Crested geckos are among those animals that have fought with the harsh survival conditions and have started to thrive again. They are now common pets in the USA and all over the world. Crested geckos come from New Caledonia near Australia. It is a semi-tropical island. They get their name because they have chest-like markings on their back, neck, and over their eyes.
Crested geckos are friendly and are timid by nature. They allow their owners to handle them with care and are easy to maintain. Therefore, if you are interested in reptiles, then you can think about owning a crested gecko.
It is a climber reptile with padding under its toes. Hence, you may find your geckos calling the walls of their terrarium. There is another interesting fact about crested gecko. They can drop their tails, but it does not grow back again. What they get is a small nub instead of a new tail. It is a common phenomenon in adult geckos.
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Crested Gecko – Appearance and nature
Crested geckos are nocturnal by nature. That means they may spend the day time sleeping and become active during the night. They are vertical animals and tend to climb vertically to hunt down their prey.
The crested geckos are strong survivors because they originally come from a lush tropical region. They can live a long and comparatively healthy life.
Both male and female crested geckos can be eight feet tall in adulthood, they become capable of reproducing when they are 15 to 18 months old and usually weigh around 35 grams on an average.
How long does Crested Gecko live?
Well, crested geckos are extremely long-living among the reptiles. A crested gecko can live for 15 to 20 years if you follow the crested gecko care manual properly.
In case you want to have a crested gecko as your pet, you have got the right article. Here you will find the necessary information about their housing, food, and other caring tips. Read till the end to know more.
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How to house them
A 20-gallon terrarium is enough for housing a single adult gecko. But you may need a bigger tank if you intend to have a pair of geckos. If you have bought a small baby gecko, then you need to start with a 10-gallon tank and transfer the gecko into the 20-gallon container as it starts to grow. It is better to buy a tall terrarium that your pet gets enough space to climb and jump in their captivity. A tall terrarium with a screen top is the best choice.
Please note that crested geckos, especially males, are very territorial and it is better to buy a male and female pair to avoid any problems.
The terrarium should have enough climbing space and hiding space that mimics their natural habitat. You can use branches, vines, bamboo, and cork flats to decorate the tank. Combining artificial and live plants are better to provide your gecko with a better hiding place inside the terrarium.
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The crested geckos tend to spend most of their time vertically. Therefore, you do not need to provide a lot of attention to the substrate. You can use coconut fibres, peat moss, live vines from the tropical region. But if you have hatching or baby gecko, then you need to use papers or paper towels.
Beingectotherms, the crested geckos rely on outside sources to regulate their body temperature. Hence, you need to provide them with a light source for 12 hours per day. It will help your pet to maintain their body temperature. But, you don’t need a separate UVB lamp because the crested geckos are nocturnal creatures and will spend the day sleeping and resting. A simple bulb can be enough to provide them with an idea of day and night in captivity.
Additionally, you need to maintain the humidity of the terrarium. The geckos are from the subtropical region. They need 50% to 70% humidity for a proper healthy atmosphere. Daily misting is enough to keep the terrarium moist. You can also buy a hydrometer to maintain the humidity level inside the terrarium.
Their food and drinking habit
Food and water are an essential part of the crested gecko care regimen. The biggest benefit of having them as pets is that you can feed them Ready Mix food powders. Repashy and Page powders are great for your pet. You can feed them a mixture of one part of the mixture and two parts of water for thrice in a week. But, you can also provide them with a diet of Dubai roaches (their favourite).
The geckos generally eat droplets of the water or the plants inside the tank. But you can also provide them with a shallow water bowl to help them to get water. You may get to see your gecko taking a sock inside the bowl from time to time.
Here is the necessary guidance for anyone who aims to have a crested gecko as their pet. You can follow these tips to give your proper pet care.
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