Reviewed/updated crested gecko care guide

Angi · #1 (**permalink**) 01-06-2007, 02:00 AM

I have fully reviewed and updated my care guide as prompted by some recent constructive criticism. I have added quite a lot in an effort to make it more comprehensive and will regularly add more as I compile research results. References to be added soon.

Crested gecko care guidelines

Information and background on crested geckos
Natural habitat

Rhacodactylus ciliatus, better known as crested geckos, are found on the island of New Caledonia, which is north of Australia. Previously thought to be extinct with the last description being in 1866, a single specimen was discovered by R Seipp in 1994. They have been discovered living mainly on the southern half of the island and on the nearby Isle of Pines and Isle of Komoto.
Their natural habitat is humid lowland forest, with humidity levels ranging from 70 to 86% and average temperatures tend to range from 64C to 83C.They are generally found dwelling in trees and often hide in leaves, either on the trees or on the forest floor.

Appearance
These geckos earned their name from the distinctive crests running from the top rim of the eye down their backs. They have almost triangular shaped heads and prehensile tails. They have sticky pads on their feet and the end of the tail enabling them to climb almost any surface and manoeuvre their way around the forest.
Crested Geckos can grow to almost 10 inches, but in captivity most grow to be around 6 or 7 inches.
Body colour and pattern are quite variable and they have the ability to change colour slightly. Colours include yellow, orange, salmon, red, buckskin, chocolate, and olive. Typical patterns are often described as Harlequin, Dalmatian, fire and pinstripe.( Link to more info regarding morphs to be added soon)
Due to the short time since rediscovery, their lifespan is at present unknown but Allen Repashy has specimens that were collected in 1994 and were still alive recently, and going strong! It is estimated that their lifespan may be up to 20 years.

Temperament

Generally cresties are good natured and although often shy at first, with regular, gentle and careful handling they do appear to enjoy being handled for short periods. Care must be taken to avoid stressing these geckos, as they can drop their tails, which do not grow back. Although the lack of tail does not generally affect the gecko in any adverse way (despite a risk of infection) and many are found without tails in the wild.
They appear to thrive both alone or housed in small groups in captivity. Males should not be housed together due to a high risk of injury or even death due to fighting. Males housed together from an early age have been known to co-exist with social hierarchy, but once sexual maturity develops or females are introduced, then fighting becomes almost inevitable.
They are social creatures and one male can be housed with several females.
They can be heard communicating at night, making clicking, growling and barks.

Suitability as a pet

These hardy geckos make excellent pets for both beginner reptile keepers and the more experienced enthusiasts. Whilst you may not see a great deal of them through daylight hours, they make interesting viewing at night and their quirky habits make them a delight to observe and handle.

Feeding

Fruit

In the wild crested geckos mainly eat fruit. This has been determined by faecal analysis.
In captivity I prefer to aim for a similar diet, despite complete diets being available. Such complete diets could always be added to the fruit to boost nutritional value. The best time to feed is probably late evening as they are nocturnal. Fruit needs to be pureed or mashed as these geckos cannot masticate effectively.
Suitable fruits such as peaches, bananas, pears, apricots and apples can be pureed, or fruit baby food can be used and some geckos even enjoy figs, so offer variety to increase nutritional benefits. ( Although there are some rumours that bananas may cause constipation, I have not found any evidence to back this up as yet) Citrus fruits should be avoided. Your gecko may also eat other types of baby food including vegetables or meat. Fruit should be offered to hatchlings, juveniles and adults 3-4 times weekly. It can be served on shallow bottle tops, enabling the geckos to eat with ease, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of food per gecko. Any uneaten food should be removed before going mouldy or attracting ants which can kill crested geckos, although some people find their cresties eat the fruit after its been in the enclosure for a day rather than immediately – this may be due to the fact that in the wild they are unable to successfully masticate the fruit until it has become softened by being over ripe.
Calcium (not containing phosphorus) and vitamin D3 powder should be added to fruit twice weekly for hatchlings, juveniles and breeding females, and every other feed for adults. Multivitamins for reptiles will need adding once weekly (or follow the manufacturer’s guidelines). Vitamin D3 is required to assist absorption of calcium, although it is available as a supplement their is some evidence that it is not absorbed well when ingested. Therefore some people choose to use UV lighting to stimulate the production of vitamin D3. This is discussed in more detail further on in this guide.
Complete diets are commercially available and have specifically designed for crested geckos. The most well known being CGD, the Crested Gecko Diet, developed by Allen Repashy. This diet comes in a powder form and requires mixing with water ( 2 parts water to one part CGD). It is used by a couple of large scale crested gecko breeders in the UK with success. This diet may also be preferred by keepers who do not like live food such as crickets. Personally, I prefer to offer live food to encourage exercise/regular movement and natural hunting behaviour.
Bee pollen and spirulina can be added once weekly to increase nutritional value.

