15 Reasons to Buy a Crested Gecko

Why should I get a crested gecko?

This is a question a lot of people have been asking me recently, curious as to why I might be selling them.

"Who would want a crested gecko?" they ask. "Why would you want a reptile as a pet? Surely they do nothing but sit around. What makes them so interesting?"

There are a lot of misconceptions that come with crested geckos. A crested gecko is a reptile, and a lot of people tend to be afraid of reptiles. They associate cresties with snakes: slimy and predatory, and killers of fluffy white mice.

Crested geckos are not this way at all, and my post today is here to reassure those doubtful that crested geckos really aren't what you would expect.

1. They're soft.

People automatically assume that a crested gecko will be slimy or scaly. They picture that they'll feel like a snake or a frog, or your average lizard. This isn't the case.

Crested geckos are commonly nicknamed the 'velvet geckos', due to how soft they are at touch. They're especially smooth along their head and their back, in between their crests.

2. They're not predatory towards humans.

A lot of snakes or other reptiles can be vicious at times. So can a lot of other animals. Crested geckos can be jumpy and can occasionally bite if they have not been handled enough or correctly, but they have tiny teeth. When they are young, they've no teeth at all. Bites do not hurt, and barely make you jump, and once they realise you oppose no threat they will stop.

You would not find a crested gecko attacking you for no reason. When handled frequently, crested geckos are tame and harmless, and quickly come to learn that you are their friend.

3. They make beautiful decoration.

Even when not action-packed and adventurous, your crested gecko will be fantastic decor for your home.

Many people buy fish due to the relaxing nature of an aquarium. A vivarium is the same thing, just minus the water. Especially when you kit out an aquarium with jungle vines, sculptures, beautiful forest plants and fancy backgrounds, even those who do not admire your gecko will admire your set-up.

4. They satisfy both genders.

Whether you're a broody woman seeking an adorable pet, or a man seeking something cool and masculine, a crested gecko can fit both of these.

For the women, cresties are soft and adorable with large, dopey eyes. They have tiny little padded feet and waddle rather sweetly, and can lap up baby food from the tip of your finger. They're ever so tiny, and cling to you like a finger monkey.

For the men, a crested gecko is commonly described as a baby dragon. Many males enjoy watching their dragons jump and leap across the cage or onto their clothing. They're awesome climbers and terrific hunters, if you'd rather see your gecko leap for a cricket than lick at some baby food.

5. Their diet is up to you.

Your gecko doesn't have to be a vicious, merciless killer if you don't want.

If you're squeamish about the hunting side of things, you can feed your gecko on a paste-like substance called Crested Gecko Diet. Owners should know all about this. It comes in a powder form that you mix with water, and needs no vitamin or calcium supplements. It contains everything your geckos need and is fruit flavoured, and most cresties love it.

If you're squeamish about particular insects but what your gecko to eat live food as the more natural option, there are different things you can feed to him. For example, those who are squeamish about jumpy insects like crickets and locusts may feed their gecko on meal worms.

6. They don't take a lot of looking after.

When you know what you're doing, there's not really much you have to do.

Feeding your gecko every other day, cleaning the vivarium about once a month, misting at night times and lightly in the mornings and perhaps changing the bulbs if you have any is all you really need to do for your gecko. Handling regularly is also important, but anyone who loves cresties won't find this a chore but more of a delight.

My partner has fish, and he always states how easier the geckos are to care for. There is much less cleaning out and much less feeding, yet they still make gorgeous decoration and do a lot more than the fish.

7. They're beautiful creatures.

When people in my family have come to visit us and have seen the geckos, they've really been surprised at their appearance. They've expected scaly, intimidating, large and unattractive reptiles. Crested geckos are far from this. They're delicate, soft, they have bulging adorable eyes, little padded feet, intricate patterns, fragile tails and gorgeous crests that form 'eyelashes'.

People who are terrified of lizards and snakes have visited Rocco and Savannah and called them adorable, beautiful and brilliant. Chunkier males like Rocco are majestic and proud, whereas smaller and delicate females like Savannah are petite and dainty.

8. They last a jolly long time.

Smaller creatures, such as hamsters and mice, often don't last a long time.

Crested geckos are classed as 'small pets', yet they can be seen to last 20 years. You should at least get a minimum of 12 years out of your gecko. As a childhood pet, it could be something that could grow up with you and see you through adulthood.

9. They don't smell.

Something that puts parents of young children off of them having a pet is the fact that they smell. Things like hamsters, and even things like snakes, are messy and dirty and have smelly excrements.

Crested geckos do not smell at all. You can easily go a month without cleaning the vivarium, and you don't particularly need to wash the geckos. A good moisture-filled substrate will absorb any excrements in the vivarium, and it should be left with no odour. If it does start to smell though, you know it's time it needs cleaning out.

10. They're small

Women in particular are put off by large, intimidating reptiles. A large reptile means you need a large enclosure, and large animals are often more frightening for children.

An adult crested gecko should average about 9 inches, nose to tail. A crested gecko without a tail is much smaller, and juveniles are a lot smaller. Savannah at the moment is just under 5 inches, and Rocco is just over.

11. You can choose your size vivarium.

So long as your sized vivarium is recommended for the gecko you have, it can be as small or as large as you like. The people in the store will tell you the range you can go for, but it should be reasonably varied. If you're worried about space, as reptile enclosures can be rather large, then you can always purchase a smaller enclosure. You don't have to go all-out with a larger one.

12. They each have their own personality.

Crested geckos are not all the same. They have different appearances, sure, but they also have different personalities. It can be fun to investigate your crested gecko's temperement: is she adventurous and daring? Is he calm and tame? Does she like to be active? Does he eat a lot, or eat little? Is she a fussy eater? Does he like to climb?

13. They don't 'just sit there'.

This was a comment made by my dad before I got Rocco. He was worried I'd lose interest because apparently, crested geckos 'just sit there'. They do far more than that.

Crested geckos jump, climb, run, pounce on food, lick their eyes (so adorable), weave in and out of obstacles, climb your clothing, cuddle into your neck/body for warmth... They're as active as you raise them to be. If you let them climb all over you since you've had them, they'll grow up this way. If you'd rather have them stay on your hands, they'll grow up this way too.

14. They are inexpensive to maintain.

Once you have your Crested Gecko Diet (mine was £13), it should be months and months before you need to buy any again.

A box of 100 odd crickets or meal worms at my local pet store costs £2, and they last an awful long time too. If you get a critter keeper and remove the dead ones, feed the live ones and allow them space to grow, they last even longer.

You won't need to go out buying food regularly, and there's nothing else you need to buy to keep everything maintained once you have your vivarium and all its equipment.

15. All crested geckos look different.

There are different morphs and colours that come with each crested gecko. There are more rare kinds that are difficult to find, such as the moonglow (some even say this morph of gecko is a myth), and the more common kinds, such as those with a duller greeny-grey colour.

You can go crazy searching for the most beautiful crested geckos you can find, which will be more expensive, or settle for something more common. Rocco is a flame, but he turned out a lot more dark than expected, and Savannah is a harlequin who also gradually got darker. At times, she can even appear blue at the sides!

They're not like a leopard gecko, which all look the same.

I hope this has enlightened you a little, and steered you a way from the typical reptile stereotypes.

It's always difficult to believe these facts or understand them until you have experienced it yourself, but I assure you that I have changed a lot of people's views over the past 6 months about crested geckos.

I'll be posting again tonight with an update on Rocco and Savannah!
Sorry I haven't been around for a while, but it's been a little bit hectic recently.

Thank you for reading, and for all the views when I've been away!
500, woop woop!

Elly. x