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Crested Gecko Caresheet and Bioactive habitat maintenance

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Crested Gecko Caresheet and Bioactive habitat maintenance

Crested Gecko Caresheet and Bioactive habitat maintenance 

Updated 2/19/2025

Crested Geckos aka Eyelash Gecko’s (Correlophus (Rhacodactylus) ciliatus)are one of the many Gecko species that originate from New Caledonia, a group of islands between Fiji and Australia. 

Materials Needed:

 

  • Crested Geckos have a fine sandpaper feel to their skin and are not sticky or waxy. They come in many different color phases and patterns. Geckos can drop their tails at any point in their life, and they do not regenerate as other gecko species can. This can be something as simple to them being startled suddenly, which can result in the Gecko dropping its tail. The Geckos can function without their tails and lose necessary fat deposits that is the storage center for the gecko. 

Housing Requirements:

  • Baby crested geckos will be best housed in a vertically oriented habitat (12"x12"x18") enclosure (or equivalent) with a screen top. An adult crested gecko should be housed in a 18"x18"x24" if not larger with the same above parameters- as a minimum. We would always recommend you scaling your enclosure size to the personality of your Gecko. We recommend at least a 24" x 18" x 24" for our single adults. They use every inch of space. 
  • Setting up your Bioactive enclosure is very important; Terra Fauna is the best substrate for a Crested Gecko. Be sure to add the fuel for your bioactive environment, which are your biodegradables (ex. AAA Spag Moss and Leaf litter). After placing your HydroGrow drainage layer, place your screen divider on top, then you will need to place the bioactive substrate in the enclosure and mix the Bioshot into the substrate. From there add in your biodegradables to the top layers.
  • After everything is thoroughly mixed, we recommend utilizing Dwarf White Isopods, Powder Blue or Dairy Cow Isopods with Tropical Springtails to work in conjunction with the Bio Shot.
  • Now that we’ve got the base layers done, adding décor is next. When scaping an enclosure we recommend to do so per the personality of your Gecko as well as  add many hiding places with heavy foliage.
  • A few plants that we recommend, are Pothos plants, Ferns, Bella Palms, Sanserveria Snake Plants, Bromeliads and live mosses. Cork tubes and hard woods; such as ghost wood and Mopani are great additions. With a larger enclosure even a Ficus tree would also be an awesome addition. Plants with large axils that retain water within their leaves are great opportunities for; drinking, humidity retention, and resting/sleeping areas.

Temperature/Humidity Requirements

  • Crested geckos prefer temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. It can drop to the low 70s at night. Which is an average room temperature, having a nano ceramic heat emitter for basking if the room temperature is too cool is ideal. To monitor those parameters’ using the Bio Dude’s Thermometer/Hygrometer is best. If we find that we need to use supplemental heat a thermostat is recommended to ensure proper gradients are achieved. 
  • Water should always be available for crested geckos in a shallow dish to drink from. Your Crested Gecko may not drink from the standing water and may prefer to drink when the enclosure is misted and that’s okay too. These geckos also require an overall humidity of at least 50%- 70% spikes throughout the day, with an ambient around 45%. Daily misting is usually required. 
  • UVB is required for reptiles in captivity, for a Crested Gecko we would recommend Arcadia  Shade Dweller 2.4% UVB bulbs. The UVB bulb will need to be replaced annually. Remember to keep all lighting on a day/night, on/off cycle. It is recommended to utilize the Bio Dude Solar Lamp Fixture for the UVB bulb.

Dietary Requirements

  • It is a common industry standard to provide your Crested Gecko with a powder diet like Pangea or Repashy which are great options. Be wary of copy cat products without a guaranteed analysis or ingredient list. Like fake UVB bulbs, these fake diets can cause serious harm to your Crested Gecko. We like using our Lizard Ledge to feed them above the ground, which they prefer. 
  • Being omnivores, it is recommended to feed Gutloaded Insects. A few good choice insects to feed are; Dubia Roaches, Crickets, Mealworms and Horn Worms on occasion (this is due to mealworms being difficult to digest because of their exoskeleton, and hornworms are fatty- these can be used as treats).
  • We like using the Repashy Calcium Plus and Supervite as our dusting regimen. However, be sure to read the label and if you are providing UVB, a calcium supplement without D3 is required. If you are unsure consult your veterinarian. 

Maintaining your terrarium:

    • Regular misting your bioactive enclosure is essential to provide the necessary humidity spikes that these geckos prefer. Terra Fauna is designed to hold humidity and allow for proper drainage-  a drainage layer is needed with Terra Fauna as it is water retentive. The Dude’s drainage layer is designed to collect excess water in a tropical environment, allowing for no bad bacteria to build up due to stagnate water in the substrate. This also helps prevent the substrate from becoming waterlogged (excessively filled with water). Water will flow down through the substrate into the drainage layer and evaporate naturally. Do not let the water level supersede the drainage layer. If it does you will need to siphon it out! 
    • A thin layer of biodegradables, as before mentioned is your fuel for the bioactive environment. They need to be replaced as they are broken down- this has no direct time frame but when your substrate starts to look back like pure dirt- add more, a handful of both will suffice. Utilizing your clean up crew in conjunction with this will also pay dividends with waste management and soil health. 

    Want to know more? Reach out to us at customercare@thebiodude.com for more questions, tips and FAQS. 

     

     

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