Crested Gecko Care
Housing: Housing is an important factor with crested geckos. They are native to the tropical and humid New Caledonia off the coast of Australia. They need a heavily planted (live and plastic plants), cage with plenty of branches and vines. A single adult Crested gecko (Rhacodactylus Ciliatus) can be housed in a 12x12x16" cage. Potted tropical (non-sprayed and non fertilized) plants should be placed in the cage. Crested gecko's habitat should be misted once every night. Babies can be maintained on a non-substrate floor to help them catch there crickets easier and no hassle of impaction incase of swallowed substrate as baby and juvie crested geckos are very clumsy. As adults they can be housed on coconut fiber substrate, often sold it bricks. Paper towels are what works for me... easy to clean and it looks okay. Crested geckos can also be housed in Kritter Keepers as babies, or larger Rubbermaid containers as adults. Glass aquariums or plastic cages such as BARRS work best. Most Rhacodactylus species can be kept at room temperatures depending on the environment where you live. 70-82 (no higher) is a good solid temperature for daytime, on the lower end being best. With temperatures over 82 degrees crested geckos get very stressed out, eat less and can die. In winter months you can use a heat pad on the bottom of the enclosure to add extra heat if you house gets very cold. At night temperatures can go down to 65 degrees without any harm to the gecko. New Caledonia is a very humid environment and all rhacodactlyus species should be housed appropriately, with relative humidity at 75-85%. Live plants aid to keep humidity up in the correct spots, In most environments with daily misting at night or evening hours will result in proper humidity.
Feeding: Crested geckos have been proven to eat 75% fruits in the wild. In captivity they should be fed 100% fruit baby food 4-5 times per week, and crickets 2-3 times per week. Most geckos, as with Rhacodactylus food should be dusted with calcium powder; as babies it should be dusted every other feeding and as adults 3-4 times per week. Bowl feeding (feeding in a bowl) is the best way to go, especially when dealing with loose substrate. This way they do not get it lodged in there mouths or get compacted. I use a 2-liter soda bottle cap for the baby food and a plastic cup cut down to 2 inches high for crickets. This is also good so roaming crickets do not disturb the cresteds while sleeping, and nibble on their feet. Crickets should be gutloaded with fruits for moisture, and a grain such as a no sugar cereal like cheerios or shredded wheat brand. Gutload 24-48 hours before feeding to the cresteds. Crickets should be under the size between the eyes of the geckos, and only 4-6 per feeding per night. Remove all baby food the next morning to make sure you do not attract other insects such as ants.
Based on fecal analysis, crested geckos in the wild mostly consume fruits (Henkel, 2000).
Drinking: Most Rhacodactlyus do not drink from ponds or streams, but from mist left over from rainfall on leaves. Mist the sides and leaves of the plants in the cage for drinking water. Also provide a drinking bowl provided with fresh water every other day.
Longevity: Crested geckos have only been in captivity since 1994 when they were rediscovered after being thought to be extinct. No one is sure of the exact longevity of crested geckos, but it is estimated that they will live to ages such as 10-15 years... some individuals up to 20 years or more. Sandfire dragon ranch currently has original offspring from 1994 still alive today.