CRESTED GECKO CARE GUIDE
(Correlophus ciliatus) Difficulty: Easy
INTRODUCTION
Crested geckos (Correlophus ciliatus) are an arboreal species of gecko native to southern New Caledonia, a group of islands off the eastern coast of Australia. These animals are typically found on the islands of Grande Terre and Isle of Pines. Crested geckos were originally classified as extinct until a handful of specimens were spotted and collected in 1994 when a tropical storm revealed that the wild population was still alive and thriving.
Crested geckos generally measure anywhere from 6 to 9 inches long from snout to tail and weigh in 35-45 grams as adults. It takes crested geckos about 15-18 months to reach sexual maturity, with a 15–20-year lifespan.
Like many gecko species Crested geckos have a defense mechanism in which they “drop” their tail as a way to escape from perceived threats or in times of stress, this can happen at any time for any reason. However unlike most reptile species crested geckos do not regenerate their tails, don’t worry this is normal! Crested geckos are hardy, easy to care for, and tolerate humans well, making them extremely popular as pet lizards for new and seasoned keepers of all ages.
Housing
The crested gecko are semi-arboreal lizards that spend most of their lives in the low canopies, with that being said height is better than width or depth and they absolutely enjoy a variety of branches and plants on which to climb on and/or hide in.
The minimum terrarium size for a single adult crested gecko is 18”L x 18”W x 24”H. Juveniles should be kept in smaller enclosures [6qt modified shoe boxes or 12x12x18 tanks] until they reach roughly 10 grams in weight before upgrading. Upgrading too soon can cause issues like stress or leave the animal unable to find its source of food.
“Can Multiple Crested Geckos Be Housed Together In The Same Enclosure?”
Generally housing multiple crested geckos in the same terrarium is not recommended, and may result in fighting if attempted. This is especially the case for males, which will often fight to the death or cause severe injury. It’s safest not to cohabitate females either. A saying we like to go by is “Its not IF but WHEN”
Quarantining your new crested gecko
It’s best to quarantine your new reptile of any species, whether or not your pet is wild-caught or captive bred, quarantine is still important. Quarantine a place in which an animal is isolated and under sterile conditions in order to reduce the potential spread of disease, this is especially important if you have a collection with many reptiles.
Even if you don’t have other reptiles that could potentially get infected by anything the gecko might be carrying, maintaining quarantine conditions for the first 3 months or 90 days will allow you to better monitor your new pet for any concerning symptoms and treat them as soon as possible. While you can do this with the same enclosure that you plan to keep the gecko in long-term, we suggest you do this with a modified tub or additional temporary enclosure.
Some rules for successful crested gecko quarantine:
Keep the gecko in a separate room from other reptiles.
Do not use the same equipment for the new addition as for your other reptiles.
Fully disinfect the enclosure weekly.
Wear proper PPE (Washed hands and sterile gloves each time you handle the gecko)
Get the gecko checked by an experienced reptile veterinarian and treated for parasites if necessary.
Observe for symptoms of disease or illness.
A crested gecko should be completely healthy before being transferred out of quarantine to its long-term setup.
Lighting, Temperatures & Humidity
One of our favorite things about crested geckos is that they’re a more cool species in terms of heat requirements. it’s important to remember that while crested geckos ARE more heat sensitive and do fine in average room temperature settings they are still ectotherms, which means that they can’t produce their own body heat and rely on natural heat sources (i.e.: sunlight) in their environment to help them regulate their metabolism and digest food. This means they must not dip below 65f (18c) at night or be kept in temperatures above 82f (27c).
Basking area temperature (top of enclosure): 80-82°F (26-27°C)
Cool area temperature (bottom of enclosure): 70-75°F (21-24°C)
Nighttime temperature: 65-72°F (18-22°C)
“Do Crested Geckos Need UVB?”
Technically they can survive without it, but we still recommend providing appropriate UVB lighting for crested geckos. UVB plays an important role in the vitamin D metabolism of many reptiles. Vitamin D allows calcium to be absorbed from their gastrointestinal tract, strengthens the immune system, facilitates better digestion, and other benefits.
The best UVB bulbs for crested geckos housed in an 18” x 18” x 24” terrarium are:
Lights should be on for 11 hours/day during winter and 13.5 hours/day during summer to simulate seasonal changes in day length. All lights should be turned off at night. Don’t forget to replace your bulb every 6-12 months! click this link to find out how to measure UVI
“How Humid does my enclosure need to be?”
