for most crested geckos. Ask a veterinarian who treats reptiles about your gecko.

Try the reptile feeding calculator. Mealworms from CCF are coming soon.

Gut-Loading and Dusting

• Gut-load insects 6 to 12 hours before feeding them to your gecko ^[1]. See what do crickets eat.
• Dust insects with a calcium supplement with vitamin D3 and a reptile multivitamin ^[1]. Merck says to dust with a high-calcium supplement immediately before offering insects ^[2].
• Soft fruit or fruit-based baby food is an occasional treat only ^[1].

Handling and Shedding

Handle gently and never by the tail. A crested gecko's tail can break off if handled roughly, and unlike many reptiles, it will not grow back ^[1]. Let a new gecko settle in before handling, and keep handling short while it is shedding ^[1].

Juveniles shed every 1 to 2 weeks and adults about once a month; skin turns dull or pale before a shed, and a humid hide helps ^[1].

Common Health Problems

• Metabolic bone disease (soft jaw, bent limbs, weak grip): usually a calcium, D3 or UVB problem ^[1][3].
• Overheating (lethargy, gaping): temperatures above 80°F for long periods ^[1].
• Stuck shed on toes and tail: usually low humidity or no humid hide ^[1].
• Tail loss: from rough handling; it won't grow back ^[1].

When to See a Vet

• Not eating or losing weight.
• A soft jaw, swollen or bent limbs.
• Stuck shed you can't resolve.
• Wheezing, bubbles from the nose, or diarrhea.

Book a wellness check once a year ^[1]. Find a reptile vet through the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians ^[4].