Care Sheet - Crested Geckos (Rhacodactylus ciliatus)

Crested Geckos (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) are native to mainland New Caledonia

and at least one small surrounding island. Crested Geckos are mainly arboreal
(tree dwellers), however they will seek out hiding places near the ground to sleep
during the day. Crested Geckos feed on both insects and fruits and in most cases
can be kept at room temperature.
The crested geckos ease of care, unusual appearance, and unlimited breeding
potential, has contributed to their exploding popularity and has pushed the
crested gecko to the forefront of the herp community.
Housing
Crested geckos can be housed in many different ways. The following can be
used as a guideline but is not set in stone.
Crested Geckos can be maintained in simple conditions or in elaborate
naturalistic vivarium. Hatchlings to four month old cresteds can be housed in 10
gallon aquariums. Four month old to adult crested geckos should be housed in a
30x30x45cm(LWT) tall terrarium or larger. Three adult cresteds can be
comfortably housed in a 90 x 45 x 45cm(LWH) terrarium.
Hatchlings, newly acquired animals, and sick animals should be housed in simple
cages. These simple cages should contain plenty of climbing structures, some
artificial foliage for cover, newspaper or paper towel substrate, and a small water
dish. The cage should be kept particularly clean during quarantine. All newly
acquired animals should be kept separate from any other reptiles in your
collection for at least 30 days. All crested geckos should be lightly misted with
water once every evening as they will do best with moderate humidity.
Naturalistic terrariums/vivariums can be quite a visual spectacle and can add a
new dimension to the keeping of captive reptiles. Crested Geckos are an ideal
candidate for a naturalistic cage setup once they have passed the hatchling

stage. I recommend Orchid Bark type substrate or something similar. This

substrate should be used dry if your cresteds are breeding so that they do not lay
their eggs in it. Provide a separate container (5" X 5") of moist peat and
vermiculite (50-50 mix) or Moss in the cage for egg laying geckos. Hide the egg
laying container by using a slab of cork bark to conceal it. Live plants can be
used in the enclosure but care must be taken to prevent eggs from being laid in
the pots. The best solution to this is to place a one to two inch layer of very
course stones over the soil, these stones should be large enough that they
cannot be ingested! Plants that can be used include any species of ficus, pothos,
or philodendron, to name just a few. Cork bark and bamboo sections provide
excellent climbing surfaces. Use your imagination and be creative, which is the
key to enjoying a naturalistic vivarium!
Morphs and Colours:
Crested Geckos come in a variety of different colour and pattern morphs.
Temperature, heating, and lighting:
Temperatures for crested geckos should be maintained between 72 and 82F for
most of the year. At temperatures of 85F or warmer, crested geckos will become
stressed, which could lead to illness or death. A two month cooling period is
recommended to allow breeding crested geckos to rest. During this period
temperatures should be kept at 65 to 70F.
A photo period of 12 to 14 hours of light is appropriate for most of the year, with
ten hours of light being appropriate during the cooling period. Lighting is most
easily achieved with the use of fluorescent tubes placed directly on the cage top.
This will facilitate both the requirements of the geckos and the live plants within
the enclosure should you choose to have them. It is unnecessary to use UVB
lighting for crested geckos. For large collections consider lighting the entire room
with natural or artificial light. Crested Geckos may cease breeding and laying
eggs if they are given less than 12 hours of light.
In most situations room temperature is adequate for crested geckos, as long as
the temperature stays within 70 to 82. If you are attempting to breed you
Crested Geckos, temps should be kept between 75 and 80 for optimum
production. If temps cannot be kept in this range, a nocturnal red or blue heat
light can be suspended above the cage for 24 hour heat. This type of light also
allows for nocturnal viewing. Crested Geckos are not disturbed by this
wavelength of light so it will not interrupt their photo period. Ceramic infrared
heaters have also been used successfully; however these do not provide any
visible light, making it difficult to view the geckos when they are most active.
Diet and Feeding:
Crested geckos feed on a variety of insects and fruits. Crickets, wax worms,
small roaches, and other similar insects can be offered. Hatchling crested geckos
should be offered 10-14 day old (1/8 inch) crickets every at least every other day.
Juvenile and adult crested geckos should be offered appropriate size insects
three or four times weekly. Offer insects that are no larger than the distance

between the geckos eyes, however adults can eat items that are slightly larger
than this.
Fruit baby food should be offered twice weekly for hatchlings and juvenile geckos
and 3-4 times weekly for adults. The preferred flavours are apricot, peach, pear,
apple, and banana; however other types will be consumed. This mixture can be
spiked with a sprinkle of both spirulina and bee pollen once a week. Spirulina and
bee pollen are nutrient dense super-foods that will enhance the nutritional value
of the baby food.
The new powdered diets that are on the market are another excellent source of
nutrition. You simply mix the powder with the correct amount of water and place
inside of a dish in the cage. Some geckos take to this diet right away and others
seem to be fussy, but will eventually eat it if you keep at it. If using this mix, make
sure to remove uneaten portions every morning as it tends to mould quickly. In
addition to the powdered food you should feed insects to your geckos at least
once or twice a week.
You will need to supplement the diet of your crested gecko with a calcium and
vitamin D3 powder. Hatchlings and juveniles should have their crickets lightly
dusted with this powder twice weekly. Sprinkle a small amount into their baby
food once a week as well. Breeding adults should have their crickets lightly
dusted every other feeding and their baby food sprinkled every other feeding.
Make sure the calcium supplement you use does not contain any phosphorus.
You can check the calcium storage of your adult geckos by getting them to open
their mouth and observing the calcium sacs (picture coming soon).
Vitamin supplementation is recommended for hatchling to adult crested geckos.
Use a multi-vitamin made for reptiles and dust the insects with it once weekly.
Feeding your insects a high quality diet prior to offering them to your geckos is
one of the best ways to prevent any nutritional deficiencies. This practice is
known as gut-loading. Offer insects dark leafy lettuces, carrots, fruits, trout
pellets, grains, and other foods. Crickets will eat almost anything so offer a
variety of foods and your geckos will benefit greatly.
John Gamesby