Crested/Gargoyle Gecko Care
Housing
- Enclosure: An adult gecko should have approximately a 20 gallon enclosure, 12 x 12 x 18 font opening tanks are a great choice. Hatchlings can be kept in a small animals plastic tank, as they often struggle to locate food in too large of an enclosure. The tank size should be upgraded as the animal grows. Cresteds are more arboreal than gargoyles but both appreciate vertical space and appropriate perches.
- Temperature: Cresteds and gargoyle geckos should be kept between 70* and 80*F above 85*F can be dangerous over 90*F fatal especially in a dry environment.
- Humidity: Enclosure must be misted at least once a day, depending on your climate you may need to mist once in the morning and once in the evening. Peak humidity should reach 90% after misting and the tank allowed to dry out between mistings to encourage proper shedding and discourage microbe growth.
- Substrate: Hatchlings should be kept on paper towels to greatly diminish the risk of impactation. They are very clumsy little hunters and will often get a mouth full of substrate instead of the target insect. Adults can be kept on eco-earth or in a planted vivarium though I keep mine on paper towels due to ease of cleaning.
- Lighting: No special lights are required for these nocturnal animals!
Feeding
My animals are feed a diet of Repashy powdered crested gecko diet, replaced every other day, supplemented weekly with calcium w/D3 dusted insects. It is very important to add supplemental calcium to their diets as they are prone to develop Metabolic Bone Disease without it. If insects are not a part of the diet there are liquid calcium supplements available that can be given directly or mixed with the powdered diet.