Insects

A diet including insects provides some stimulation and boosts activity levels. It also provides variety taste wise and more scope for nutrition.
Crested geckos have weak mandibles and do not chew the insects very well, so species of insects should be chosen with this in mind.
Crested geckos should be fed insects that are no larger than the space between the eyes. they eat a variety of insects including crickets, mealworms, wax worms, and small beetles. Each gecko should be offered 3 - 5 appropriate sized insects at each serving.
Hatchlings should be fed 10 - 14 day old crickets every other day. Juveniles and adults can be fed the appropriate sized insects two or three times weekly. Breeding geckos should be fed daily.
Insects should be dusted lightly with calcium and vitamin D3 powder twice weekly for hatchlings and juveniles, adults every other cricket feeding.
Insects should be gut loaded to ensure high nutritional value. Crickets can be fed on commercially available foods and a variety of vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables to increase calcium levels. The vegetables provide a source of water for the crickets. It is important to keep your crickets in clean, sanitary conditions; your gecko will reap the benefits from good quality insects. Dead crickets should be removed from the cricket tub each day.

The Crested gecko diet is being used successfully by keepers and breeders alike, it is a possible alternative when keepers do not like insects and geckos fed solely on this diet have shown no adverse effects, plus continue to breed successfully.

Captive environment

The minimum size vivarium that an adult crested gecko should be kept in is one that is 18x18x24 high (in inches). The most important requirement is height; crested geckos are primarily arboreal and spend most of their time hiding in trees or tall plants. They will generally make use of the whole enclosure.
As cresties require a relatively high humidity, they will need a vivarium material which can withstand this. I currently use fibre glass vivariums with screen doors and vents on the back wall to increase airflow. I use a dark green colour rather than a light or right colour in a bid to help provide some security. I have used wooden enclosures with glass doors and large air vents in the past, these have the benefits of being custom made to whatever size, shape and colour of wood you prefer, or which suits your home décor. But the down side of wood is that it does not with stand high humidity. One way to get round this is by heavily coating the wood with yacht varnish. Glass may also be used, but beware of using fish tanks which are often not secure for reptiles and can have poor airflow, they can also be poor at holding heat in those winter months, but this my not be a problem if your houses has temperatures which are suitable for crested geckos all year round. If using glass, I would suggest covering to sides with backing or a dark card ( on the outside) to help provide security via a darker area away from passing traffic which may disturb your cresty.

