Crested Gecko

Crested Geckos (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) Care Sheet:

Crested Geckos (Rhacodactylus ciliatus)

Published: June 18, 2008

Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) Care Sheet

by: Jeffrey Howell (AKA JEFFREH)

Introduction:

Crested Geckos come from the wet and dense forests of New Caledonia and other surrounding islands. These small geckos can usually be kept at room temperature and have very basic care needs. Because of their amazing colors, alien like appearance, and their ease of care, crested geckos are becoming extremely popular in the pet trade, possibly being able to overthrow the leopard geckos rein of best pet gecko.

Like other gecko species, they have adhesive like pads on their toes as well as their prehensile tail. This allows them to climb almost any surface and it gives them plenty of maneuverability in the forests in which they live. These strange geckos also have another odd attribute, they can jump several feet if they want to. They prepare themselves and seem to measure the distance and where they want to go, and then they take a huge leap. This ability allows them to hop from tree to tree in the wild, as well as escape predators. Another predator escape trick is to drop their tail. Unfortunately, they will not grow back this tail once dropped.

Believe it or not, these lizards were actually thought to be extinct up until 1994 when they were "rediscovered" in relatively large numbers on the main island of New Caledonia, Grande Terra. From there they were taken to Europe then imported into the US.

Description:

The Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) is a very strange but magnificent looking creature. They have small crests that almost look like eyelashes (giving them their other name, the eyelash gecko) which run down from the head all the way to mid back. They can attain a length of about 7-10 inches when full grown, males being larger than females. There are now a large number of different colors and patterns available including various yellows, oranges, reds, browns, grays, and even white and green!

Housing:

The absolute minimum cage size for an adult crested gecko is a 20 gallon high aquarium. While two, maybe three could be happily housed in a 29 gallon aquarium. Male crested geckos should never be housed together; they will fight for territory as well as mates. These lizards tend to do fine solo however females can be kept together with no problems under the right conditions. Crested geckos have been known to make small clicking and chirping noises to one another, especially during breeding season.

The enclosure should be ventilated, and because crested geckos are arboreal height is better than length when it comes to housing. For a happy gecko, the enclosure should be 16+ inches and the cage should have plenty of foliage and climbing materials. They tend to only come to the ground to hunt or explore, so be sure to make any hiding places above the ground. They seem to enjoy hiding behind or on leaves and other plants best.

These geckos can be kept on a number of different substrates. The most preferred by far are coconut fibers and potting soil. However I advise that you take out any stringy pieces of the coconut so that the gecko does not choke if ingested. They can also be kept on peat moss, shelf liner, paper towel, reptile carpet, or wood chips. If using wood chips please be sure they are too large to swallow. The cage should be spot cleaned when necessary and should be completely changed every month or so.

For new or sick animals, keep the cage setup simple. Use paper towel and only a few different hiding spots. Make sure it is kept sanitary at all times and keep the gecko as comfortable as possible.

Heating, Lighting & Humidity:

Another reason the crested gecko is such a great pet, is because they can usually be kept in room temperature. The daytime temperature should be about 74 - 80 degrees F. While the Night time temperature should be about 65 - 75 degrees F. You should allow a period of cooling during the winter, especially if you plan on breeding. Do not let the temperature exceed 84 F! In the wild they are protected from the intense heat by the trees, they can stress out and die from temperatures being to hot.

A 12-14 hour period of light is beneficial to the crested gecko. It should vary from season to season, becoming cooler and darker during the winter and hotter and brighter during the summer. Being nocturnal, these geckos do not need UV lighting; however it won't hurt to have it. It is somewhat beneficial to them.

The humidity for a crested gecko should be between 60%-90%. Daily spraying 1-3 times a day should keep the humidity high enough. Mist the cage heavily at night when they are most active. It seems that they become more active and willing to feed after being sprayed.

Diet:

Crested geckos are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and fruit. This is yet another reason why they make such wonderful pets. They can be fed crickets, silkworms, and roaches. Mealworms and waxworms should be fed sparingly due to the high amount of fat in waxworms and the hard exoskeleton in the mealworm. They can eat many types of fruit, which can be served in baby food. They will eat peach, apricot, banana, pear, apple, and others will also be accepted.

Younger animals should be fed insects every day or every other day, while adults will eat insects 3 times a week or so. They should be fed 2-6 food items about ½ -1/3 the space between the eyes. The rest of the diet should compose of various fruit baby foods. Adults should eat close to a tablespoon of baby food at a feeding.

