Crested Geckos or Leopard Geckos?

Some people have asked me recently about the differences between crested geckos and leopard geckos, and which I would recommend.
It's totally down to personal preference and opinion, which is why I decided it would be a good topic to discuss. I want to open people's minds a little bit about the differences between the two geckos as an animal and the care involved with each.
Personally, I think crested geckos are much easier reptiles to care for, as well as less expensive, far more beautiful and with their own individual and unique features! But hey... I'm probably biased ;-)

How do their appearances differ?

Crested Geckos

Crested geckos are all very different, yet all very similar! They share the same body, with soft scales that are velvet at touch. They have crests that line their backs from the base of their tail to the tips of their heads, and outline their eyes to form 'eyelashes'. This gives them their nickname of 'The Eyelash Gecko'.

The average crestie reaches about 8 inches in length (nose to tip), although some can be considerably smaller or larger. Some may even reach the length of 10 inches. Although this may sound pretty big, it's actually reasonably small for a gecko or lizard. The average crested gecko should weigh 40-45 grams (with tail).

www.pangeareptile.com

Although all crested geckos share these features, each gecko is unique in their own way. Crested geckos have 'morphs', which are different patterns and colours. There are more popular morphs such as the pinstripe, flame and harlequin. Popular colours include brown, orange, green, yellow and grey. You can sometimes come across crested geckos with rarer, more vibrant morphs and colours, such as the 'Moonglow' and extravagant reds! These geckos tend to be of a lot more value than the average crestie.

The colour of a crested gecko can change due to a stimulus. This is called 'firing up'. A stimulus such as an environmental change (heat, humidity, light intensity) or an internal change (stress levels) can cause the colours of a crested gecko to become darker and more vibrant.

A crested gecko can drop its tail, but it won't grow back.

Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos tend to have a very similar appearance, in body and in colour/pattern. This makes a leopard gecko very easily identifiable, but it can be hard to distinguish one from another at times. It shouldn't be an issue if you really get to know your geckos.

Leopard geckos also reach 8-10 inches in length, although they are much bulkier and thicker than a crested gecko. Oppositely, crested geckos' bodies are thin, streamlined and delicate.

www.svg-vets.com

An average leopard gecko is yellow of colour with large white and black spots (mostly black). There are, however, pattern and colour variations.

A leopard gecko has small bumps over their body. These give the impression of a rough texture, although, like a crested gecko, they are actually rather soft at touch. You can also see that a leopard gecko has a large, bulky tail. The tail is the leopard gecko's fat storage, and, similarly to a crested gecko's calcium sacs, should help indicate the health standards of your gecko. A large tail for example indicates a large amount of fat storage.

Some common morphs and colours are yellow, brown, white or leucistic (with no colour).

A leopard gecko can drop its tail, but it will grow back.

Housing and Environment

Crested Geckos

Crested geckos can be housed in very simple, neutral conditions, and survive perfectly well in an average room environment (temperature and humidity).

Crested geckos should be kept in 'tall' vivariums, as they will appreciate height rather than width. They spend the majority of their time climbing or otherwise vertical, and need the upward space to do so. A single crested gecko or crested gecko pair can be housed comfortably in a 12" by 12" by 18" vivarium. However, you may want to purchase in an 18" by 18" by 24" to provide more room, particularly if you have more than 2 crested geckos in one enclosure.

www.reptilecentre.com

Enclosures should be fitted with natural plants, vines and climbing equipment to keep your gecko active, happy and well-exercised. It should also contain plenty of hiding places, as a crested gecko will spend the majority of his day hiding.

Temperatures in the vivarium should range between 50-80F, although you should try to keep the vivarium at room temperature, approx 72F. Anything lower than 50F could be dangerous for your crestie, and anything higher than 80F could cause high levels of stress therefore impacting their health, e.g. eating habits. Temperature can be regulated with a simple Exo Terra dial thermometer on the wall of the vivarium. Your heat source can come from a heat mat or a bulb, although try not to put too much direct light onto your crestie.

Humidity should also be regulated with a hygrometer. You should mist the vivarium regularly (every evening) by spraying the enclosure heavily with a water bottle.

Leopard Geckos

One small adult leopard gecko can be comfortably housed in a 16 by 11 inch box / vivarium. Approx. 3 adults can be housed in a 36 by 18 inch vivarium, with 18 inch in height for installed lighting. Leopard geckos, unlike cresties, don't require much height. They spend all of their time on the ground and lack the lamellae acquired by rested geckos to climb smooth surfaces (or even rough ones!). 

Leopard geckos should also have places to hide on the floor of the vivarium/box. Your gecko could become stressed, therefore leading to a deterioration of health, if they do not have sufficient hiding places.

www.albertabredgeckos.com

Leopard gecko enclosures should contain a 'moist box'. They tend to sleep here during the day, as moist and humid enclosures make a comfortable environment for a leo. These will be particularly important during shedding to help remove the shed from the outside of the body.

Leopard geckos, like all reptiles, are cold blooded. This means that they require heat to thermoregulate. Leos require a lot more heat than cresties. A heat mat should cover between a third to half the floor of a leo's enclosure. You should monitor the temperature inside the enclosure with a thermometer. It should average around 84-88F.

They also require lighting. This should be artificial lighting or UV light. A leopard gecko should be able to know the difference between day and night, and should experience 14 hours of light and 10 hours of darkness in the summer. In the winter months, they should experience 12 hours of light with 12 hours of darkness. Some lights come with timers that will automatically switch on and off the lights in the enclosure for you.