Being mainly nocturnal, Crested geckos will spend most of the day hidden from view. They require lots of hiding places at varying heights throughout their vivarium. Large/broad leafed plants, logs or commercially available reptile hides all are excellent choices. Whether you use live plants or commercially available silk or plastic fake plants is usually down to personal preference. There are advantages and disadvantages for using either. Fake plants can be cleaned easily and you won’t need to worry about plant care, but although they do come in a large array of colours, shapes and sizes, they may not be as aesthetically pleasing. Whilst live plants often look better, creating a more natural looking environment, they are not always easy to clean and maintain. Although live plants may help with maintaining humidity levels, they can also cause problems when locating eggs, as cresties often dig right into the root system to lay their eggs. The entire enclosure will need to be routinely cleaned at least once a month or so depending on how many geckos occupy the vivarium. It is best not to use a household disinfectant to clean the vivarium r equipment as many can be harmful to reptiles. There are many commercially available reptile safe disinfectants such as F10 which are more suitable.
Substrate is something that has been subject to many debates among owners and always will be. In a simplistic vivarium newspaper or kitchen paper can be used. There is minimal chance of ingestion and it is cheap to replace. Other popular substrates include orchid bark, cocoa fibre, mosses (sphagnum is most popular) or leaf litter. In captivity they are often fed on the bottom of the enclosure and the crickets let loose in the vivarium so the chance of ingestion is greatly increased. Ingestion of substrate in small amounts will do little if any damage however in young specimens it may cause impaction or trauma. The gut becomes blocked and it may result in the death of the animal. If you choose to use a substrate such as coco-fibre then be aware that if you have a breeding female, it may b difficult to locate eggs, one way to over come this is by having only a thin layer of substrate covering the enclosure and a deep container filled with cocoa fibre for them to bury their eggs in, they usually choose to lay them in the container making them easier to find.

Hatchling cresteds are best housed in a smaller, more basic arboreal enclosure. I have experienced no problems keeping both hatchlings from each clutch together for the first 3 months, but they do need separating at some point until you can determine the sex, as males can fight and it is also best to wait until the geckos are fully sexually mature and a good breeding weight before allowing them to mate. Not to mention the fact that it is best to use mate unrelated geckos. I prefer to use paper/kitchen towel as a substrate for hatchlings to avoid substrate ingestion, for ease of cleaning and easy observation of how much they are eating, plus defecating. It is also easier for them to find their food this way. Housing singularly has the advantage of preventing bullying and preventing competition for food.

A vivarium measuring 18x18x24 may house a pair or trio of adult crested geckos (1 male and 1 or 2 females or just 2 or 3 females with no males). However this is a minimum requirement and bigger is always better. If you plan on keeping females in with a male, then have separate accommodation for the male to be separated for a few months each year. A female can be over bred and will quickly become calcium deficient. The male should be separated from the females for 2-3 months a year at least to allow the females to be fed up and their calcium reserves to be replenished. ( more on this in breeding)

Is also important to consider the positioning of the vivarium, it is wise to avoid positioning near a fire, radiator or a window where sun can shine onto the enclosure. Positioning near doors, windows or on the floor may cause draughts, whilst placing in high traffic areas may cause your cresty stress. If keeping them in your bedroom be aware that they can be vocal through the night as well as being noisy whilst leaping around hunting. Monitor your house temperatures carefully throughout the year, especially the summer months as high temperatures can be fatal, some people use fans or air conditioning to maintain appropriate temperatures.

Angi · #2 (**permalink**) 01-06-2007, 02:00 AM

Temperature and Humidity.

Crested geckos do best at temperatures in the low-mid 70’s (Fahrenheit). Over heating is much more of a problem than them being too cold. It is for this reason that care should be taken in the summer months to prevent overheating. An air cooler or an air conditioning unit may be required to keep the temperature within the desired range. Most crested geckos can be kept at normal room temperature in the winter months which is another benefit to these extraordinary creatures. If your ambient room temperature gets below 60F in the winter months during the day then you may need to install some supplementary heating. The best way to add a gentle heat to your crested gecko vivarium is with a low wattage bulb protected with a mesh heat guard. This is to prevent the lamellae from being damaged on their delicate toes and possible thermal burns. ALWAYS USE A THERMOSTAT TO PREVENT THE TEMPERATURE FROM GETTING TOO HIGH. Crested geckos have been known to die when exposed to temperatures over 85F for just over an hour.
Although some people would recommend using a heat mat, these are not really the best option. They do not raise the ambient air temperature so only provide a hot spot on the side of the vivarium. Crested geckos have not evolved to absorb heat through their abdomens; they live in rainforest in the wild where the temperature is constant all year round. If your crested gecko gets direct access to the heat mat there is a chance of the lamellae getting damaged. Heat mats are also prone to over heating which is another danger to your crested geckos. Again if you chose to use a heat mat ensure it is controlled by a thermostat at all times to prevent over heating.

