Gecko Care
Enclosures/Terrariums
RUB (really useful box)
Your enclosure can be as simple as a large plastic box as long as you are able to provide a source for UVB and enough heat and ventilation to keep the gecko happy
Personally I don't see the point in having a beautiful little gecko in one of these boxes but if your animal isn't a display animal or you are using it as a temporary enclosure for breeding or quarantine then these can be useful.
Glass Terrariums
Probably the most often used choice are the Exo Terra's These enclosures are readily available and do the job very well. They come in a range of sizes and styles but remember Crested Geckos are arboreal meaning the live in tree canopies so need a tall enclosure.
Acrylic Enclosures
We have developed our own range of Acrylic Enclosures as we have a large number of geckos in one upstairs room, They are so much lighter than the glass alternative that it makes sense to us as space is also a premium. We have made them larger than their glass counterpart, taking in a geckos arboreal needs, yet their footprint is smaller.
Keeping your Gecko
Gecko Care
First of all I am going to start by saying there are lots of points of view on gecko care and gecko keeping. Lots of this information is outdated and in the worst cases misleading. I do not profess to be any kind of an expert but I would like to think over the years I’ve been keeping geckos I have learned enough to keep them to a good standard.
Humidity
Crested Geckos are a humidity loving species that said they do need a dry out period. The suggested humidity levels are 80-90% at night drying out to around 50% during the day. We achieve this by a good spraying in the evenings but your own house conditions are what will dictate this so we believe that a good digital humidity gauge isa must until you know just how much to spray and when. Cresties will also drink droplets from the plants and sides of the enclosure but this should in no way replace a drinking bowl and fresh water should be provided at all times. Make sure it isn’t too deep as drowning is possible.
Enclosures
Everyone has an opinion on this. We at the The Gecko Cwtch are slowly building our own enclosures and changing all our geckos over to them. But there are many out there which are perfect for the job. What you want in an enclosure needs to be in balance with what your gecko needs. Crested geckos are Arboreal (living in trees) this does not mean they do not visit the ground they are often found on the ground and even under the substrate. Your enclosure therefore needs to have height and if the option is height over width then this should make the choice for you. We have made hatchling enclosures, then ones for juveniles and then the adults final home
Lighting
You may have read that Crested Geckos don’t need light! If you want a happy healthy gecko provide them with UVB lighting. We use the Shade Dweller Pro here. This will not only provide a day/night cycle but in reptiles UVB begins the process/synthesis of vitamin D3 which allows reptiles to process/absorb calcium in their system, preventing MBD Metabolic Bone Disease. When using UVB lighting please make sure you calcium powder does NOT contain D3.
Temperature
You have probably read that geckos can be kept at “room temperature” this is open to all kinds of interpretation. Hatchlings and juveniles need a temperature around 76-78° and our gecko room is set at these temperatures. Adults will tolerate lower temperatures but we suggest still keeping them around 74-78°. We allow a night time drop in temperature (as would happen in the wild) of 2-4° and also follow seasonal lighting changes. If your room temperatures are lower than these you need to supplement heating with either a Ceramic Heat Emitting bulb or a Heat mat (not as useful) and it MUST be connected to a thermostat with a limit set
Can I keep anything else with my crested gecko?
The short answer is no! Crested Geckos are perfectly happy alone and do not require company. Cohabitation should not be attempted by anyone who doesn’t have knowledge of Crested Geckos and their behaviour. Even then a second enclosure should be kept at all times in case there is any issues between the two geckos. No other animals may be kept with crested geckos.
A few words about where to place your enclosure
Where you place you gecko can directly influence its quality of life. Care should betaken to place the enclosure away from direct sun light, away from draughts and in a room which can be made SAFE from household pets. We have dogs and cats and young children. At NO time should your gecko be left alone in the room with any of them. Cats can find the heat, smells and movement in the enclosure overwhelming and their curiosity and prey drive can cause them to break in to the enclosure and kill or seriously injure your gecko. Photos of your gecko with a sleeping dog or cat can quickly turn into a disaster, superimpose the photos together if you need to see them together. Your cat or dog isn’t a bad animal for killing your gecko it’s a prey animal doing what nature intended, you can’t take away this innate response and the average person can not train it out reliably.
Bio Active
Bio Active can be your own slice of jungle, not only is it more aesthetically pleasing, it’s more natural for your gecko and provide much more enrichment from the plants smells and textures. You can buy custodians such as spring tails and woodlouse which do a great job of cleaning up dead leaves and gecko waste. Speaking as someone who struggles to keep a house plant alive I love my bioactive enclosures and all our geckos except new hatchlings have them. You will need your waterproof enclosure, a layer of drainage hydro balls, some soil, we use Eco Earth mixed with Organic potting compost, branches and sticks, safe plants, leaf litter, custodians, lighting, humidity gauge, heat and thermostat.
Non Bio Active
This is often the option taken by first time gecko owners but you need not think of it as second best, there are lots you can do to make a very attractive enclosure without the use of live plants. You will need, your waterproof enclosure, LOTS of fake plants, decorations, vines and sticks, moisture gauge, heating and lighting. To decide on substrate, some choices are paper towel, pebbles (hard to clean) or eco earth (hold moisture better).
Semi Bio Active
You will need all of the things for a non-bioactive (above) but you would need a drainage layer and custodians to clean up for you. This can work as an introduction to fully planted or whilst plants grow in. Or simply as a mix of both.
Handling
When you receive your gecko you should allow it to settle by not handling it for around two weeks. When you do handle you should make sure all pets are out of the room and all doors and windows are firmly closed. If a juvenile crested gecko gets away from you it can suddenly turn into Lewis Hamilton tearing up curtains or under sofa’s and units at lightning speed! It is always useful to have a few people around when first handling. Pick up your gecko by putting your flat palm in front of it and gently touching the base of the tail and your gecko should walk onto your hand. Place your other hand over cupping the gecko, its quite useful to have a dining room chair near to your enclosure so you can sit on something stable and if the gecko runs you can get up quickly. Hand walking is the best way to teach your gecko you aren’t a threat, you are a predator to them! Allow your gecko to walk from your cupped hand onto the back of your other hand, quickly bring the empty hand under and then in font and above the hand which has the gecko in. Being Arboreal they will generally try to get higher and higher to safety, by dropping your hands down and repeating placing the empty hand in front and above the one with the gecko in you almost provide a platform like tread mill, allowing the gecko to flee your clutches until it realizes that you actually aren’t out to hurt it and then it should settle. As soon as the gecko settles you should gently return to the enclosure thus teaching your gecko still is good.
Gecko Hand Walking
Basic Needs
Your Crested Gecko has a few basic needs and we are going to list them and then explore each in more detail:
Safe and Suitable Enclosure
Suitable Diet
Heating or Cooling options
Light and Humidity