Caring for new Crested Geckos

Are you planning on getting a new crested gecko, but you don't know where to start?
It is difficult to know what you need or what will be best for your crestie. So many websites and care sheets offer different advice, but there seems to be no conclusion.
I've been through the new crested gecko experience twice now, and once very recently. I decided it would be a good idea to put aside any first-timer worries and help you to come to some conclusion on what is best for your gecko.
There are really only a few ways that you could go wrong with a new crested gecko, and the rest of it is just down to opinion. If you've done your research, spoken to specialists and you know what you're doing, you just have to ignore those who intervene.

Sorting out everything you need for your crested gecko can be done in 3 simple steps.

Step One - Housing

The first thing that you'll need for your new crested gecko is a vivarium.

You will need to decide on the size of your vivarium, which could depend on many things. If you are housing more than one gecko together, you will want to get a larger vivarium to give them more space.

My vivarium is a 12" by 12" by 18", and can house up to 3 adult geckos. I would have liked to have gotten something a little larger than this, but as a student I frankly don't have the money to do so. Try to get a reasonably large vivarium if you can, to create a natural and comfortable environment for your gecko(s).

(If you're lucky enough, your vivarium could come with an offer. My vivarium came with accessories free!)

There are different vivarium styles; you will have to go for a 'tall' vivarium. This means that the height of the vivarium is longer than the width and the depth. Crested geckos love to climb and spend a lot of their time vertical. They shouldn't spend a lot of the time on the ground.

Make sure that you know how to operate the vivarium doors and locks (the man or woman in the store will show/tell you how to do this!), and then you're ready to make your choice on accessories.

Step Two - Accessorising

Now you have chosen your perfect vivarium, it's time to start accessorising it!

This is usually more fun for the girls, and I know I was concerned about the way the vivarium looked and making everything perfect a little more than what was best for Rocco. You have to try to make sure you think about what is best for your gecko, and then you can play around with how it looks.

At the time of purchasing Rocco and his vivarium, I got:

• 2 pieces of cork bark
• One Exo-Terra fake plant
• One drinking bowl

... And that was it!

At the time it didn't feel like enough but my parents insisted it was all I needed, especially due to the cost of everything so far. I had spent over £100 on everything.

Once I'd had Rocco for a week or so, I started to have problems. There wasn't really anywhere for Rocco to hide himself, and eventually he felt so overexposed that he climbed down through a small cut-out in the bottom of the back wall and wedged himself in between the polystyrene and the glass. At this point, I knew I had to get more hides for him.

Now, I have this:

• One Exo-Terra fake plant against the heat pad on the left, matching Rocco's 'fired-up' colours
• One Exo-Terra fake plant against the cooler side of the glass, matching Rocco's 'fired-down' colours
• One drinking bowl
• One misitifier
• Two 'jungle vines' that weave their way across the vivarium, creating different paths for them
• One piece of cork bark inside the enclosure, and a spare one outside of the enclosure
• One medium-sized Exo-Terra hide/cave, used as the moist hide.
• Recently purchased Eco-Earth substrate for the vivarium floor

I even purchased a hygrometer and a thermometer to measure water and temperature levels in the viv. Now the vivarium is perfect, and sees to all of their needs.

So long as you make sure you have the following, you're fine:

1. At least three hides: moist, warm and cool
2. More than one way for your gecko to climb
3. Accessories that help to form a natural environment
4. Accessories that see to their physical needs, e.g. water bowl

Step Three - Think about Food!

Do you have any ideas about what you would like to feed your gecko?

I would recommend (and I'm sure that any reptile specialist would!) that you try every new crestie with live food. The reptile specialist in the store will advise you on what your crested gecko has been eating, therefore what is best to feed him or her.

If you do decide on live food, you will have to think about supplements and keeping arrangements.

When I purchased the crickets in the store, I also purchased a 'critter keeper'. These are basically fairly small boxes that come with 'jelly' and cricket food. They help to keep the crickets alive for longer and keep them healthy. It is not a necessity, but it could be helpful and cost-effective.

You should also make sure that you purchase calcium, and some form of multi-vitamin supplement.

If you decide not to feed with live food, then your only other option for a staple food is Crested Gecko Diet. In the UK you will probably have to purchase this online, but I know in the US it is sold in stores.

There are two brands: Repashy and Komodo. They both supply the gecko with what he or she needs, and they both come in different flavours. Once again, this is truly down to opinion as to which is best for your gecko. I myself use Komodo, but I think Repashy is more commonly used.

Now the only thing you have to do is get your gecko!

I hope that this post helped.

You can come on by tomorrow to read about housing new geckos together, which is something I am recently experienced in!

If you have any questions or anything to say, please do comment.

Keep all the comments rolling in!

Elly. x