Leopard geckos are nocturnal, as are most geckos, and so have a disliking of bright light. You should expose your leos to black heat lamps, red lamps or UV lamps. These can also provide heat to the vivarium. They should have various heat and light gradients throughout the vivarium so they can escape light intensities and temperatures.

A leopard gecko's enclosure should be monitored for humidity. A humidity that is too high can leave a leo open to infections. The ideal humidity in a leopard gecko's enclosure should be 40% or lower.

I hope this post clarifies the basic differences between leopard and crested geckos!

It's all about personal preference and how much space you have. It's also about your willingness to pay money for the equipment required (leopard geckos do tend to be more expensive).

I hope you enjoyed the post!

Elly. x

An Update in Bulk!

Good day everybody, and welcome back!

I'm going to be posting a lot at the moment, as I've unfortunately come down with the chicken pox (we think!). We're not sure yet, but we're heading to the doctors tonight. If I have it, I will be off from college for the next 2 weeks with not a lot to do. So, you lucky fans will be getting triple the number of posts! Hooray!

Before I start, I'd like to apologise for not posting a lot about Rocco and Savannah recently. I'm going to try to do this at least once a fortnight so you can know how they're coming along. The reason behind it is that I've been getting a whole lot more views from the advisory posts. People seem to like these, and it helps my blog to seem professional rather than personal.

I do, however, have a lot to tell you! So in stead of getting little snippets throughout the week, you're going to get news in BULK.

My first piece of news is that I believe Rocco and Savannah may have mated last night.

I've had suspicions about them mating for a few weeks now, due to a lack of crests down Savannah's back. We thought maybe this was just the way her crests had formed, as she's still growing and they may not have fully developed yet.

However, last night I swear they got down and jiggy with it! I heard a little squeaking, shuffling around and bumping during the night, and woke up this morning to find them sleeping together.

I know I said that Rocco and Savannah usually sleep together, but this is not so much the case anymore. Now they're in the bigger vivarium and they've got all that space, they tend to spend less time together and more time exploring. When they had a smaller enclosure, they were basically forced into cuddling!

Here's a quick picture I took of the happy couple (Rocco left, Savannah right) sharing a branch a moment ago. I usually wouldn't allow Rocco to sleep upside-down, but I don't want to disturb them. They look so cozy and cute snuggled up together...

I really hope she becomes gravid! I'm eager for eggs!

Some other news is that the pair of them have been eating impeccably well.

Those of you who followed my previous posts that mainly updated on Rocco and Savannah will know that the pair of them are fussy eaters. Rocco won't eat a lot of foods and won't hunt, and Savannah only eats the wriggliest of live-foods or CGD!

I've been encouraging them to consume mealworms for the past few weeks and it is all they've been eating. I've got Savannah to do a lot of hunting, and Rocco a little bit, and they've munched down at least 3 worms every 2 days. I'm very proud of them, particularly Rocco.

Savannah has also gotten so big!

She's becoming a lot darker with age and she's still not the most sociable of crested geckos, but boy is she growing. I've not caught her shedding yet, although I've had suspicions of her shedding multiple times now.

I'm impressed how such a little thing could have grown so much in such a short time!

Here's a picture of the 'golden girl', clinging onto Mama!

(Sorry for the messy room in the background, haha! I was having a sick day!)

I mentioned in a previous post that we had a little trouble with Rocco and calcium.

I noticed that his tail was slightly crooked and I couldn't get him to open his mouth, so I couldn't check his calcium sacs. I was immediately worried he might be suffering from calcium deficiency, because at the time I was basically starving him until he would eat the live food I offered them.

So, to resolve the issue, I mixed a load of calcium with the water on his favourite 'drinking leaf'. He lapped it all up, and so did Savannah, and in a few days of doing so his beautiful tail was repaired! I don't know if this was coincidental or it was purely down to the extra calcium, but at least I know he was getting what he needed.

I would recommend this method for anybody who has doubts.

Last but not least, I am planning some time soon to have a massive photo shoot!

I've advertised a little bit through the people I know to find a photographer who can help me take some natural pictures of Rocco and Savannah to use in the blog. I'm hoping to catch them eating, drinking, licking their eyes, jumping, climbing - all the natural things they do on a daily basis to use as images on my blog.

When I write posts, it's annoying to have to link the images to their original source, and I feel like I'm cheating to use other people's pictures! It would be good to have a set of my own to use in my advice posts. So this will be occurring soon!

That's pretty much the last of my news at the moment. Other than that, you should know that Rocco and Savannah are doing very well.

I miss them a lot when I'm at college (sad, I know!) so it will be good to spend time with them now I'm home for a while.

I hope you enjoyed the quick update.

I will be posting tomorrow, or perhaps even later today, with an advice post if you're interested.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Elly. x

Calcium Problems

Most crested gecko owners should know that calcium is a very important part of a crestie's diet.
Calcium helps with growth, strengthening bones, shedding and egg production. Your crested gecko needs quite a lot of it, especially when younger, pregnant or due a shed.

What are 'calcium sacs' and how do I check them?

'Calcium sacs' are quite literally sacs of calcium. They are white, spherical pouches on the roof of your crestie's mouth that store calcium for when it is needed. If your crested gecko is getting a decent amount of calcium within their diet, their calcium sacs will be full of calcium. They should appear large and an off-white colour. If they appear depleted, your crested gecko might not be getting enough calcium within their diet. However, it could be because of something else. For example, a female crested gecko uses a lot of calcium during egg production to build the egg. If your female is gravid or laying, all or most of the calcium will probably be used up from the sacs.

A healthy crested gecko's calcium sacs - www.pangeareptile.com

To check your crestie's calcium sacs, you just need your gecko to open his mouth. Some cresties will do this just by a simple touch at the corners of their mouth, which will allow you to peer inside. Some however will literally need prizing open! I've heard of a lot of people using credit cards and other thin objects to slip between the crested gecko's 'lips', causing them to open their mouths.