Crested geckos thrive between 60-80% humidity. This can be maintained with misting the enclosure every other to every two days. Make sure to let it dry out to around 50% or even 40% before misting again—constant moisture encourages mold and mildew growth, which can cause a number of problems for your gecko such as:
Skin Infections
Respiratory Infections
Misting is also the best way to make sure your gecko stays hydrated, as while they will drink out of a dish occasionally, they prefer to lick water droplets off the plants, wood and the enclosure walls. Don’t reduce the amount of air flow in your enclosure as an effort to increase humidity levels. Ventilation is key to helping your gecko stay healthy, and reducing air flow increases pathogen concentration and the growth of mold. It’s okay to let the enclosure dry out a bit during the day!
Substrate
Providing a layer of naturalistic substrate (“bedding”) will help maintain correct humidity levels and encourages natural behaviors like digging, also generally it just looks good. Keep in mind loose substrate can pose a risk to geckos under 15 grams so its best to keep small juveniles on paper towel until then.
Layer the substrate 2-4″ thick this will promote proper humidity retention. Substrate should be spot cleaned daily and completely replaced every 3-4 months to remove feces, urates and other contaminants. When it's time to change your crested gecko's substrate, it's a good opportunity to thoroughly clean the entire enclosure. Follow these general steps:
Place your gecko in a secure temporary container
Take out all substrate and decorations and place them in a bucket of warm water and blue dawn dish soap to soak
Use a vacuum and wipe down the enclosure to remove any remaining substrate
Apply a reptile-safe disinfectant to the floor and walls of the enclosure
Add new substrate to a secondary bucket and mix with the recommended ratio of water, substrate should not be overly wet.
Add new substrate to the enclosure
Reset the décor
Introduce your gecko back into the clean setup.
“What About Bio-Active Enclosures”
Yes, bioactive setups can work for crested geckos. A bioactive enclosure is designed to mimic a natural environment and includes live plants, beneficial microorganisms, and a self-sustaining ecosystem with the goal of providing a more enriching and stimulating environment for the animal.
For crested geckos, a bioactive setup can provide benefits such as improved mental and physical health, better humidity regulation, and a more natural and engaging habitat. However, it's important to ensure that the plants and other components of the bioactive setup are safe for crested geckos and that the enclosure is properly maintained to keep the ecosystem balanced.
While bioactive enclosures can offer many benefits for crested geckos, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider:
Initial Setup Cost: Creating a bioactive enclosure can be more expensive upfront compared to a traditional setup. You'll need to invest in live plants, substrate, cleanup crew organisms (like springtails and isopods), and possibly specialized lighting or equipment.
Complexity: Maintaining a bioactive enclosure can be more complex than a traditional setup. You'll need to monitor and manage the ecosystem, which includes ensuring the plants thrive, managing the cleanup crew population, and maintaining the overall balance of the environment.
Risk of Plant Toxicity: Some plants used in bioactive enclosures may be toxic to crested geckos if ingested. It's important to carefully research and select safe plants for the enclosure.
Potential Pest Issues: There's a possibility that unwanted pests or insects could become established in the enclosure, particularly if the cleanup crew population is not properly managed.
Ultimately, whether a bioactive enclosure is the right choice for your crested gecko depends on your preferences, level of experience, and willingness to invest time and resources into creating and maintaining a thriving ecosystem. If you're unsure, you may want to start with a traditional setup and gradually transition to a bioactive enclosure if you feel comfortable doing so. Check out this video on setting up a Bio-Active enclosure for crested geckos
Decorating the enclosure
Since the crested gecko is a tropical arboreal species designing and decorating their enclosure can be a lot of fun! We have a couple guidelines to follow as you decorate your geckos tank:
Minimum TWO horizontal ledges
A minimum of two horizontal perches will reduce the risk of Floppy Tail Syndrome which can cause some serious discomfort or physical deformity to your gecko
Hiding places
Crested geckos like dark and tight spaces, it helps them feel secure!
