The slang for the gecko is called a crestie. A crestie is about as easy to take care of as a leopard gecko or a fat tailed gecko. It is also inexpensive unlike a lot of other geckos. It is one of the best reptiles you could have as a pet. The crested gecko was said to be extinct until they were found again in 1994. The gecko is a new gecko as a pet but is quickly becoming more popular. It is very docile and is able to be handled. Crested geckos are originally from around by Australia. Since the crested gecko was just found it will cost more than other geckos but prices are going down as the gecko becomes more and more popular. The crested gecko is now right behind the leopard gecko in the most popular and may take first as the most popular pet reptile. Before you purchase a crestie make sure you know you can handle it so ask yourself these questions:
- Can I take care of it for 20 years?
- Can I offer a home and food all year around?
- Will I have time to care for my crestie?
When you answer yes to all these questions you should be ready to care for it. At night your gecko will make sounds that bark and chirp. Another one sounds like a wet finger on glass. When you purchase one be sure and try to have a baby so it will grow with you.
Scientific name
The scientific name of a crested gecko is Rhacodactylus ciliatus.
WHY GET A CRESTED GECKO
A crestie is a wonderful starter pet. The only problem with this animal is the noise it makes, and even that is not so bad. It is also becoming a very popular pet so you will not be the only one with a gecko. If you take care of the gecko properly it will have a very long life so you may only have to get a few knew crested geckos in your life time, but it will be different if you are breeding of course. These geckos are very social, but you cannot hold any reptile too much. Cresteds will only bite as a last resort so it will probably never bite you.
DESCRIPTION
A crested gecko can come in nearly any coloration you would want it to. Some colors of this species include green and brown. Cresties have what is called lamellae also known as “sticky feet”. As a hatchling this gecko will usually start off brick red but don't be fooled as a baby color means nothing because in two months it will probably start turning tan color. Throughout the day a crestie will change colors depending on its mood, humidity and other factors. Your gecko will probably be the brightest at night when it is most active. This gecko can reach a length of 7-8 inches long, but as a baby it will hatch as about 1 inch long. A crestie is also able to live up to 20 years if you take care of it properly. The reason why it is called the crested gecko is because it has a scaly crest on its brow. Crested geckos are nocturnal so it will usually hunt at night.
Signs that it is healthy:
- Curious, active behavior
- Clear, alert eyes
- Eats and drinks normally
- Clear nostrils, breaths easily
- Well formed droppings every 2-3 days
These are things to look out for:
- Runny droppings
- Lethargic behavior
- Weight loss or not eating or drinking
- Swollen joints
- Discharge from nose, mouth or eyes
If you see anything wrong with your gecko contact your reptile vet right away.
Shedding
You will probably never see your gecko shed its skin because it will do it at night. You will notice if it has shed because it will look suddenly more attractive are brighter. You will not see any skin either because it will eat its old skin for its high nutritional value. When it looks like your gecko is going to shed make sure you have the humidity a little higher so your gecko has a nice healthy shed.
HANDLING
When holding your gecko make sure you are never holding or doing anything with its tail because unlike most geckos the tail will not grow back. This will not harm your gecko because in the wild many of the geckos are without tails. Just make sure it does not get infected. When you first get your gecko do not hold it for about three days so it can get settled in. When you first touch it make sure you have not fed it at least an hour or two ago. I would slowly lower my hand in the cage with a frozen mealie on my hand and keep it there until the gecko climbs on my hand. Do not force it or else it will never like your hand. When it is finally on your hand slowly lift it up and if it struggles set it back down and keep doing that until it trusts your hand. Almost all it will do to you at first is run away. It will rarely bite you if you treat it with respect. If it does bite you it probably won't draw blood.