You shouldn't really force your gecko's mouth open unless you really feel the need to check the calcium sacs. This could be if you have suspicions or have noticed signs of a calcium deficiency, or perhaps if you believe your female is pregnant. You don't want to stress your crestie out unnecessarily, as this could lead to other health issues. Always play it safe!

A baby or juvenile probably won't use their calcium sacs as often, and won't have full calcium sacs. This is because they will be constantly using their calcium for growth. Don't panic if your hatchling or juvenile doesn't appear to have calcium sacs!

How can I tell if my crestie has a calcium deficiency?

Calcium deficiency in crested geckos is easily diagnosed by owners. It is very rare in well-fed crested geckos, although it can be life-threatening and crippling.

An early sign of calcium deficiency is a 'squiggly' tail. It could be a full-on squiggle like in the picture below, or just slightly crooked and bent. If you spot either, you should seriously attempt to check your crestie's calcium sacs. If you don't get them calcium quickly, serious health problems could occur.

A crested gecko with calcium deficiency - www.reptileobsession.blogspot.com

Other later, more severe signs of calcium deficiency are: a soft and flexible jaw and a curved spine. This is because calcium is used for the strengthening, growth and repair of bones. Once calcium is removed from the diet, bones cannot grow or repair themselves, and become weak.

In very serious cases, your crested gecko may lose the ability to walk.

What causes calcium deficiency?

This may seem fairly obvious to you: a lack of calcium! But how do you know that you're not giving your crested gecko enough calcium?

For owners who use Crested Gecko Diet (Repashy's or Komodo), the mixture already comes with the correct amount of calcium and multivitamins inside it. This is brilliant news for you, as you have no need to worry about calcium deficiency! However, owners like myself that have to apply calcium to our gecko's foods do have to worry.

It's fairly difficult to go wrong with this: you simply sprinkle your live-food with enough calcium to simply 'dust' them. This means covering them with a light layer of the powder. Imagine snow in the winter that just covers the ground in a light powder - you don't want it six inches deep!

www.vitalimpact.com

The problem generally occurs if you add absolutely no or too much calcium to your food. On the label it states that calcium can not cause overdose, which is correct, but it can cause an immunity. If you feed your crestie too much of a vitamin supplement that has calcium in it, it can prevent calcium absorption and have the opposite affect as stated. Be careful you don't add extra to 'just make sure'! It's probably okay once or twice, but not on a regular basis.

Make sure you always add calcium to whatever food you are giving if it does not already contain it. Check on a packaged food label, and it should state if it contains the correct amount of calcium. If you are giving your gecko a home-made fruit puree, shop-bought fruit puree or live food, you should make sure to always add calcium to the mixture.

What can I do if I spot a calcium deficiency?

If you spot the early signs of calcium deficiency, for example empty calcium sacs and/or a slightly wavy tail, you should at first try to determine the cause of the issue. Is it due to your feeding methods? Have you been feeding fruit to your crestie with no or little calcium? Have you been overdoing it by heaping calcium onto the food? Could your crestie, if female, be gravid or laying? Has your crestie been rejecting food?

When you come to the root of your problem, you should simply try to correct the issue. Recently, I had worried that Rocco might be lacking calcium after he'd been rejecting food for a while. I knew that he was constantly drinking, and loves licking at water from a cupped leaf in the vivarium. So, I experimented a little! I mixed calcium in with the water and held him to the leaf. He lapped it all up, and every single bit of calcium! I continued for a few days until I felt like it was no longer an issue.

www.megaray.co.uk

Try to find ways to give your gecko the calcium that he needs. It could be as simple as adding more calcium to his food!
If you begin to spot any serious signs of calcium deficiency, you should get your gecko seen immediately. Calcium deficiency can be deadly, and you probably need to seriously alter your ways. You should take your crested gecko to a vet, preferably a reptile specialist who will know how to resolve and treat the issue, and get immediate help.

If you have any more questions on calcium, you can contact me in the comments below!

Thank you very much for reading, and I will be posting again soon.

Elly. x

Your Most Commonly Asked Questions Answered

There are some questions that I hear people ask constantly, whereas others are asked less often.

Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions. If you have any other questions just add them to the comments below, and I will respond as quickly as possible! If your question is suitably relevant, interesting and worthy of the post I might even think about adding it to the entry. ;-) if you're lucky!

I hope that this post gives you the answers you've been searching for!

Why can't my crested gecko stick to the glass?

I had the same issue with Rocco recently.

The main reason for this is due to shed stuck to the bottom of a crested gecko's feet. Sometimes if a crestie has difficulty shedding, or any reptile, bits of shed can remain stuck to the body. This could be due to a lack of humidity, or if the reptile can't find any rough object to help with the shedding. It isn't usually an issue, and only large pieces of shed stuck to the body (which should be reasonably noticable!) should cause any major issues such as growth limitation.

www.digplanet.com

Crested geckos have 'sticky pads' on the bottoms of their feet called lamellae. These are hair-like structures that help your gecko to cling to smooth surfaces thus climb. If shed becomes stuck on the bottom of the feet, your gecko might have difficulty sticking to smooth surfaces. If you find that he has this problem, you can easily cure it by bathing him. It's pretty easy: just place your gecko in shallow, lukewarm water for a few seconds or so. This should rid of the shed. If the shed still doesn't come off, you can try removing it gently with a cotton ear bud.

