If you love exotic animals and reptiles, then you must have laid eyes on the crested gecko. If you want to have them as a pet, you will find they are easily domesticated. However, it will be better to ensure that their enclosure is safe and quiet, and their diet is wholesome and nutritious. Crested geckos can live for twenty years, and taking care of these two factors will ensure they live their full life cycle.

Here are some things to keep in mind for proper crested gecko care.

Nutritious Food

Crested geckos are carnivorous, so you need to give them food from animal sources. Dubia roaches are an excellent protein source, and smaller insects like worms, caterpillars, moths, crickets, and grasshoppers make a good meal for them. Geckos love to hunt, which is why they prefer live insects. 

You can get dubia roaches from trusted suppliers to make sure they are getting their required dose of protein and other vital nutrients.

Lots of Space to Move Around

You cannot have a crested gecko as a pet if you do not have enough space on your premises. Ideally, you would need a twenty-gallon tank for a fully grown gecko, which can grow up to eight or ten inches, from nose to tip. Crested geckos love to jump and climb, and restricting their movement in small enclosures or tanks is not a good idea.

Separate Space for Two or More Geckos

If you plan on petting more than one gecko, make sure you have designed an enclosure with separate corners because they can get very territorial. You do not want them fighting and killing off each other. 

Their enclosure should closely resemble their natural habitat, with branches to climb and little nooks and corners to hide. That way, they will be able to cohabit without being a danger to each other.

Choosing the Right Substrate

It is necessary to choose the right substrate for proper crested gecko care. A substrate on the floor of the enclosure helps in creating a semblance of their natural habitat. However, although geckos are mostly desert animals, it is not advisable to use loose sand as a substrate. 

Geckos bred in captivity are not used to environmental hazards, and it could get into their eyes and mouth while they are jumping or climbing. Try to use options like coconut pulp or peat moss, which are not just comfortable but also help them regulate their body temperature.

Proper Light and Temperature

Crested geckos rely on an external source of heat to regulate body temperature. They prefer temperatures between 78 degrees to 82 degrees, and at night, the temperature can be around the low 70s. You should also humidify the enclosure every day with a spray mist, and about 70% humidity is required for them to shed their skin healthily. 

Also, you should never leave your gecko entirely in the dark. Even at night, leave a night bulb on over their enclosure but make sure there are dark corners inside it if they want to escape it. At day time, you will find them sleeping in the sun as they are nocturnal animals. Crested geckos make for great first-time reptile pets, and proper crested gecko care will make sure they thrive under your watch.

I travel the entire world while blogging and doing freelancing services. Before I started writing for a living I experimented with various occupations, but writing is my favourite job and doing it full time makes me happy. I helped many of my clients build their audience online. I love creating unique and research-driven contents.
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