Male vs Female Crested Gecko Differences (With Pictures)

male vs female crested gecko

If you have decided to get a Crested gecko as a pet you’ll have a choice between male or a female. Before making up your mind, it’s good to find out about the male vs female Crested gecko differences such as: males have larger bulge, can be agressive when housed together, whereas females always lay eggs.

In this article we are covering the following topics to help you make an informed decision:

  • Is my Crested gecko male or female – Sexing geckos
  • Male vs female Crested gecko personality and behavior
  • Male vs female Crested gecko – housing
  • Pros and cons of owning Male vs female Crested gecko
  • Related Topics Q&A
male vs female crested gecko

Is My Crested Gecko Male Or Female – Sexing Geckos

male vs female crested gecko

The older the Crested gecko is, the easier you will be able to identify the gender. There are two ways to determine if your Crested gecko is a male or a female:

  • Take your gecko to the vet or shop to be identified
  • Use the physical characteristics as clues such as bulge and pores

Bulge

male vs female crested gecko

Once the male Crested gecko reaches sexual maturity (around 6 to 9 months), they will develop a hemipenal bulge at the base of the tail. However, both male and female can have a bulge. So, how can you tell them apart?

The male Crested gecko’s bulge should be more prominent and appear separated, similar to human testicles.

Pores

Another way to recognize the Crested gecko gender is by the pores on their body. Pores are very small indentations (concave) on the gecko’s scales. They are positioned right above the genital opening, along the inner thighs. The pores create a straight line between the legs.

Although, females can have a few pores, males will have a consistent line of pores. These pores appear earlier than the bulge, around 4 to 5 months.

It’s important to note that these pores are not visible to the naked eye. The recommended way to view the pores is by using a LED Magnifying loupe. You need to look for tiny round circle within a scale at the base of the tail.

Male vs Female Crested Gecko Personality And Behavior

In terms of male vs female Crested gecko personality, most owners report that there isn’t a major difference. In addition to their personality, there are specific behaviors in male vs female Crested gecko that you should know about before deciding which gecko you’re going to get.

Female Crested Gecko Behavior

The following is a list of the main female Crested gecko personality and behavior you need to know about:

  • Important female Crested geckos behavior is that they will lay eggs. Even if the female doesn’t mate, she will still lay dud eggs (unfertilized eggs). Therefore, you need to provide them with a nesting place in the enclosure and a diet that provides them with enough calcium

  • Females typically become mature at 12 months, at a weight of 30-35 gm

  • When the female Crested gecko is pregnant, also known as gravid female, they can present with changes in personality. The Crested gecko personality might appear more territorial and aggressive. This is them being protective over their babies

  • When a female Crested gecko is pregnant. In some cases, the eggs are not laid on time and can get stuck in the gravid female. This condition is also known as egg binding. Egg binding usually requires a vet to surgically extract the masses

  • Some owners report that female Crested gecko are “busier” and always on the move compared to the male. Furthermore, the same owners say that when you go to pick them up, they might try to escape out of the tank or tun to the other end. Once out of the tank, they are usually very active, climbing up your arm to the top of your head and looking for things to jump on

Male Crested Gecko Behavior

Male Crested gecko personality and behaviors that you need to know about include:

  • Males can become more aggressive or change when they reach sexual maturity. During this period, they might try to mate with your hand if you pick them up. However, this is completely harmless and even funny

  • Males become sexually mature between 9-12 months of age

  • You can’t house multiple male geckos are housed together. The male Crested gecko is territorial and will fight with his tankmates to establish dominance

  • Some owners report the male Crested gecko personality as very docile and sitting still for hours. The same owners say when you go to pick up the male, they don’t try to run away. Once out of the tank, they will just stick wherever you put them – sleeve, shoulder, chest, etc

Both male and female Crested gecko personality can change under different circumstances.

Learn more about Crested gecko behaviors here Crested Gecko Behavior – Everything You Need To Know

So, what are the other factors to consider before chosing male vs female Crested gecko?

Male vs Female Crested Gecko – Housing

The choice between male vs female Crested gecko is especially important if you want to house more than one gecko in the same enclosure.