If you find your gecko doesn't have shed stuck on his feet, then it is most likely due to too low humidity in the vivarium. This can be cured by purchasing a dial hygrometer to measure the humidity in the enclosure, and spraying more heavily and more frequently.

Why doesn't my crested gecko want to eat?

This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions I hear.

Crested geckos may not want to eat for many reasons and may often be put off their food. Some are more serious than others, and some are more temporary than others!

The main reason for a loss in appetite in cresties is stress. This is usually down to moving enclosures, being introduced to new people, being introduced to new geckos etc etc. The causes of the stress should be pretty obvious to you. It will almost definitely happen when you get a new gecko. The stress of travelling, being in a small enclosure during travelling, being introduced to a new home and to a new owner should stress your gecko out completely for a few days. You should not expect him to eat at this time.

Crested geckos may also be reluctant to eat if introduced to a new food. I often have this trouble with Rocco and Savannah, and they almost go into a 'sulking' mode for the first few feeds with the new food. After they've realised that the food is tasty and that they are being fed this food from now on, you shouldn't have any trouble.

www.aqualandpetplus.com

Your crested gecko might also not want to eat if they don't like their food. Rocco doesn't actually like Crested Gecko Diet, and he's very fussy about what he eats. Other than fruit, he is completely motivated by movement and won't eat something unless it's super wriggly! This could be the main issue for your crested gecko, too. You should try to find a food that is either really flavoursome, or moves around a lot! It will be good exercise for your gecko too.

Why doesn't my new crested gecko want to be handled?

When you first get your crested gecko, don't expect it to want to be held all the time. If it's a store-bred gecko, it's likely that it was rarely handled and is not used to human contact.

If your crestie is young, it is more likely he will be jumpy and flighty when handling. To avoid this, you should allow your crested gecko to get used to you before handling properly. Put your hand in the vivarium and allow him to get to know your smell. After a while he should climb onto your hand. If you continue doing this routine, handling inside the vivarium for a week or two, you should be okay to handle outside the vivarium. Just be careful with where you go if your crested gecko is still jumpy! You don't want to lose him.

You must also remember that a crested gecko isn't naturally man-handled in the wild. Especially at first, this is an unnatural and stressful experience for him! Don't expect him to settle right away.

www.reptileexpert.org

Even when you do handle your crested geckos properly, you mustn't over-handle them. Reptiles don't really enjoy handling overall, but they will tolerate it. This is the general rule, although there are cases where reptiles do appear to enjoy handling, and other cases where they will not tolerate it!

Why doesn't my crested gecko drink from the water bowl?

As the majority of you Crestie owners will know, crested geckos spend most of their time vertical. They hide away behind leaves in branches and plants and stick to the side of the vivarium. It's rare to actually see your crested gecko epromg the vivarium floor.

Because of this, unless desperate for food and/or water, you shouldn't often see your gecko drinking or eatin from a bowl on the vivaro floor. They may do so at night when you are asleep - crested geckos tend to be quite shy about eating in your presence.

www.redbubble.com

You will more likely see your gecko drink from falling water droplets. When you spray your vivarium of an evening, you should notice him fake a drink from the water droplets on the glass or branches. If you don't see this then don't worry! Your gecko won't die of thirst. A humid vivarium prevents dehydration.

Why is my crested gecko pale?

In humans, being pale is a sign of poor health. It is quite the opposite in crested geckos!

Crested geckos become pale just before they shed their skin. Shedding is a sign of good health! It means your Crestie is growing well. Crested geckos shed when their bodies require room to grow. Their skin is not elastic like ours and does not grow with them.

www.flickriver.com

If your crested gecko resembles the white/pale end of the gecko above, you do not need to panic! He/she is just due a shed and should shed that evening. They will be back to their bright and vibrant selves in the morning!

Why does my crested gecko not move in the day?

This answer is pretty obvious, and the question tends to make me chuckle! However, for those who don't know much about the crested gecko, you should probat know that they are nocturnal. In less scientific terms, they sleep during the day!

www.flickriver.com

It is not abnormal to find that your gecko is in the same place in the evening that you saw her in the morning. She's fine. She's not dead, ill or 'lazy'! She's simply sleeping, and you should try not to distin her until evening. She's probably comfortable!

Why is my crested gecko's tail twitching?

A crested gecko 'wagging its tail' is not a sign of pleasure like a dog. It doesn't mean your Crestie is happy; in fact, it is quite the opposite.

Your crested gecko wagging his tail is a sign of stress, and if you should see this happen you should b k AY immediately! It could be an indication of tail-dropping.

www.thegeckospot.net

For those of you who don't know, a crested gecko drops its tail in stressful situations. It does NOT grow back. This is not harmful or less an advantage to a crested gecko, but you do not want to risk infection or to put your gecko through such stressful and sinful situations. Us, their tails are beautifn

Why is my crested gecko opening his mouth?

You have to be careful not to mistake the opening of the mouth for licking of the eyes or face. Crested geckos regularly lick their eyes to provide moisture, due to the fact they have no eyelids. Occasionally it can appear that your crestie is opening his mouth up, although really he is just licking his eyes.

However, if you do observe that your crested gecko is opening his mouth and is not licking his eyes, you should try to avoid handling him immediately, or stop whatever you're doing that could be stressing him out. The opening of the mouth is a sign of stress, which could in turn lead to lack of appetite, aggression towards the owner (although this is rare) and most commonly, as previously mentioned, tail-dropping!

www.pangeareptile.com

The above image is a pretty inaccurate representation of a crested gecko opening his mouth, because it is a pretty extreme case of this! The likelihood is that this crestie was acting aggressively at the time or was encouraged to open his mouth (possibly in the event of checking the calcium sacs).

