How To Set Up A Crested Gecko Enclosure

Creating a Crested Gecko Habitat

crested gecko

If yous'd like to bring a fleck of the exotic rainforest into your home you might consider getting a pet reptile. For case, some species of geckos make splendid pets, such as Crested Geckos (Rhacodactylus Ciliatus) and Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius). Crested Geckos originate from New Caledonia, a grouping of minor Islands well-nigh Commonwealth of australia, with a warm tropical climate. In contrast, Leopard Geckos originate from the dry, desert-like regions of the Centre East.

The fundamental to keeping geckos (or any other pet animal) happy and healthy is to mimic their natural environment as closely as possible. This means the habitat you lot need to fix for your pet gecko will depend upon the species of gecko you get.

Here are the nuts of what you lot'll need as a minimum to continue Crested Geckos:

Cage or Terrarium

For whatever type of gecko you will need a terrarium to business firm it in. Geckos are typically small lizards, but still it it best to get the largest size terrarium you can afford. This is peculiarly true if you want to continue more than than ane gecko. Considering crested geckos are tree dwellers you lot must provide some branches and vines for them to climb on. They will also demand some hiding places. You'll need some sort of substrate in the bottom of the terrarium, such equally Jungle Substrate. Some people line the bottom with paper towels, merely Jungle Substrate is more than natural. Yous'll also need items such as bogus plants, driftwood, and like items for them to climb on and hide in.

Water & Humidity Source

Since crested geckos originate from a tropical area they will need a fogger or some other misting system for humidity. You tin can probably become past with a misting spray bottle kept at room temperature. Merely mist the habitat once or twice a solar day, preferably in the evening since crested geckos are nocturnal. You lot will also demand a hygrometer to mensurate the humidity level in your gecko terrarium considering it is important to know what the humidity level in the terrarium is. Optimum humidity level for crested geckos ranges from about lx to 80%.

Light and Heat Source

Geckos, like all reptiles are cold-blooded, meaning that their temperature is regulated by the external surround, rather than internally similar warm-blooded animals. In their natural environment reptiles are free to movement around from ane area to some other to run into their heat and light requirements. In the artifical environment of a terrarium, you must provide these different temperature and lite gradients for your pet. What this means is that in that location must be a change in temperature across your reptile habitat so that your pet can motility across the temperature slope every bit needed in social club to regulate their temperature. You'll need at least one thermometer in your gecko muzzle and 2 would exist better so yous can measure the temperature in different areas of the habitat.

A temperature slope can oft exist created by providing caves, the within of which would be shielded from the low-cal or oestrus source. More often than not, Crested geckos exercise best at room temperature (around seventy-74 degrees Fahrenheit or 21-23 degrees Celsius). Brand sure your gecko doesn't get as well hot.

A heat mat is a expert detail to employ. Make sure that one side of the habitat is unheated then your gecko can move off the estrus source.

The light source must provide ultraviolet (UV) light or your reptile won't survive. Keeping a consequent lite/dark cycle is too important. Crested geckos are nocturnal animals and then the UV light isn't quite every bit important as with other reptiles, merely you nonetheless demand to keep a constant light/dark cycle in their terrarium.

Food

You will need a feeding dish and water dish. Probably the simplest and easiest nutrient to feed your Crested Gecko is Repashy Crested Gecko nutrient. This can be establish online at places such equally Not bad Reptiles. Swell Reptiles offers everything y'all need for your pet reptile as well as species specific kits, such equally the Crested Gecko Starter Kits which takes well-nigh of the guess-work out of setting upwards a new habitat for your pet gecko.

How Many Geckos Can I Keep Together?

How many geckos you can successfully continue together will depend on the size of your habitat. It is ordinarily best non to keep ii males together. One male person and two females are a good mix. You tin can normally sex activity geckos past looking at the vent area. Male crested geckos accept a bulge just below the vent, whereas females practise not. Also, geckos are somewhat prolific in their breeding habits and so yous may terminate upward with more geckos than you started!

Conclusion

Crested geckos are one of the easiest lizards for beginners. Even so, it is best to research the needs of your pet thoroughly earlier you get your pet since information technology will be with you for a long time. The expected life bridge of crested geckos can be as long as xx years if kept properly.