Introduction
Crested geckos, or Correlophus ciliatus, come from an island off the eastern coast of Australia known as New Calidonia. They were beleived to be extinct until they were rediscovered in 1994. Their captive population has continued to rise as it has gained popularity in the pet field for it's ease of care and variety of patterns and colors.
Crested geckos are a very interesting species that make a great starter reptile. They may have low husbandry demands, but that does not make them bulletproof!
It is important to remember, when you take one of these geckos home, you are committing to 20 years OR MORE of daily care. Just like a dog or cat, they may require veterinary treatment at some point in their life.
Feeding
There are many gecko diets available on the market currently. There are a few "complete" diets which in theory could be used with no insects. These include Repashy, Pangea Fruit Mix Complete, and Big Fat Geckos Smoothie. In our experience, a varied diet rotating through a few of these fed every second night in conjunction with dusted, gut-loaded crickets weekly seems to have the best growth/health response throughout all size animals.
Gut-loading is taking the insects, usually crickets (never outdoor, only store purchased), and feeding them a nutritious blend of vegetables or even gecko diet as whatever is in their bellies is also going into your reptile.
Dusting is done by sprinkling a small amount of powder into a bag or tall cup and lightly shaking the insects/powder until the insects have a thin film coating them. Dusting should be done every time insects are fed! Miner-all, reptivite, and calcium plus are all good choices.
Things to Monitor
Squiggly/kinked tail or protruding jaw/under-bite -This is a sign of calcium deficiency and the start of metabolic bone disease (MBD). Increase gecko's calcium w/D3 intake and this problem can be corrected or at least halted. In extreme cases vetrinary intervention may be necessary. UV and extra calcium with D3 can help increase the gecko's calcium reserves.
Yellow/orange urea portion of the poop (usually white) – indicator of dehydration. Increase misting frequency.
Cricket bites - Crickets will bite if left in the enclosure too long, treat wound just as you would a lost tail.
Enclosures
General Husbandry
Crested geckos require scaling enclosures as they grow from a hatchling, to a juvenile, to a subadult, to a full size adult. When hatched, they can range anywhere from 1 to 3 grams, dwarving their 35-55+ gram adult counterparts. I recommend a modified 2 quart up to 6 quart tub or small sized cricket keeper. Although many people keep multiple hatchlings together, as they grow you may have lost toes and nipped or dropped tails. Housing geckos separately may take more space, but the risk of gecko fighting or nipping is eliminated.
Sterilite tubs are commonly used as they have latches and are fairly simple to modify for use at home. If you are not a do-it-yourself kind of person, kritter keepers can also be used. When using a kritter keeper, misting may be required in the morning and evening as the hightly ventilated lid tends to dry the enclosure rapidly.
As the gecko grows, as should the enclosure. Once a gecko hits the 20+ gram range, it can move up into a 12 x 12 x 18 inch enclosure, or a 10 to 15 gallon aquarium. This is the minimum size enclosure for one gecko. An 18 x 18 x 24 should be used or a 29 gallon aquarium if multiple animals will be housed together. Two males should never be housed together, females should be monitored carefully if kept together, and do not keep a male and female together unless you plan on breeding and the geckos are already fully grown. Even then, alternate housing should be on hand in case of a need for separation. If you get two geckos, be prepared to house them separately.
Crested geckos are a fairly simple reptile to keep as they usually do not require the use of an external heat source or UV lighting in order to thrive.
In captivity they have been found do to best at a temperature range of 68-80 degrees, but do not do well when temperatures climb above 85. This is common room temperature for most US households year round. I do recommend keeping the animals on an inside wall, as outside walls tend to be cooler or warmer than the overall house temperature. If additional heat is necessary, a 15-25 watt heat bulb is usually the most required to get into a safe zone.
Humidity should be around 40-50% at a low point, and have 1-2 spikes where the humidity jumps to approximately 80%. This can be measured using a hygrometer. Humidity is a measure of the moisture content of the air, so the spikes will occur shorly after misting the enclosure. Crested geckos drink suspended droplets on the walls/leaves of the enclosure, so be sure to spray in the late evening as they are nocturnal.
Paper towels make a great liner for enclosures, and are recommended for hatchlings/juveniles. Be careful when misting not to soak the towels, or they will mold over quickly.
Eco earth or other naturalistic substrates can be used with adults/subadults, however they increase the risk of impaction for the animal if consumed, DO NOT FEED LIVE INSECTS ON LOOSE SUBSTRATE.
Exceptions
Temperature range of 68-80:
Adult geckos tend to be able to tolerate temperatures below this range, and some breeders drop temperatures on their females to promote "cooling" or the stopping of egg laying after breeding season. Long exposure to cold temperatures (low 60's and below), can lead to respiratory issues which require veterinary intervention to treat.
UV lighting- Generally unneeded, but in cases of MBD or breeding, UVB in reptile UV bulbs help vitamin D synthesis which aids in calcium absorption.
Troubleshooting
Gecko pale and not climbing well – The gecko is about to shed, and will eat its shed skin overnight. Make sure the tank is night and humid overnight, and if any shed gets stuck, use a damp q-tip to help remove any remaining skin.
Gecko not climbing well and has hard toes- Your gecko stepped in the food bowl and it dried on his feet, simply put him in a small tupperware with a paper towel and spray the tupperware/towel down until soaked. Close lid (with holes punched in it) and leave for 10 minutes. This process is called a “sauna.” After the sauna gently wipe the feet with a paper towel or q-tip to remove any remaining food.
Tail drop - If your gecko loses its tail, don't panic. Most wild geckos don't have tails anyway! They will not grow it back, however, so be careful with the tail if this occurs. If this happens for an unknown reason, check your temperature. High temps (above 85) can cause neurological problems and can lead to a tail drop. Remove any natural decorations which may harbor bacteria/mold, and just keep the enclosure simple with a plastic plant and fresh paper towels for the next 3 days. A small drop of neosporin WITHOUT pain medicine can be used as an infection preventative, but is usually unnecessary.