Your crested gecko doesn't have to open his mouth this wide, or for long, to show signs of stress. You should always keep an eye out for it if possible.

Why is my crested gecko cold?

Crested geckos are reptiles, and therefore they are cold-blooded. This means that their body temperature varies with their surroundings. Humans and other mammals are warm-blooded, and no matter the temperature of our surroundings we generally stay around 37 Celsius. A crested gecko's body will not respond to a temperature change, and the body temperature of a cold-blooded animal will increase or decrease as does the temperature of the surroundings.

coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu

Generally your crested gecko should feel a little bit cool. Cold is not really a healthy sign and might signify that your vivarium is too cool for your gecko. Otherwise, cool is good! Our body temperature is around 37 Celsius, and an ideal temperature for a vivarium is 21. Your gecko should be roughly the same temperature as the inside of the vivarium, so feeling slightly colder than yourself is probably a good sign.

Can I feed my crested gecko baby food?

This question continuously comes up, and it raises so much controversy and debate. People get so angry and heated over this topic of conversation, and really there is no true answer! I think it's mainly down to matter of opinion, but I can guarantee you, without a shadow of a doubt, that the occasional feed of baby food is not harmful.

You should never, I must admit, feed baby food or any form of fruit puree as your crested gecko's staple food. Feeding once a week/fortnight alongside a nutritious staple food such as gut-loaded/dusted crickets and/or Crested Gecko Diet is fine. In the wild, cresties come across and feed on fruit. It has a sweet taste that they enjoy, and is generally more attractive than the taste of CGD or live food! You will even find that Crested Gecko Diet is mixed with fruit flavour to attract crested geckos.

There are many issues raised with baby food. Does it really have any nutritional value whatsoever? The truth is, not really, although it may have some. It contains vitamins and minerals and natural sugars, which are always a good thing, but not much more than that. Mixing the fruit with multivitamin supplements and/or Calci Dust could raise the nutritional value of the fruit.

You should really think about baby food like cake. Cake is delicious, but to feed on it everyday wouldn't be good for you. However, every now and then along with a healthy and balanced basic diet will not harm you, and at most will make you feel happy and motivated.

So, to answer the question, yes you can feed your crested gecko on baby food. No it won't kill him, so long as you don't feed it to him everyday!

Why is my crested gecko sleeping upside-down?

This is a question I can't really answer.

Why your crestie is sleeping upside-down I don't really know, but I find my own cresites, particularly Rocco, doing it sometimes. I think it's just a comfortable position for them, and they happened to settle down this way. It doesn't necessarily mean anything.

However, it is important that you try not to let your crested gecko sleep upside-down. There's something called Floppy Tail Syndrome that I've mentioned in a previous post, commonly known as FTS. This is when the crested gecko's tail falls across the body for a long period of time, causing the tail to permanently fall backwards or in a sideways position across the body of the gecko.

www.jbscresties.com

Floppy Tail Syndrome is not necessarily harmful or painful for your gecko. It's not a health risk and you shouldn't worry that he is in pain or suffering from his choice of sleeping positions! It's purely cosmetic, although is something that should be avoided if possible. No one wants a wonky limb, so why let your gecko get a wonky tail!
If you do happen to find your crested gecko sleeping upside-down, simply scoop him up and place him horizontally or upright.

Why is my crested gecko licking his eyes?

This is something I actually explained fully in an above answer, but this is something some people are grossed out by or are interested in.

Crested geckos don't have any eyelids. As humans we have a blinking reflex that allows our eyelids to close, providing moisture to our eyes. The eyes secrete lubricants and tears through the tear duct that moistens the conjunctiva and the cornea (the outer layers of the eye). Blinking stops the eye from drying out and helps to protect it from irritants.

As crested geckos don't have eyelids, they're unable to blink. In stead of blinking, to help keep the eyes moistened and free from dirt and irritants, they will reach their long tongue around their mouth until it reaches their eyes. They will usually take about 3 licks around the facial area before reaching their eyes.

www.talkphotography.co.uk

If the whole eye-licking experience creeps you out, it's probably best that you don't purchase a crested gecko. It's something they do pretty often, almost as often as... Well, blinking!

Can I keep more than one crested gecko together?

Yes, sometimes.

The answer to this depends on the gender of the geckos you're planning to keep and the size of the vivarium you have to offer. It also really depends on the temperament of your original gecko, if you already have one.

Two females are always okay to keep together. There should never really be any fighting between two females, as there is no need to express any dominance. So long as you try to avoid competition in the enclosure, e.g. there is enough food and space, then you shouldn't have any issues and they should appreciate the same-species company.

www.freewebs.com

Two males can never really be kept together. There have been few successful cases of this where all competition has been avoided and the males have gotten along okay, but you should really try to avoid this mix if you can, unless accidental due to incorrect sexing. Males will try to assert dominance and will fight - until the death. One will end up dead, if not seriously injured, if kept together for a long period of time.

A male and a female can be kept together, so long as you're prepared for breeding. You can keep a male with up to approximately 4 females. You shouldn't find the females fighting over the male, as it is usually the male that initiates copulation. You should never keep more than one male together with females, as they will definitely fight over the female(s) that they wish to mate with. Only be prepared to keep opposite genders together if you can provide an enclosure for the male at the end of the meeting season, and an enclosure for the hatchlings until they are ready to be sold. You should also have somewhere safe where you can incubate the eggs.

Why is my crested gecko changing colour?

Crested geckos change colour according to their stress levels, the amount of light, the time of day and humidity. You will find that if the room is bright, they are more stressed/active than usual and/or they are in a humid environment/the surface of their scales is wet, they should be 'fired up'.