Humidity should be maintained between 50% and 70% although it is best to keep it slightly higher while they are young. This is to prevent shedding problems which can endanger the delicate hatchlings. The best way to do this is to buy a spray bottle which can deliver a fine mist and give a heavy spray in the evenings. This should be enough for adults but while young or getting ready to shed an extra light spray in the mornings may be required.
Misting also serves the purpose as drinking water, for this reason the water should be allowed to stand for at least 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate. Alternatively a water conditioner may be used to instantly prepare the water, many of these products remove chloramines as well as chlorine. Many crested geckos will not recognise standing water in a bowl although it should always be provided, this makes the sprays even more important as they will drink the drops of water off plants etc. The vivarium should be kept humid but not constantly wet as this may cause fungal infections or respiratory problems.
Another way of keeping the humidity up is by using one of the commercially available water falls. These not only increase humidity but provide a moving water source which is more readily accepted by crested geckos than a bowl of water. Although even if you chose to use one of these the vivarium needs to be sprayed lightly in the evening once daily. One drawback of waterfalls is that crickets can land in the water and die, resulting in an opportunity for bacteria to multiply.

Lighting

UV lighting is required by many lizards in order to produce vitamin D3, which is necessary to facilitate absorption of calcium to maintain healthy bones and production of eggs. It is fairly widely thought that crested geckos, being nocturnal, do not require UV lighting, especially if they receive adequate oral supplementation of vitamin D3. Yet there is also evidence that oral vitamin D3 is poorly absorbed.
I have observed my own crested geckos when placed out side in the summer, choosing to partially expose themselves to the suns rays, often in dappled sunlight, but occasionally in full sunlight. When observed over the course of the day the geckos have been seen to slightly move as the sun moves, to remain exposed to the suns rays. Whether this was an attempt to receive warmth, light or both I do not know, but this year I will be monitoring temperature reading, UV readings and positional changes hourly, whilst they are place outside. I will add my findings at the end of the summer. I will also be testing their skin to see just how much UV their skin allows through ) compared to Bearded dragons and other lizards).
In the meantime, I choose to use UV lighting for my cresties. If you do use UV lighting, I would suggest the use of a safety guard to prevent your gecko damaging its feet as they can get hot. If you are interested in joining me by monitoring your own observations, then please feel free to email me at angi@herpvision.co.uk.

Some people like to use a red light bulb to observe their geckos at night, it is thought by some that lizards
cannot see red light, yet I have heard of lizards chasing dots of red light when moved. So my mind is open on this subject at present. If a red light bulb is used then do closely monitor temperatures, use a thermostat to control it and a guard to prevent burns.

