In 1994, large amounts of these little nocturnal Crested
Geckos (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) were
discovered in New Caledonia. Prior to 1994, they were
thought to be extinct. Their natural location does not
extend beyond the borders of the New Caledonia island.
The Crested Gecko can live for up to 10 years (more
in captivity), and grow to lengths ranging from 5 inches
to 10 inches.
Read more about the Crested
Gecko in the wild including its background,
natural habitat and characteristics.
Also check out our Crested
Gecko Pictures in our Lizard Gallery. |
| What
should I feed my Crested Gecko?
You can purchase a pre-made Crested Gecko Diet from most pet stores.
This pre-made food provides a balanced diet, enriched
with nutrients, suitable for a Crested Gecko. You should
also offer them insects to supplement their diet. Offer
them crickets,
mealworms, butterworms,
silkworms
and waxworms.
Always dust or spray your gut-loaded insects with a
vitamin supplement; including calcium. You should also
provide them with different types of baby food. Most
fruit flavors will attract them, due to their sweetness.
Feed the Crested Geckos their pre-made food,
or the baby food, every night, removing all food not
eaten in the morning. Feed the the insects at night,
2 or 3 times a week, once again removing the uneaten
insects in the morning.
Most Crested Geckos will only lick
droplets of water from leaves and from other surfaces
inside their habitat. Some Crested Gecko keepers report
seeing their Geckos lap water from a dish, so you can
always provide a very shallow and sturdy water dish
as well.
Lighting, Temperature & Humidity
Use a full-spectrum fluorescent light to provide 10
to 12 hours of light each day. Humidity should be kept
around 50%. You can establish this by misting the enclosure
every night.
Remember that Crested Geckos are nocturnal.
They will be sleeping or hiding during the daylight
hours. In most cases, room temperature will do for Crested
Geckos. If the room you are keeping them in especially
cool, use an incandescent bulb or ceramic heat emitter
to maintain a temperature of 70 - 75 degrees F. At night,
allow the temperature to drop to somewhere in between
60 degrees F to 70 degrees F.
What is needed for a Crested Gecko vivarium?
Make sure to provide an enclosure that is taller than
it is wide. These little Geckos will climb all the time.
A 20 gallon glass aquarium is suitable for a maximum
of 3 Crested Geckos. Do not put two
males together. Provide your Geckos with a live plant,
making sure it is non-toxic, and multiple branches by
climbing. They require places for hiding as well. You
can use either potting soil, peat moss, sphagnum moss
or any other mulch type material for the substrate. |