'Fired up' is the term used to describe the more vibrant morph of your crested gecko. They should have 2 main colour schemes: fired up and fired down. One should be a more vibrant shade of the other.

If you see your crested gecko is a different colour, don't worry! He hasn't spontaneously reproduced overnight, and you didn't accidentally purchase a chameleon!

www.reptilesthatdontsuck.com

This is quite an extreme case of firing up, and the colour shouldn't usually change as much as in the image above! However, it should give you an idea of the difference between fired up and down.

Can I keep my crested gecko in my pocket?

I've known various people that have done this, claiming they enjoy to be close and that it makes them feel safe in the dark, tight spaces.

Well, the answer to this question is simply no. You should never put your crested gecko, or any pet for that matter, in your pocket. You should never really have your crested gecko out for more than 15 minutes as you want to encourage natural behaviour and don't want to cause unnecessary stress. You should also not risk suffocation, tail-loss, high stress levels or harming your gecko in any way. Your gecko probably does not like to be kept in your pocket at all, so please don't.

Can I let my crested gecko roam free in my house?

I've also known various people that have done this, and I would truly recommend against it. I don't think you could go to any reptile specialist and find that they'd recommend it.

Your crested gecko will struggle to hunt for food; he won't like the open spaces and unnatural environment; they will probably become aggressive and unfriendly; there are many health hazards such as electrocution, crawling into small spaces, suffocation and being squished; you might accidentally hurt your crested gecko and you will probably never see him to check on his health! There is also a huge risk of escaping, and it is unlikely that your crested gecko would be able to survive the outside world for more than a couple of days. Please people, whatever you do, keep your crested gecko in a vivarium! He will live a much happier, healthier life.

For the moment, this is the end of my question-answer session!
If you have any queries/questions, comments, ideas or advice, please feel free to comment in the section below. Alternatively, you can contact me through the following address:
elly_crook@icloud.com
This is the email address I will be primarily using from now on, although I will be checking my other email addresses regularly if you'd prefer to use those/have those stored.

Thank you very much for reading and I hope that my answers and my advice could help you today with any questions that you might have!
Elly. x

Crested Geckos: The Facts

Crested geckos are considered an exotic pet, although they are beginning to become more and more popular in your average family. It is no longer your typical, eccentric 'reptile people' who buy crested geckos - they can be found all over the place from varied individuals!
But how much do people really know about crested geckos?

I've done a lot of research on the crestie over the past few days, and I'm hoping that you will all learn something from this post. Crested geckos really are wonderful creatures, whether you love them simply because they're adorable, or because you love every little thing about their existence.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_gecko
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=2499
http://www.gallerygeckos.com/crestie-care-for-kids.html
http://thereptilereport.com/crested-geckos-in-the-wild/
http://www.acreptiles.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=316
http://www.exoticpetvet.com/breeds/turtle241211.htm
http://jbscresties.com/breeding.html

Rhacodactylus Ciliatus

Location

Crested geckos, formally known as rhacodactylus ciliatus, can be found in the Islands of New Caledonia. The islands are located in the south-west Pacific Ocean, 1,210 kilometers west of Australia.

A map of New Caledonia Islands, belonging to France - www.postcard.pics-sydney.com.au

On the islands, temperatures can range from as low as 50 Fahrenheit at night to as high as 80 Fahrenheit during the day. The average annual temperature of New Caledonia is 23 Celsius (approx 73 Fahrenheit). From November-March, the islands undergo higher humidity levels and temperatures that range from 27-30 Celsius. They experience a drier and cooler period from June-August with temperatures that vary from 20 to 23 Celsius. Due to the tropical climate of the islands, humidity is often high and stays around 80%.

Appearance

Other common names for the Crested Gecko are the New Caledonian Crested Gecko, Guichenot's Giant Gecko or the Eyelash Gecko. The term 'Eyelash Gecko' comes from the crests that can be found on the body of the gecko. The crests run from the base of the gecko's tail, up both sides of their body and over the eyes, forming the so-called 'eyelashes'.

The above image shows the crests along the eyes of the crested gecko - en.wikipedia.org

The appearance of the crested gecko varies according to the individual. A crested gecko's 'morph' can be identified by its colour and pattern, and these can carry various names. For example, the Harlequin, Pinstripe and Flame are popular morphs.

Similarly to different patterns, crested geckos often come in varied colours. The less rare colours are those such as grey, brown, green and yellow. They occasionally come in more vibrant colours such as oranges and reds. Extremely rare morphs come with a greater value, such as the 'moonglow', a white 'glowing' gecko that some believe to be a myth.

Crested geckos' colours can vary slightly according to lighting, humidity levels, temperature and stress levels. When their colour becomes more vibrant due to these factors, this is known as 'firing up'.

They have large bulging eyes and a flat, triangular head. A healthy gecko should be fairly streamlined yet with a slightly rounded belly: ribs should be somewhat visible, but not obvious.

When fully grown, a crested gecko should reach approximately 7-9 inches from nose to tail tip, although hatchlings and juveniles are much smaller.

Discovery

Crested geckos were originally thought to be extinct, but were found later on the Isle of Pines in 1994. Before that, crested geckos were only known from sketches, and had last been seen in the 1800's. It was not expected that the crested gecko would become such a popular pet, and now it is one of the 5 most popular reptiles kept as a pet around the world.

Body structure

A crested gecko's body is well-adapted for its environment.

Cresties spend a lot of their time climbing or otherwise vertical. To help them with climbing, they have 'sticky pads' on the bottoms of their feet and the tip of the tail known as 'lamellae'. The lamellae are described as hair-like structures that allow them to cling to smooth surfaces.