Breeding

Crested geckos sexually mature at around 8 to 9 months and it is usually easy to determine the sex by observing the hemipenal bulges adjacent to the vent at the base of the tail by this age. It is generally recommended that females are not bred until they are 12 months old and have reached a weight of 35grams. This will help ensure your female is a good healthy adult size and more likely to produce viable eggs. If breeding in groups it is recommended to put no more than 4 females with one male to avoid stress on the male and poor egg production.
Be prepared for the male crested gecko to be quite aggressive whilst mating. Normal breeding behaviour includes the male biting the females head and neck, quite viciously at times, if the female becomes wounded then remove her and seek treatment from a vet. The geckos should breed readily once introduced and produce eggs within 21 – 28 days of mating.
Although they usually produce two eggs at a time it has been known for females to lay only one egg, mainly on her first time breeding. If only one egg is produced it is important to consult a vet to ensure your gecko is not retaining an egg as this could have dire consequences. Females can produce up to 12 clutches of eggs per season ( spring to autumn), but as mentioned previously it is essential for the females health that she is separated from the male for a few months a year. As female crested geckos are known to retain sperm and produce eggs up to 6 months after being separated from a male ( I have had one continue to produce eggs for up to 5 months following separation), many breeders only introduce males to females for a few weeks each year. Separation is to prevent the effects of stress, and allow the female time to recuperate. Over bred females can suffer from calcium deficiencies with major detrimental effects . If regularly breeding crested geckos it is also advised that they are provided with a cooling period which imitates their natural environment, with daytime temperatures of 70 – 80F and night time at 60 – 65F.
Your gecko will require a suitable area in which to lay their eggs. This can be as simple as a plastic tub containing moist vermiculite, coco fibre or potting soil or they can lay eggs within the soil of any natural plants within the enclosure. For ease in finding the eggs it may be a good idea to use a basic substrate such as newspaper or kitchen towel in the rest of the enclosure otherwise eggs can easily be missed. The female can be seen digging in her chosen egg laying area in the lead up to laying. She will bury her eggs deep within the nesting area and care must be taken when retrieving them. Check daily for eggs and remove within 24 hours to avoid desiccation or disintegration. Although eggs can hatch within an enclosure, the adults have been known to eat the hatchlings and observation whilst incubation allows for remedial action to be taken if problems occur.
Healthy eggs should be white and leathery in appearance with a semi hard shell.
Many preferences exist for incubation of eggs with vermiculite being one of the most popular, I like to use damp coco fibre. The eggs should be placed in the same position the were found in, half buried in the slightly damp incubation material ( vermiculite or coco fibre), with the top of the egg marked with a pencil. They can be covered with a double layer of kitchen towel which can be sprayed to maintain appropriate humidity as required or with damp moss. Check the eggs at least every other day. Incubation can be in an incubator set at 78 - 80F or simply at room temperature of 70 – 80F. Crested gecko eggs can take anything from 65 to 130 days to hatch – the lower the temperature the longer it may take. Hatching can take anything from a few minutes up to a few hours.
I have found that hatchlings which emerge sooner often only weigh 1-2 grams, whilst those that hatch after longer incubation periods often weigh 3 grams.

Hatchling care

Hatchling crested geckos can be fragile. They benefit from small basic, simple enclosures, enabling ease in finding food. They must have climbing areas and foliage to enable them to feel secure. Newspaper or kitchen towel is suitable substrate whilst young. They will require food and water served in very shallow containers such as a milk bottle or jar lid. They require misting twice daily to avoid problems with shedding. The hatchling should shed its skin within a few days and will eat this skin. They may not eat until after they have shed their skin, but have been observed eating within minutes of hatching. You can encourage eating my dropping a tiny amount of CGD or mashed fruit on its lips or holding a finger in front of its mouth for it to lick some off.

Angi Nelson

Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this care guide, I acknowledge that differences of opinion do exist within the reptile world. Therefore I do encourage you do read around this topic further and discuss it with known keepers and breeders.
If you feel that I have made any errors, please feel free to contact me and I will endeavour to research the subject at hand further.

Angi · #3 (**permalink**) 01-06-2007, 10:12 AM

Suggested further reading:-
Further reading:-

www.repashy.com
Rhacodactylus: The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care by Allen Repashy, Philippe De Vosjoli and Frank Fast

LeeH · #4 (**permalink**) 01-06-2007, 10:51 AM

great caresheet Angi...one of the best ive read on the speices

Angi · #5 (**permalink**) 01-06-2007, 11:03 AM

Thankyou Lee that is very kind.

Please note that I have accidently written that they produce 12 clutches per season, theis should be 12 eggs, on average anyway. They can actually produce up to 18 eggs if bred all year round - but this is not recommended as it can have detrimental effects on your female cresty.

ashbosh · #6 (**permalink**) 16-08-2007, 01:54 AM

good guide angi loving it...loving it!

rob-stl-07 · #7 (**permalink**) 24-08-2007, 04:11 AM

gr8 caresheet!!!

m3mandy · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2007, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angi

Temperature and Humidity.