For young cresties I recommend offering different supplementation. They should be fed crickets or baby food dusted with calcium 5-7 times a week when young, and about 3 times a week when adults. They should also be fed a multivitamin supplement that can be dusted onto food items 1-3 times a week for babies and only about once a week or every couple weeks for adults. They should also be fed spirulina and bee pollen once a week mixed with baby food for added nutrients.

NEVER FEED things that you just find in your yard! Fireflies are extremely deadly and can kill your gecko if eaten. The risk of parasites or if the bug got into pesticides is too great to risk. Only feed insects that you are sure are safe.

For water, a small and shallow dish should be available at all times. Most will learn to drink from this however they will get most of their water from licking surfaces that have been recently sprayed with water.

Health:

The crested gecko is a very hardy lizard in captivity. There are very few diseases they can get, and most are treatable by a vet. One of the biggest concerns is shedding. While shedding the gecko will turn very dull, and possibly almost white. Don't be alarmed if you see your gecko eating its skin after coming off, this is 100% normal. The entire process can take 15-45 minutes. Be sure to keep the humidity very high so they can get it all off easier, and if there is some still on the toes or around the tail be sure to keep the humidity up. If you are worried that the shed skin will not come off, take a cotton swab and dampen it. Then slowly push the shed skin off. This is important because if the skin does not come off, it can constrict and completely take off the toe of the gecko.

Handling:

Personally, I find these geckos to be even tamer than leopard geckos. They are much easier to control because they cling to you with their toes and they have soft skin. These geckos will generally allow you to handle them for short periods of time, if handled gently. These geckos tend to calm down with age, and will usually become very laid back in most cases; however there are a few who are flighty. I don't recommend handling young crested geckos under the age of four months; this is the stage when they are most likely to drop their tail. Keep handling as enjoyable and stress free as possible; never handle your gecko roughly, if they drop their tail it will not grow back.

My crested gecko is very tame from a little secret I found out. I only feed my crested gecko fruit baby food outside of the cage, therefore every time I walk into the room he runs up to the top of his enclosure waiting for me to open the screen top. The moment I open it, he leaps onto my shirt for his daily 20 minute handling session that ends with his baby food treat.

Sexing & Breeding:

Crested gecko eggs are not completely temperature dependent to determine the sex of the hatchling like some other species. However when the temperature is cooler there tends to be more females than males hatching out, and vice versa when the temperature is warmer, but this is not always true. Crested geckos are sexable between the ages of 4-6 months. Males develop obvious hemipenal bulges at the base of their tails at this age, and can easily be told apart from females.

Crested geckos are relatively easy to breed. Most will breed readily once placed together however most breeders recommend a winter cooling period to stimulate natural behavior and give the females a break from breeding. Females are capable of being bred at about 12 months of age while males at about 8 months. Both should be healthy and plump for breeding. Be sure to supplement the female with added calcium during this time to help reduce calcium deficiency.

Females like to lay their eggs in moist dark places. If you use coconut fibers, then be sure to be on the look out for eggs if the female is gravid. Place a laying box in the enclosure that measures about 5" x 5" x 4" with a hole at the top for entrance and exit. The eggs should be removed within 24 hours of being laid or they will dry out. If the eggs are kept within the enclosure and optimal hatching requirements are met, than the eggs may hatch inside of the cage. However I advise that you take the newborns out immediately or the adults may make a meal out of them. The best way to get a female to use the nest box would be to have a simple setup with few plants and simple substrate. Females can lay 1-2 eggs per clutch and they can lay up to 18 eggs per year. The average being about 12 eggs.

Once the eggs are collected you can place them in a sealable plastic container with about 1 or 2 holes in the side for ventilation. I don't recommend putting holes at the top due to evaporation. You can open the incubator 1-3 times a week for several minutes for added ventilation. You can use a variety of substrates for the incubator, including perlite, vermiculite, potting soil, or coconut husk. Most breeders prefer perilite over anything else, which you can purchase from most garden stores. Place about 2 inches of the substrate in the container and keep it at a 1:1 ratio of water and dry substrate or a little wetter. The temperature should be between 73-80 degrees Fahrenheit inside the incubator. After about 60-90 days there should be little crested geckos exploring their new and bazaar world.

