Crested Gecko Information: Everything You Need To Know

Crested geckos are unique animals and pets. Researching the relevant Crested gecko information such as – history, natural habitat, behaviours, will help you decide if its the right pet for you.

Overview Of Crested Gecko

Crested gecko’s scientific name is Correlophus ciliates. They are also known as eyelash geckos and are nocturnal.

These reptiles spend their time during the day mostly in hiding, resting and are most active during the night.

History Of Crested Gecko

The Crested gecko was first discovered in 1866 by a French zoologist named Alphone Guichenot.

Not long after that, there were no Crested gecko information for years. The species was thought to be extinct because of ants and rats brought to the island of New Caledonia that have killed off many of the native gecko species on the island.

However, the species was rediscovered in 1994 by a team of researches led by Robert Seipp. The Crested geckos were then brought into captivity for breeding.

Habitat In The Wild

crested gecko information

Crested geckos are found in the Grand Terre, which is the largest and principal island of New Caledonia.

These geckos are used to two seasons. One is warm and humid, from November to March, with temperatures reaching a high of 86°F. The second one is the cooler and dry season on the island, from June to August, with temperatures reaching 72°F.

With the lowest temperature reaching 72°F and rain throughout the year reaching up to 120 inches, the island climate is very tropical and humid.

In terms of where these lizards live on the island, the Crested gecko information points at them being arboreal. This means that they spend most of their life in the branches of small trees and bushes.

Usually, Crested geckos are found between 1 and 4 meters above the forest floor.

Appearance

Important Crested gecko information that many people are interested in is their unique appearance.

These lizards’ interesting features include the following:

  • The Crested gecko are also known as “eyelash lizard”. This is thanks to the hair-like projections found above the eyes that look like eyelashes. However, these are actually spines that connect their eyes to their tail
  • It might look like this type of gecko lacks teeth. However, they do have teeth, very small teeth

Colors

The Crested geckos are polymorphic. This means they can come in many different colors, shades and patterns. You might see in many places the word “morph” being used. This means a specific combination between a color and a pattern.

Usually, the most common patterns for the Crested gecko include:

  • From very pale cream to very dark near-black
  • From buckskin and olive to reds and yellows

Many people are attracted to more vibrant colors and high contrast. And if that’s what you’re after, you’ll have to seek out selective breeders.

An interesting point to mention is that the Crested gecko as many other lizards change their colors. Any of the following conditions can lead to the gecko changing their color:

  • Temperature
  • Mood
  • Environment – when your gecko is on high alert or nervous it gets “fired up” and it might change color. On the other hand, when they sleep they get “fired down” and their skin usually goes darker
  • Breeding period
  • Other lizards in the same housing

Size

Crested geckos information in terms of their size states:

  • The Crested gecko is the largest of the gecko species
  • They can grow up to 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) in length including the tail
  • Their tail is normally 4 to 6 inches (10–15 cm) in length

Lifespan

An important Crested gecko information is their lifespan. If you’re planning on owning this gecko, you must prepare to have them for a long time as their lifespan ranges between 15 to 20 years.

Female geckos tend to have a shorter life compared to male geckos.

In the wild, the gecko might live a shorter life. The reasons for that include:

  • Lack of food
  • Predators

In captivity, most animals are protected from the mentioned risk factors. However, your gecko’s lifespan can be shortened by not providing them with the appropriate care in terms of environment and food.

That’s why is important to get familiar with their natural habitat and diet requirements, so you can provide them with the closest thing possible.

Behaviours

crested gecko information

Crested gecko information worth mentioning in terms of their behaviour include:

  • Nocturnal – this means that they are active during the night and the days they spend in hiding and resting in shaded and secured spots
  • The Crested gecko prefers to live alone which makes them crepuscular animal

Breeding And Mating

An important Crested gecko behaviour is how they mate and breed.

The Crested gecko’s mating period is during the warmer months of the year. Normally, they don’t mate during the winter. In order to mate, the following factors must be considered:

  • The temperature must be between 75°F to 78°F, for the geckos to mate
  • The female must be at least 1 year old and weigh minimum of 0.08 pounds or 38g

Laying the eggs

Normally, the female Crested gecko will lay a batch of eggs every 3 to 5 weeks. In each batch there will be up to 2 eggs.

Once the eggs are laid they should be kept warm and moist at a constant temperature of 72°F. It takes between 65 to 90 days for the eggs to hatch.

It’s important to note that if the female gecko has started laying eggs at 1 years of age and lays as much as up to 9 batches of eggs, can result in bad health for the female. Recovery time is essential for the lizard’s well-being.

Hibernation

More Crested gecko information in terms of behaviours include – hibernation. Do Crested geckos hibernate? No, they don’t. Instead of hibernation, the Crested geckos will reduce their activities such as eating and even slow down their growth process.

During these periods, they will spend most of their time in hiding and resting.