Crested geckos do best at temperatures in the low-mid 70’s (Fahrenheit). Over heating is much more of a problem than them being too cold. It is for this reason that care should be taken in the summer months to prevent overheating. An air cooler or an air conditioning unit may be required to keep the temperature within the desired range. Most crested geckos can be kept at normal room temperature in the winter months which is another benefit to these extraordinary creatures. If your ambient room temperature gets below 60F in the winter months during the day then you may need to install some supplementary heating. The best way to add a gentle heat to your crested gecko vivarium is with a low wattage bulb protected with a mesh heat guard. This is to prevent the lamellae from being damaged on their delicate toes and possible thermal burns. ALWAYS USE A THERMOSTAT TO PREVENT THE TEMPERATURE FROM GETTING TOO HIGH. Crested geckos have been known to die when exposed to temperatures over 85F for just over an hour.
Although some people would recommend using a heat mat, these are not really the best option. They do not raise the ambient air temperature so only provide a hot spot on the side of the vivarium. Crested geckos have not evolved to absorb heat through their abdomens; they live in rainforest in the wild where the temperature is constant all year round. If your crested gecko gets direct access to the heat mat there is a chance of the lamellae getting damaged. Heat mats are also prone to over heating which is another danger to your crested geckos. Again if you chose to use a heat mat ensure it is controlled by a thermostat at all times to prevent over heating.

Humidity should be maintained between 50% and 70% although it is best to keep it slightly higher while they are young. This is to prevent shedding problems which can endanger the delicate hatchlings. The best way to do this is to buy a spray bottle which can deliver a fine mist and give a heavy spray in the evenings. This should be enough for adults but while young or getting ready to shed an extra light spray in the mornings may be required.
Misting also serves the purpose as drinking water, for this reason the water should be allowed to stand for at least 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate. Alternatively a water conditioner may be used to instantly prepare the water, many of these products remove chloramines as well as chlorine. Many crested geckos will not recognise standing water in a bowl although it should always be provided, this makes the sprays even more important as they will drink the drops of water off plants etc. The vivarium should be kept humid but not constantly wet as this may cause fungal infections or respiratory problems.
Another way of keeping the humidity up is by using one of the commercially available water falls. These not only increase humidity but provide a moving water source which is more readily accepted by crested geckos than a bowl of water. Although even if you chose to use one of these the vivarium needs to be sprayed lightly in the evening once daily. One drawback of waterfalls is that crickets can land in the water and die, resulting in an opportunity for bacteria to multiply.

Lighting

UV lighting is required by many lizards in order to produce vitamin D3, which is necessary to facilitate absorption of calcium to maintain healthy bones and production of eggs. It is fairly widely thought that crested geckos, being nocturnal, do not require UV lighting, especially if they receive adequate oral supplementation of vitamin D3. Yet there is also evidence that oral vitamin D3 is poorly absorbed.
I have observed my own crested geckos when placed out side in the summer, choosing to partially expose themselves to the suns rays, often in dappled sunlight, but occasionally in full sunlight. When observed over the course of the day the geckos have been seen to slightly move as the sun moves, to remain exposed to the suns rays. Whether this was an attempt to receive warmth, light or both I do not know, but this year I will be monitoring temperature reading, UV readings and positional changes hourly, whilst they are place outside. I will add my findings at the end of the summer. I will also be testing their skin to see just how much UV their skin allows through ) compared to Bearded dragons and other lizards).
In the meantime, I choose to use UV lighting for my cresties. If you do use UV lighting, I would suggest the use of a safety guard to prevent your gecko damaging its feet as they can get hot. If you are interested in joining me by monitoring your own observations, then please feel free to email me at angi@herpvision.co.uk.

Some people like to use a red light bulb to observe their geckos at night, it is thought by some that lizards
cannot see red light, yet I have heard of lizards chasing dots of red light when moved. So my mind is open on this subject at present. If a red light bulb is used then do closely monitor temperatures, use a thermostat to control it and a guard to prevent burns.