Lamellae on a crested gecko's foot - realityismyreligion.me

In the wild, the majority of crested geckos are found without tails. Tail-dropping is a defensive mechanism used to distract predators by the majority of lizards and geckos. Unfortunately, a crested gecko's tail does not grow back. Although perhaps less attractive, a crested gecko without a tail is not under any disadvantage in comparison to those with.

A crested gecko without a tail - www.pangeareptile.com

Your crestie might lose their tail in any situation of stress, or perhaps if the tail is pinched, grabbed or pulled in any way. Sometimes crested geckos lose their tails during mating, due to the fact that a male crestie will bite the female during copulation.

A crested gecko does not have eyelids. To keep the moisture in the eyes, a crestie will use their large tongue to frequently lick the surface of the eye. 

Behaviour

Those who have crested geckos will know that they spend the majority of daytime hours hiding. In the wild, crested geckos will hide away in trees and leaves in hope to not be spotted by predators. A vivarium should be equipped with plenty of hiding places, such as fake plants, leaves and branches.

Due to the webbing on their digits, streamlined body and lamellae, a crested gecko is particularly good at jumping. They can jump a reasonable distance, and appear to glide through the air.

An image over time of a crestie jumping - www.rhac-shack.co.uk

They are considered nocturnal, although a lot of crested geckos that are kept in captivity will come out during the day, even if a lot of their daytime is spent sleeping.

They do most of their hunting during night hours, particularly hunting insects such as crickets, roaches, worms and locusts. A crested gecko's motivation to hunt is provoked by movement, and the more active the prey the better. They are, however, considered omnivore due to the fact they occasionally feed on fruit.

Breeding and Reproduction

Crested geckos reproduce through the process of copulation. During the process, a male will seize the female's crests in the mouth. Often, after mating, a female's crests may appear to be missing. She may even have bite marks on her body.

Crested geckos during copulation - www.jbscresties.com

After copulation, you may see something pink that hangs from the male's vent. This is nothing for you to worry about: this is just the hemipene. Don't worry - he will lick the hemipene until it goes back into his vent.

www.pangeareptile.com

A female will lay a clutch of eggs every 30 days or so. There are 2 eggs in every clutch, although the first time or so your female may only lay one egg, or the eggs might be infertile. Infertile eggs can be distinguished due to their yellow colouring, in stead of the normal white colouring.

The female, after being gravid (pretty much pregnant with eggs!) for approximately 30 days, will bury into some form of soft substrate. If you do not have substrate in the bottom of your vivarium, you might want to consider supplying some form of nesting box. This way, the eggs can also be removed easily for incubation. The female will partially, or even fully, bury her body into the soil to lay her eggs. You should not be alarmed if you see her buried into the soil: she will be able to breathe fine. Try not to disturb her whilst laying, or you could interrupt the process.

A crestie laying her eggs in a nesting box - www.pangeareptile.com

Eggs should be removed for incubation. There is no need to supply heat to the eggs during incubation: the general rule is the cooler the better. Eggs can be kept at room temperature during incubation and kept in the same position in the substrate. There is no need to turn the eggs, as eggs would naturally be buried in the same position. High temperatures and movement of the eggs may disrupt the development of the crested gecko inside the egg.

The cooler the eggs are kept, the longer they take to hatch. This is most likely beneficial to the development of the gecko. Incubation should usually last around 65-120 days before hatching.

www.theurbanboa.com

The two eggs should hatch within the same day, often within an hour of each other if kept under the same conditions. There shouldn't be any need to assist the hatchling with hatching.

When the eggs are hatched, you should place the hatchlings into a smaller enclosure. Keeping them in a larger vivarium can be stressful and make it very difficult for them to hunt for food. You can try keeping your hatchlings in a critter keeper: small, plastic containers used to store crickets and other live food. So long as your container of choice is equipped with hiding places, climbing material and possibly substrate, you should be okay.

Captivity

Crested geckos are one of the top 5 most popular reptiles kept as pets in the Europe and the United States since their rediscovery in 1994.

When kept in captivity, cresties are kept in fairly large glass enclosures called vivariums/terrariums. Vivariums are equipped with fake plants, climbing equipment, branches, substrate and leaves.

www.captivebred.co.uk

In captivity, temperatures are kept at approx. room temperature through the use of thermometers. In cooler climates such as the UK, heat mats and/or bulbs should be purchased to prevent the vivarium from becoming too cold.

Humidity levels can also be monitored through the use of a hygrometer, and kept high through the use of a mistifier. These can be as simple as a water spray bottle to spray the vivarium heavily each evening, or an electric mistifier that sprays the cage automatically. Water features in the vivarium can also be useful to maintain its humidity.

In captivity, crested geckos are fed from various sources. Live food can be bought from the majority of pet and reptile stores, in the form of crickets, locusts, roaches and worms. The most popular choices are black crickets and meal worms. These should be dusted with calcium and/or multivitamins, and should come gut-loaded.

A crested gecko consuming a black cricket - www.reptileexpert.org

Another very popular feeding choice is Crested Gecko Diet. Crested Gecko Diet, commonly known as CGD, is a powder-like substance mixed with water to form a paste. The powder contains crushed insects, fruits, calcium and vitamins, and supplies cresties with everything that they need to maintain their health. It's particularly good for those who are squeamish about insects, or can't be fussed with adding Calci-Dust and multivitamin supplements. Crested Gecko Diet comes in two main brands: Repashy and Komodo.

A juvenile eating Crested Gecko Diet - www.ddreptiles.net

The final feeding option often causes controversy between reptile owners - fruit. It is debatable about the nutritional value of fruit for a crested gecko. Should we feed our cresties fruit puree/baby food, and does it really contain anything that they need?