Branches
Preferably using real sterilized branches, grape vine or cork bark will help assist your gecko with shedding its skin properly
Here are some additional ideas to use for decorating your enclosure:
Branches
Vines
Live plants
Artificial plants/flowers
Cork bark/tubes
Coconut hide boxes
Bamboo
Moss [free from paint or dyes]
Elevated food dish platforms
Live plant options for crested geckos
Dracaena
Ficus
Peperomia
Philodendron
Pothos
Schefflera
Spider plant
Feeding
Crested geckos are omnivores, but more specifically they are primarily frugivorous [an animal that feeds on fruit.] and insectivores [an animal that feeds on insects.] therefore In the wild, they primarily eat insects and over-ripe fruit depending on the season. As pets, it’s best to feed them high-quality, specially-formulated crested gecko diet (CGD) supplemented by live insect feeders.
“How often do crested geckos need to eat?”
Generally we feed our geckos on the following rotation:
Day 1: Crested Gecko Diet [CGD] + MIst
Day 2: Gutloaded Insects [Dusted with Vitamins or Calcium]
Day 3: Misting
Repeat
What are the best crested gecko diets?
Not all commercial crested gecko foods are equal — some are higher quality than others. Here’s what we find are the most reliable:
Pangea
Repashy
Zoo Med
Leapin’ Leachies
Arcadia
These brands offer high quality formulas with a range of flavors to suit your individual gecko’s preference.
Its a common misconception that crested geckos do not require live insects in their diet due to insect proteins being already available in your CGD, this could not be further from the truth! Insects are a vital source of fresh proteins, vitamins and other essential nutrients as long as they are properly gut loaded. Its found that a vast majority of captive pet reptiles are severely lacking in essential vitamins so lets encourage whole diets! we go more into the importance of properly gut loading your insects here
Live feeder insects are an important part of a crested gecko’s diet both in the wild and in captivity. Here are some good options likely to spark your gecko’s interest:
discoids
red runner roaches
crickets
mealworms
Black soldier fly larvae
Silkworms
Feeder insects should be gutloaded for 24-48 hours prior to being offered to your gecko in order to maximize their nutritional content. For best results use the following in your insect salad (yum)
Carrots
Kale
Sweet Potatoes
Mazuri Tortoise Diet [Pellets]
You will also need a calcium supplement. We recommend Repashy Supercal NoD or Arcadia EarthPro CalciumPro Mg, lightly dusted on all feeder insects. Calcium powder and reptile vitamins should not be used together but instead rotated per feeding.
Handling
While reptiles typically do not derive the same enjoyment from petting and handling as dogs and cats, Handling a crested gecko can be a rewarding experience, but it's important to do so with care and consideration for the well-being of the gecko. Here are some tips and information on handling crested geckos:
Do not Squeeze the gecko.
Start with short handling sessions at first, then gradually make them longer.
Put the gecko back in its enclosure only when it’s calm.
Frequency of Handling:
Crested geckos are generally a docile and handleable species, but they can become stressed if handled too frequently. It's recommended to limit handling to a few times a week, especially for young or newly acquired geckos.
Gentle Approach:
When you pick up a crested gecko, do so gently and avoid sudden movements. Use a slow and deliberate approach to prevent startling or stressing the gecko. Don’t grab the gecko from above. Instead, scoop from below starting under the chin and sliding your hand/fingers under its chest. NEVER squeeze the sides they have delicate bones and organs, and excessive pressure can cause harm.
Supportive Handling:
Always support the gecko's body properly, support its entire body and all four feet.
Watch for Signs of Stress:
Pay attention to your gecko's body language. If it shows signs of stress, such as vocalizations, hissing, or attempts to flee, it's best to put it back in its enclosure.
Start with Short Sessions:
Especially if your gecko is not used to being handled, start with short handling sessions and gradually increase the duration as the gecko becomes more comfortable.
Return to Enclosure:
After a handling session, gently return the gecko to its enclosure. Allow it some time to acclimate and settle back in.
BONUS: No Car Rides
Unless medically emergent or otherwise moving with your pet, car rides are incredibly stressful on your animal.
Remember, every crested gecko is an individual, and their comfort level with handling may vary. Some geckos may be more outgoing and enjoy handling, while others may prefer to observe from the safety of their enclosure. Always respect your gecko's preferences and comfort levels.
Resources
This care sheet contains only very basic information. Although it’s a good introduction, please further your research with high-quality sources. The more you know, the better you will be able to care for your pet! Here are some more sources we recommend checking out:
Crested Geckos in Captivity by Robbie Hamper
Crested Geckos by Philippe de Vosjoli