Shedding

As other reptiles, the Crested geckos can shed their skin. As they grow, their skin will fall off as it won’t fit their bigger body anymore.

When the skin is shed, the gecko will normally eat the skin. The reason why geckos eat their skin is to get the nutrients from it and most importantly to not be located by predators in the wild.

Communication

Crested geckos make noises to communicate. Other reasons for Crested geckos making noises include the following:

  • During mating. This is so the geckos attract partners
  • When feeling threatened the geckos will make a hissing sound

Can Crested Geckos Regrow Their Tail?

crested gecko information

Although, many reptiles can regrow their tail, the Crested gecko can’t. Once this gecko loses its tail, it won’t regenerate. However, that doesn’t affect the quality of their life.

The Crested gecko will shed its tail as a safe mechanism. In order to distract a predator, the Crested gecko will leave their tail behind and use this opportunity as an escape route.

Diet In The Wild

In the wild, the Crested gecko diet is omnivore. They will feed on insects, fruits and nectar from flowers.

Normally, the gecko will feed during the night as they are nocturnal. That’s perfect for them, as during the night the fruit has soften on the ground.

In addition to that, they will eat insects such as crickets, moths and others.

Crested Gecko As A Pet

Not much was known about the Crested gecko until it was captured and taken in for breeding. Since then, the Crested gecko has become a popular choice for a pet in the reptile world. This is mainly because they are easy to care for and breed.

In addition to the Crested gecko information above, the following factors contribute to why this gecko is so popular:

  • Their small size
  • Beautiful colors and patterns
  • Friendly personality
  • Allows being handled

The Crested geckos are good for any level pet owner, however they are especially recommended for beginners as they are so low maintenance.

Although this gecko is easy to care for, it’s important to provide them with the appropriate diet, housing, lighting and overall good husbandry.

Diet In Captivity

The Crested gecko information in terms of their diet is that they are omnivores in the wild.

Therefore there are two diet routes that you can choose from when keeping them as a pet.

  • Insect and fruits – this type of diet is the closest to the diet they have in the wild
  • Commercial food diet. This consist of specially formulated Crested gecko powder food. In addition to that you can give them insects, fruit and vegetables as an occasional treat
  • Both diet routes will require vitamin and mineral supplement to maintain the gecko’s good health

How Often Should I Feed My Crested Gecko

A good diet is essential for your gecko to be healthy and happy. Part of a healthy diet is having the correct feeding schedule.

  • Young geckos and hatchings should be fed every day to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to grow up to their full potential
  • On the other hand, adults don’t require to be fed daily. Feeding your Crested gecko 3 times a week is sufficient

Crested Gecko Personality In Captivity

crested gecko information

Most Crested geckos as a pets are friendly and easy to care for.

It’s important that you introduce your gecko to being held from a young age, so they become comfortable with it. Once that’s done, they can become very tame pets.

However, it’s important to note the Crested gecko as any other reptile won’t be as affectionate as traditional pets such as a dog for instance.

If you want to find out what other lizards are suitable as pets click here 9 Types Of Lizard Pets: How To Pick The Perfect Pet

Temperature And Habitat

There are a few important things to note when researching Crested gecko information in terms of how to set up their housing and overall environment.

  • Their natural habitat is tropical and humid. Therefore, it’s important for your Crested gecko’s health to provide them with daily misting
  • In addition to that, you should spray the leaves in the terrarium with water, as they prefer to drink straight from the leaves
  • Temperature. Although, Crested gecko’s come from a tropical place, they shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures higher than 80°F for long periods of time, as it can be fatal.

    It’s recommended, to keep the temperatures in the terrarium between 72°F to 75°F. Keeping a thermometer in the tank will help you control how hot it gets

Housing

Providing your Crested gecko with appropriate housing is essential to their well-being. Their house must be:

  • Sealed and escape proof
  • The size of terrarium for young or hatchlings must be 10 gallons. On the other hand, for adults, it must be 20 gallon tank
  • Crested geckos should be kept in a vertical terrarium that mimics their natural habitat, the rainforest

Final Thoughts

crested gecko information

Getting a Crested gecko as a pet can be very exciting and it might seem as a fairly simple thing to do, go to the shop, buy a gecko, set up a terrarium and you’re done.

However, before you get this small reptile, it’s essential that you research all the relevant Crested gecko information.

Knowing your reptile pet’s history, natural habitat and behaviours will help you raise a healthy and happy gecko.

Related Topic

Are Crested Geckos Endangered

Although, a popular pet, Crested geckos are an endangered species.

They are still hard to find in the wild and it’s believed that the reasons include habitat loss and the presence of predators.

To be more exact, the species of C. belepensis of crested gecko is considered critically endangered. Whereas, the species of C. ciliatus is considered only vulnerable for the moment.

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My name is Iliyana and I'm a passionate animal lover and pet owner. As there is significantly less information online about unusual and exotic pets, I decided to found this website and recruit expert writers to help pet owners.

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