It can certainly be said that fruit doesn't contain anything harmful for your gecko, and it is a natural food source in the wild. So long as it is fed alongside some other form of staple food, e.g. CGD or crickets, fruit is a tasty treat for your crestie that they will surely enjoy.

Hopefully this has given you a bit more of an insight into the crested gecko.

If there's any other sections you'd like me to add or anything else you'd like to know, you can leave a comment below and I should be able to do some research and help you out.

This post took a lot of researching and a lot of time and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the crested gecko in such an in-depth way.

I will be posting again soon, but I have recently returned from hospital and I start college tomorrow.

Rocco and Savannah are doing well, and there isn't much to tell about them as of yet.

I will update you if anything comes up.

Thank you ever so much for reading!
Feedback is appreciated.

Elly. x

How to Keep Your Crested Gecko Healthy

The most important thing in any pet is maintaining their health. If you have a healthy gecko, then he/she is more likely to be happier, more active and live a longer, fulfilled life.

A crested gecko's health is easy to maintain when you know what you're doing. So long as you know what things to consider and the signs of poor health, you're well on your way to a smiling gecko!

From thereptilereport.com

Hygiene

A healthy person has good hygiene. They bathe and shower, wash their hands to rid of germs, clean the house; if you're unclean, you're more likely to get sick.

The same applies for a crested gecko. Although they may not be able to wash their hands and take a morning shower, it is important that their surroundings are hygienic as not to cause disease.

You should spot-clean your vivarium frequently. Spot cleaning is important to rid of any excrements and fecal matter in the terrarium, as this can be harmful to both your crestie and yourself. A crested gecko's feces can spread salmonella if there is a lack of hygiene.

About once every one or two months, you will need to perform an entire vivarium clean-out. This will involve removing equipment from the vivarium and cleaning everything, including the glass, the floor, the back wall, the equipment in the vivarium and changing any substrate. Effective cleaning starts with the removal of excrements with a warm, damp cloth, followed by spraying with reptile-friendly disinfectant.

Nutrients

Just as people need a varied diet to be healthy, a crested gecko needs a balance of various vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium. What you feed your gecko can seriously influence their health, their growth and how active they are.

The main thing your crested gecko requires is calcium. If you feed him on live food, you'll need to make sure you purchase some Calci-Dust. This can simply be sprinkled on the insect of choice before feeding.

To check that your crested gecko has high enough calcium levels, you can check the white sacs on the roofs of their mouths. These are called their 'calcium sacs'.

www.pangeareptile.com

A crested gecko with calcium deficiency could be identified by their tail.

Healthy crested geckos should have strong, straight tails. However, a crested gecko with a lack of calcium could have a squiggly tail like a snake.

www.reptileobsession.blogspot.com

You should also purchase a multi-vitamin supplement for your cresties, to ensure they're getting everything that they need. This can be particularly beneficial to their health, growth and strength.

If you feed your gecko on Crested Gecko Diet, you won't need to worry about these supplements. CGD comes with everything your crested gecko needs already mixed in.

A natural, healthy environment

Temperature, humidity, natural surroundings and ventilation are important environmental factors to a gecko's health.

Any crested gecko owner should know that the temperature in the vivarium should not exceed 80F/26C, or drop below 50F/10C. Anything above or below this temperature range can cause a crested gecko to become stressed, leading to many health issues such as a lack of appetite and motivation/exercise. This can be avoided by purchasing an Exo Terra thermometer for the inside of your vivarium.

The humidity levels in your vivarium can also affect your gecko's health. It is not a huge issue, but should be kept above 50%. Your vivarium should be misted heavily nightly and possibly lightly at morning, but humidity should be higher at night time when your crested gecko is active. If your female is gravid(pregnant) or you believe your crested gecko is due a shed, you should try and keep the humidity levels higher. A lack of humidity can cause dehydration and difficulties in shedding and/or laying.

Ventilation is a very important factor, too. Not only does this create a more natural feel for your gecko, but with a fairly warm temperature and high humidity inside your vivarium, it is basically a breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms. Ventilation can help rid of this problem.

To make sure your crested gecko lives naturally, you should surround him with things you may find in the wild: natural soils, plants, leaves, vines and branches are the best things. You should make sure they feel comfortable in their surroundings and are acting as natural as possible. Allow them to hunt if you can, although some cresties may be difficult about this.

Know what to look for

You should know the signs of poor health, so you can act if anything is wrong.

I've already spoken about calcium deficiency, and how checking the shape of the tail and your gecko's calcium sacs can help you to identify a lack of calcium.

Sometimes if your crested gecko isn't sticking to the glass properly, this could indicate shed stuck to your crestie's feet. This can be an issue for your gecko, and you can help remove this shed by bathing them. You may need to use a cotton ear bud to help this further.

A healthy crested gecko foot; www.design-newyork.com

If this is not the case, it could be that humidity levels in your vivarium are too low. You might want to think about raising the humidity if your gecko cannot stick to the glass.

A crested gecko may also get 'floppy tail syndrome', commonly known as FTS, if sleeping upside-down. This is when the tail unnaturally droops over the body. To avoid this, if you do see your gecko sleeping upside-down you should place him onto a horizontal surface.

www.geckosintails.com

Lack of appetite and motivation may also indicate an issue. If your gecko does not eat for a few days later than he should have, or has appeared lethargic and out of sorts, you should contact a reptile professional and/or a vet immediately.

If you have any questions or queries about your crested gecko's health, please do leave a comment below, or contact me personally at one of the following addresses:

roccothegecko@gmail.com

elly_crook@icloud.com

Thank you for reading.

Elly. x