Hatchling Care:

Hatchlings are best kept in small Rubbermaid containers with paper towel or non adhesive shelf liner as a substrate until they are about 1-4 months old. The only furniture that should be found in the cage during this time would be a couple of hides and a shallow water dish. I advise you to keep hatchlings in separate containers until they reach about a month old, to reduce stress and the risk of nips from cage mates. Then once they are about 4 months they should be back in their own enclosures to avoid territory or breeding disputes with males. Once they reach sexual maturity you can keep them in adult sized enclosures.

Newborn crested geckos will not eat until after their first shed, which can be anywhere from 2-5 days after hatching. Feed hatchlings small crickets that are about ½ the distance between their eyes. They should consume about 2-6 food items daily. Babies should be fed more meat than fruit, and should be offered baby food about 1-3 times a week with crickets also. Be sure to take all crickets that are not eaten out of the cage so not to stress your gecko.

Longevity:

Crested geckos are strong and hardy. Because they have only been kept in captivity for a few years their true life span is not know. However it is believed that like most other lizards, they are capable of exceeding 20 years. With proper care, these lizards can live anywhere from 10-20 years.

- Jeff (JEFFREH)

Article by Jeffrey Howell

Copyright Jeffrey Howell ©2004. Reproduced with Permission.

All images Copyright The Reptile Rooms ©2004 Unless otherwise noted.

From: http://newcaledoniangeckos.com/8.html

Size: 170 to 190 mm adult average

Weight: 40 to 55 grams adult average

Distribution: New Caledonia plus additional satellite islands

Habitat: Rainforest and lowland forest.

Description: Nocturnal, mainly arboreal prehensile tailed gecko with diverse coloration and pattern.

Sexing: Males develop external large hemipenal bulges and pre-anal pores. Juveniles can be sexed at approximately 15+ grams.

Temperature: Maintained at 74-78°F during the day, dropping to a minimum of 68°F at night. Always properly protect the heat source as an unprotected heat source can cause severe burns if an animal comes into contact with it.

Lighting: Being a nocturnal species it seems not to require additional UVA/UVB lighting, but one may be provided for limited periods with no detrimental affects. Background lighting should be controlled with a timing device left on 10-12hrs a day in summer with a 2-4 hour reduction during winter months. As with the heat source, always properly protect the light source as this too may become hot after prolonged used.

Humidity/Water: Humidity should be kept high 60 to 80%. A generous misting should take place once a day during the early evening. Also include a shallow water dish c¬ontaining filtered water which should be changed daily.

Diet: Omnivorous, feeding on crickets and soft fruits. Feed a number of appropriately sized crickets approximately two times a week with a twice weekly feeding of a commercially available Rhacodactylus powered diet, fresh pureed fruit or baby food mixed with a calcium and mineral supplement offered in a shallow dish. All fruit should be non citrus. Food should always be removed at the first signs of spoiling. Females that are producing eggs should be monitored very closely for any early signs of calcium deficiency.

Housing: A minimum size of 400mm wide x 400mm deep x 600mm high is recommended for an adult pair. Never house males together as they will fight and can inflict serous injury. . If a number of animals are to be housed together make sure they are of a similar size and always closely monitor first introductions to identify any incompatibility. Peat or coconut fibre substrate can be used for juveniles/adults. Hatchlings are best kept on kitchen roll. Being an arboreal species, climbing branches and cork bark should be used, also provide a different hide spot for every occupant. Plenty of foliage either real or artificial should also be used. A hide box half filled with a mixture of moistened vermiculite or perlite, peat and sphagnum moss should be included to facilitate shedding and egg laying if a natural substrate is not used. Any fecal matter should be removed immediately with a complete cleaning occurring every month.

Breeding: Crested geckos are prolific breeders and should be kept at 68-70°F during the day and 64-66°F at night for a couple of months prior to breeding. They can produce approximately 5-8 clutches in a season, laying two soft-shelled eggs every 4-5 weeks. Females should be at least 35 grams in weight before breeding is attempted and should be monitored closely for any early signs of calcium deficiency, especially as the season draws to a close.

Incubation: Eggs should be incubated in an aerated plastic container, on a medium of vermiculite or perlite mixed with filtered water at a ratio of 2 parts medium to 1 part water, by weight and at temperatures between 70-80°F. Eggs normally hatch in 65-75 days. Any discoloured eggs should be put to one side in the container, do not discard as these eggs could still be viable, if they collapse and mould is visible they should be discarded immediately.