The Livin' Quarters

Cresties are an arboreal species, meaning that they spend a lot of their time climbing or in the trees. In captivity, we try to replicate that by using enclosures that are much taller than they are wide which allows for ample climbing area. 

A baby crestie (0-8 grams) should have (at a minimum)- a large critter keeper or plastic shoebox. Please ensure that there is good ventilation, no holes big enough to escape out of, and some clutter for them to hide in. My babies love plastic reptile plants, egg cartons, and pool noodles (with the holes blocked off) to practice climbing and building their leg muscles. 

A juvenile crestie (8-20 grams) should have (at a minimum)- 12" wide by 12" deep by 18" tall vivarium, 10 gallon modified fish tank, or a plastic tote about this size (dog food containers work great because they're usually tall). Whatever enclosure you choose, if it was not made for keeping reptiles then you should take ample steps towards modifying the container to the gecko's needs. It should have plenty of ventilation, a secure lid/door, and lots of climbing opportunities. 

An adult crestie (>20 grams) should have (at a minimum)- an 18" wide by 18" deep by 24" tall vivarium, 20 gallon modified fish tank, or a similarly sized plastic tote. Whatever enclosure you choose, if it was not made for keeping reptiles then you should take ample steps towards modifying the container to the gecko's needs. It should have plenty of ventilation, a secure lid/door, and lots of climbing opportunities. Please make sure to decorate with the gecko in mind, it is more their home than your aesthetic! Adult geckos can easily break thin-stemmed plants or knock down unsecured decorations so please ensure that everything is secured firmly. 

We strongly discourage housing animals together (except briefly, for the purpose of breeding). Breeding and cohabitating should not be attempted by novice keepers, as it could end with serious harm done to the geckos. 

Decorating your crestie's enclosure transforms it from a box into a home, please make sure the gecko feels at home! There are thousands of ways to go about decorating an enclosure; whatever way you decide to do it, please make sure that you have the time and commitment to properly maintain it. 

My favorite part about building a new enclosure! Cresties love cluttered tanks so please be heavy-handed with the decorations! Not having enough hiding places can make the gecko sleep or stay excessively on the glass of the enclosure which can lead to Floppy Tail Syndrome (FTS). Very extreme cases of this can prevent females from successfully laying eggs, which may lead to death, but many cases can be caught early. FTS presents as the gecko can no longer hold the tail vertically when it is head-down on the glass, the tail will "flop" over the gecko's back making a 90-degree angle between the tail and spine. More décor should be added to encourage the gecko to sleep somewhere else where the tail can be supported which stops the FTS from worsening. 

  There are tons of reptile-safe fake plants and vines that all of my critters adore, with loads of color options to match your aesthetic, the gecko's name, or any other theme you can think of! I recommend thoroughly rinsing all new decor and washing with dawn dish soap or vinegar to remove any residue from manufacturing before adding it to your gecko's enclosure. 

In addition to fake foliage, you may use live plants- please make sure you plant the vivarium ahead of time if you want live plants! Transplanting live plants often leads to shock which weakens the plant, pair that with a hefty gecko jumping all over it and your plants may die. I recommend planting the vivarium at least 2 weeks in advance, but the best results happen a month or more in advance for a super strong root system. Fast-growing, hardy, tropical plants will do best in the high-humidity environment of a crestie enclosure; my personal favorites are pothos, philodendrons, monsteras, bromeliads, tradescantia, and aglaonemas. There are hundreds of subspecies in each of these categories so I promise you will find the perfect plants for you! Please ensure that whatever plants you buy are tropical, not sharp/serrated, and that you would be okay if they died- sometimes certain plants just don't vibe in there for whatever reason! Fertilizing the plants is possible with homemade, reptile-safe fertilizers such as banana peel tea. Please avoid adding commercial fertilizers or chemicals. Things to avoid: cacti, succulents, any plant that will get too large, serrated leaf bromeliads, plants that have a strongly scented flower, fruiting plants. 

There are a ton of artificial hides available on the market for crested geckos, especially 3D-printed ones! I recommend ones that have suction cups or magnets, are easy to clean, and are large enough for your gecko to comfortably sleep in. Waterproof reptile hammocks (not netted), coconut hides, paracord vines, cork tubes/flats, and magnetic ledges are all also very good choices! 

Avoid décor that cannot be cleaned, has small holes, has sharp edges or points, and anything magnetic/with a suction cup that cannot support 2x the weight of your gecko! 

The best substrate (in our opinion) for a first-time crestie keeper or baby crestie is a paper towel. This allows for easy monitoring of stool samples to make sure the gecko is eating properly, as it may be difficult to tell from the food bowl. The paper towel should be changed as needed to maintain a sanitary environment (usually once a week, but it could be more often if the gecko spills the food or something like that). Other appropriate substrates include reptisoil, coco husk, sphagnum moss, or a "bioactive" substrate which is a drainage layer made of pebbles or leca with soil on top. Please ensure that the soil you use is free of pesticides and fertilizer as these may harm your gecko. 

Please note, if you have a female crested gecko, she will lay eggs when she gets to around 35-40 grams regardless of a male's presence. It is VERY IMPORTANT that she has somewhere to lay these eggs. If you are not using dirt (or something similar) as a substrate she will need a lay box. This is as simple as a Tupperware filled with dirt or sphagnum moss. The eggs will most likely not be fertile if she was not exposed to a male so the eggs should be disposed of. A phenomenon called parthenogenesis is possible in crested geckos, where a female lays fertile eggs without a male's contribution. This is a rare occurrence and highly unlikely to occur. 

Sand, reptile carpet, aspen, shredded newspaper, rodent bedding, etc are NOT appropriate substrates for your gecko! These can cause serious injury or death as they are not suited to the tropical environment a crestie needs. PLEASE DO NOT USE THESE!!! Please also get to know your gecko personally before committing to a bioactive style enclosure. These geckos no longer go through natural selection and a few of them definitely would never survive in the wild, these individuals are probably ill-suited to life with dirt. 

There must be a hygrometer and thermometer in the enclosure to monitor temperature and humidity. 

Winter temperatures should be between 68 and 75F and summer temperatures should be 75 - 80F. Most households maintain this range anyway but a small heat lamp may be needed to keep the winter temperatures steady. 

The enclosures should be misted once every 24-48 hours to maintain proper humidity levels. Humidity should be 100% after misting then allowed to drop to about 50% before re-misting. Here in humid Houston, this takes approximately 36-48 hours. 

Keeping your gecko's home clean is very easy! If you have a bioactive enclosure (with clean up crew) they should take care of most of the work for you. Spot clean if you notice a buildup of feces or mold. If you are using a paper towel substrate it needs to be switched about once a week or as needed. Any soiled decor should be thoroughly cleaned using dawn dish soap or vinegar then rinsed with hot water and dried before returning to the enclosure.