The Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) is an ideal characteristic starter lizard that is easy to care for and is generally docile in nature. Within reason Crested Geckos can be kept without any electrics on their tanks (dependant on room temperature). They can live singly and in groups of females fairly happily (dependant on cage size) with up to one male.

Housing
  As Crested Geckos are an arboreal (climbing) species they require a tallish tank, to enable them to display there
natural behaviour. A minimum recommended starter tank size for a Crested Gecko would be 12”x12”x18” (LxWxH) which would last the gecko until it is 12months old. For multiple young geckos and adults, the minimum recommended tank size is 18”x18”x24” (LxWxH). Ideally the tank should be made of water resistant materials such as glass & plastic, as the high humidity can cause wooden tanks to rot.

Heating
Crested Geckos do not necessarily require heating in their enclosures as long as the temperature in the room does not fall
below 65˚F on a night time. However you will need to make sure that in the summer the tank does not exceed 80˚F, as any
higher can prove fatal to Crested Geckos. If the tank does require heating to increase the ambient temperature, this is best done by a heat mat stuck to the back of the enclosure or an enclosed red heat bulb. Both should be regulated by thermostats to ensure that the temperature does not exceed the required temperature range of 70˚F-75˚F.

Lighting
As Crested Geckos are a nocturnal species they do not require additional UV lighting, however they will still need to know the difference between day & night. In a well lit room, no additional lighting will be required in there enclosure. However in a dark room a small low wattage florescent tube or energy saver bulb (as these do not produce much unwanted heat) would be recommended to provide additional lighting during the daytime, although plenty of hiding places should be provided to avoid the gecko becoming stressed.

Handling
Crested Geckos can make one of the easiest species to tame with regular handling. However care should be taken with their tails, because they can drop them as a defence mechanism. You should note that Crested Geckos tend to leap, so holding the gecko in one hand whilst holding the other hand in front of the gecko at an angle will allow it to leap from one hand to the other. The geckos can also run along most surfaces so it’s best to always make sure that all doors and windows are closed, before attempting to remove them from their enclosure.

Water/ Humidity
In general Crested Geckos do not drink out of water bowls, as there natural behaviour is to drink water droplets off leaves. This can be done by spraying the tank each night with a plant sprayer, ideally on any artificial plants with large leaves and the sides of the tank. Also it can be beneficial to keep damp moss in the bottom of the tank to aid with shedding. As a guide the tank should be sprayed so most of the tank looks like it has been sprayed, however the tank should be generally dry by the following morning.

Feeding
Crested Geckos are omnivores, meaning that they require both Insects and Fruit in there diet.
Live Food: The live food part of there diet can consist of brown & black crickets, hoppers and the occasional wax worm as a treat. The length of the food size can be matched to the gecko by looking at the gap between its eyes as a guide. Live food should be removed from the tank an hour after feeding if the gecko has not eaten. As the feeder insects do not like high humidity it suggested the gecko is fed before the tank is sprayed.
Ideally all live food should be pre-gut loaded before they are fed to the geckos; this is where the live food has been fed 24 hours before; a good mix of food including vitamins which in turn will pass onto the gecko.
Fruit: Crested Geckos will generally take purified fruits such as mango, papaya, peach & apricot. Ideally any fruit mix should include a pinch of reptile multi-vitamins such as Nutrobal.
An alternative to purifying fruit is to buy a commercial Crested Gecko diet that is mainly dried fruit in powder form, which can be made into a paste or sprinkled on live food.

Hides/ Décor
Crested Geckos tend to sleep in the canopy of the forests amongst the leaves, so the best sort of hide would be ivy type vines stuck in the top corner of a tank and hanging down. Additionally these types of artificial plants are also useful for spraying the tank as they will temporarily hold water droplets for the gecko to drink from. Flexible vines can be used to make a more 3D forest effect, providing the gecko with more areas to climb and jump.
Substrate: Ideal substrates for Crested Geckos need to be able to absorb water without going mouldy such as; eco-earth, orchid-bark & moss. It is advisable to use a mixture for the best absorption of water, with moss on top to allow the gecko to
utilise it to shed more easily.
It is always advised to use only substrates that have been treated for reptiles, as substrates from garden centres/ gardens may contain small bugs, parasites, pesticides and other toxins that may prove fatal to the geckos.

Crested Gecko Shopping List
 18”x18”x24” (LxWxH) glass terrarium.
 Plant Sprayer
 Multiple Hanging Plastic Plants
 Nutrobal
 Crested Gecko Diet
 Crickets
 Thermometer
 Substrate
 Moss
 Food bowl
If Required
 40w Red Bulb
 Bulb Holder Fitting
 Dimmerstat
 Additional Thermometer