Your Guide to Thriving Gecko Care: Support for Every Step of the Journey

At YetiGex, we understand that bringing home a crested gecko is the start of an exciting journey. Whether you're a first-time gecko parent or a seasoned reptile enthusiast, providing the best care for your new companion is essential for their health and happiness.

Our care guide is designed to give you all the essential information you need to ensure your crested gecko thrives in its new home.

From setting up the perfect habitat to understanding their dietary needs, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Scroll down to explore detailed guides on housing, feeding, humidity, lighting, and more, so you can feel confident in providing the best care possible for your crested gecko.

Basic Care for Crested Geckos

When picking your new gecko up at the hub, be sure to not get your gecko out of the shipping deli container while in your vehicle. Once home safely, prepare your new gecko some food, fresh water in a small shallow bowl in their enclosure. Your gecko is best to not be handled for 3-5 days, so please mist their enclosure and "tuck them in" for the night. This allows them to adjust to new sounds and smells at your home. During this time, feel free to tidy up their enclosure and offer food every 3 days. Upon handling, they may be nervous but don't fret, they will grow accustomed to you.

Feeding

Crested geckos depend on powdered Crested Gecko Diet. I recommend Repashy or Pangea brand only. These diets have added minerals in them for your gecko to maintain healthy bones. Be sure to feed your gecko 3x a week with this diet and follow the instructions on the label. Crickets, dubia roaches, and some types of fruit (no skin) are a nice treat for your gecko. Treats should only be given 1-2x a week. Egg-laying females will need extra calcium in their food.

Housing

There are many different ways to house your gecko. It is preferable that the enclosure is taller than long with foliage and horizontal perches or ledges. Smaller geckos fare better in smaller tanks due to the ease of finding their food. This also helps them maintain a proper growth rate. Once your gecko reaches 20-25 grams, they are ready for an upgrade. 12x12x12, 12x12x18 are suitable for sub-adults. Adults do great in 18x18x24 tanks. Typical types of enclosures include PVC, Glass, and ventilated storage tubs. PVC is best if you live in a home with cats.

Décor

Geckos love foliage, hides, and vines. These are essential for their well-being. Remember adding foliage increases the surface area inside the tank. If your gecko is having trouble finding food or trouble gaining weight, remove some of the foliage but provide enough for them to climb and hide.

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Substrate

Younger geckos fare best on paper towels. This is because they can accidentally ingest dirt or Eco-Earth substrate and become impacted. Paper towels are great due to the ease of finding out if your gecko is using the bathroom. If you see little poops, you know they are eating. Adults are less likely to ingest any non-food substance. They are more likely to spit out a piece of dirt. Impaction is not common, but to minimize the risk, keep your gecko on a paper towel until they reach 30 grams.

Humidity

Crested geckos require a spike in humidity in the evenings with a dry-out period during the day. Evening/night humidity should reach 80-90%. This is easily achieved by misting the side walls of their enclosure and the foliage. The goal is to create dew drops along these areas for them to rehydrate with. Be sure to use room temperature water. During the day, their humidity should be between 40-60%. Do not spray the paper towel as this will promote mold growth. Never use a fogger with your geckos as this WILL lead to respiratory infections.

Lighting and Temps

Crested geckos do not require any special lights or heat. A normal day/night cycle and ambient lighting are fine. They will thrive with temps between 72-78°F. Their threshold is 62-80°F but will become sluggish with slower metabolism below 68°F. ANY TEMPS OVER 82°F IS LETHAL. It is advised to never keep your gecko housed by a window or drafts due to fluctuating temps.

Extras

Hydrometers/Thermometer combos make a great addition to your gecko's enclosure. This will take all the guesswork out. I recommend picking one up from your local hardware store as the inexpensive ones at pet supply stores are rarely reliable. A kitchen scale (grams) is also a handy tool to track your gecko's growth rate.

Get in Touch

Have questions? Ready to start your gecko parent journey? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us through our Contact Page or send us a message on social media.We’re here to help you every step of the way.