Breeding

Crested geckos sexually mature at around 8 to 9 months and it is usually easy to determine the sex by observing the hemipenal bulges adjacent to the vent at the base of the tail by this age. It is generally recommended that females are not bred until they are 12 months old and have reached a weight of 35grams. This will help ensure your female is a good healthy adult size and more likely to produce viable eggs. If breeding in groups it is recommended to put no more than 4 females with one male to avoid stress on the male and poor egg production.
Be prepared for the male crested gecko to be quite aggressive whilst mating. Normal breeding behaviour includes the male biting the females head and neck, quite viciously at times, if the female becomes wounded then remove her and seek treatment from a vet. The geckos should breed readily once introduced and produce eggs within 21 – 28 days of mating.
Although they usually produce two eggs at a time it has been known for females to lay only one egg, mainly on her first time breeding. If only one egg is produced it is important to consult a vet to ensure your gecko is not retaining an egg as this could have dire consequences. Females can produce up to 12 clutches of eggs per season ( spring to autumn), but as mentioned previously it is essential for the females health that she is separated from the male for a few months a year. As female crested geckos are known to retain sperm and produce eggs up to 6 months after being separated from a male ( I have had one continue to produce eggs for up to 5 months following separation), many breeders only introduce males to females for a few weeks each year. Separation is to prevent the effects of stress, and allow the female time to recuperate. Over bred females can suffer from calcium deficiencies with major detrimental effects . If regularly breeding crested geckos it is also advised that they are provided with a cooling period which imitates their natural environment, with daytime temperatures of 70 – 80F and night time at 60 – 65F.
Your gecko will require a suitable area in which to lay their eggs. This can be as simple as a plastic tub containing moist vermiculite, coco fibre or potting soil or they can lay eggs within the soil of any natural plants within the enclosure. For ease in finding the eggs it may be a good idea to use a basic substrate such as newspaper or kitchen towel in the rest of the enclosure otherwise eggs can easily be missed. The female can be seen digging in her chosen egg laying area in the lead up to laying. She will bury her eggs deep within the nesting area and care must be taken when retrieving them. Check daily for eggs and remove within 24 hours to avoid desiccation or disintegration. Although eggs can hatch within an enclosure, the adults have been known to eat the hatchlings and observation whilst incubation allows for remedial action to be taken if problems occur.
Healthy eggs should be white and leathery in appearance with a semi hard shell.
Many preferences exist for incubation of eggs with vermiculite being one of the most popular, I like to use damp coco fibre. The eggs should be placed in the same position the were found in, half buried in the slightly damp incubation material ( vermiculite or coco fibre), with the top of the egg marked with a pencil. They can be covered with a double layer of kitchen towel which can be sprayed to maintain appropriate humidity as required or with damp moss. Check the eggs at least every other day. Incubation can be in an incubator set at 78 - 80F or simply at room temperature of 70 – 80F. Crested gecko eggs can take anything from 65 to 130 days to hatch – the lower the temperature the longer it may take. Hatching can take anything from a few minutes up to a few hours.
I have found that hatchlings which emerge sooner often only weigh 1-2 grams, whilst those that hatch after longer incubation periods often weigh 3 grams.

Hatchling care

Hatchling crested geckos can be fragile. They benefit from small basic, simple enclosures, enabling ease in finding food. They must have climbing areas and foliage to enable them to feel secure. Newspaper or kitchen towel is suitable substrate whilst young. They will require food and water served in very shallow containers such as a milk bottle or jar lid. They require misting twice daily to avoid problems with shedding. The hatchling should shed its skin within a few days and will eat this skin. They may not eat until after they have shed their skin, but have been observed eating within minutes of hatching. You can encourage eating my dropping a tiny amount of CGD or mashed fruit on its lips or holding a finger in front of its mouth for it to lick some off.

Angi Nelson

Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this care guide, I acknowledge that differences of opinion do exist within the reptile world. Therefore I do encourage you do read around this topic further and discuss it with known keepers and breeders.
If you feel that I have made any errors, please feel free to contact me and I will endeavour to research the subject at hand further.

Hi there,
New to cresties, im in love wi my wee one, loved the care sheet. More please.....x

sparkle · #9 (**permalink**) 20-10-2007, 09:52 AM

great care-sheet angi

thanks

andie · #10 (**permalink**) 21-10-2007, 04:52 PM

Just what i'm looking for as i'm in the market for a trio of these when i get me new viv if anyone knows of any for sale ????

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