Male Crested Gecko – Housing

Male Crested geckos are difficult to house with other geckos due to safety reasons. They are territorial and the following combinations are NOT recommended as it can lead to fights, injury or stress to a female gecko:

  • Multiple male Crested geckos
  • One male and one female Crested gecko
  • Multiple males with one female Crested gecko
  • Multiple males and multiple female Crested geckos

The only safe combinations in terms of housing male Crested gecko are:

  • Male Crested gecko on its own
  • One male and multiple female Crested geckos

Learn more about housing multiple Crested geckos here Can Crested Geckos Live Together? Top Tips On Housing Crested Geckos

Female Crested Gecko – Housing

Female Crested geckos are definitely the better choice if you want to house multiple geckos in the same enclosure. Females are known for being quite tolerant towards each other and are not territorial.

The following hosing combination are safe options:

  • Multiple female Crested geckos
  • One male and multiple female Crested geckos

Male vs Female Crested Gecko Pro’s and Con’s

male vs female crested gecko

Now that you’ve learnt how to sex the Crested gecko and know the different behaviors of both genders, we have put together the pros and cons of owning a male vs female Crested gecko.

Male Crested Gecko Pros And Cons

Male Crested gecko pros:

  • No eggs. That means no nesting site or worrying about egg-binding
  • Lifespan. Male crested geckos tend to live bit longer than females
  • Price. Males are much cheaper than females

Male Crested gecko cons:

  • Less options for hosing with other geckos in the same enclosure. Can’t live with other male Crested geckos
  • Possible aggressive behavior when reaching sexual maturity
  • Male crested geckos are prone to prolapse

Female Crested Gecko Pros And Cons

Female Crested gecko pros:

  • More options if you want to house multiple geckos in the same enclosure. They can be housed in the same enclosure with multiple females or one male (not for long periods with the male)

Female Crested gecko cons:

  • Females will lay eggs even when not housed with a male for breeding
  • When pregnant, females can get their eggs stuck in their womb. This is called egg binding and it can require surgical intervention
  • Laying eggs will cause stress to the female’s body – her lifespan can be shortened due to this reason. She will also need a special diet with enough calcium before, during and after pregnancy

Final Thoughts

In this article, we have looked at the differences in male vs female Crested gecko. One of the topics we discussed is – how to tell the male from the female Crested gecko apart. You can do that by either taking your gecko to the vet/pet shop or using the following physical characteristics:

  • Bulge. Both male and female Crested geckos can develop a bulge. However, the male Crested gecko’s bulge usually separates and forms as two balls
  • Pores. The other way is by using a magnifying loupe and checking the pores near the base of their tail. If the pores are more prominent and are in a consistent line formation, your Crested gecko is male

What about male vs female Crested gecko personality, do different genders have different personality traits? Many owners report that the Crested gecko personality is unique, varying  from gecko to gecko and it doesn’t necessarily depend on their gender.

After weighing the pros and cons of male vs female Crested gecko, we recommend buying a male Crested gecko if you are not planning to breed your geckos. This is because with a female, you’ll have to deal with lay egging. Even when not paired with a male for breeding, the female will lay dud eggs (unfertilized eggs).

The female will need a nesting spot in the enclosure and a diet that provides her with enough calcium during the pregnancies.

However, this should not put you off. Female Crested geckos are as great pets as the males, you’ll just need to add a few more steps to their care routine. If you’re willing to do that, a female will be also a good choice.

Related Topics Q&A

Crested Gecko Appearance

Crested gecko physical characteristics include:

  • Short stocky legs
  • Small feet with tiny claws
  • Long slender tail
  • Spines above eyes which resemble eyelashes. The reason why Crested geckos are also known as “eyelash geckos”
  • Adhesive pads are underneath each toe and at the end of the tail. The pads allow the gecko to climb up almost any surface, including glass

Crested Gecko Personality As Pets

Most owners describe the Crested gecko personality as:

  • Friendly
  • Easy to care for
  • Intelligent

Crested Geckos are famous for being one of the friendlies lizard pets. They are often described as being very docile animals that are not aggressive towards their owner. Therefore, they are perfect not only for advanced owners but also for beginners and first time owners.

Not only are they not aggressive but when provided with the right care, the Crested gecko also enjoys being handled.

It seems like the Crested gecko have great traits to keep as a pet but what are the differences in male vs female Crested gecko? Is one gender friendlier or calmer? Before answering those questions, the first thing you should know is how to differentiate male from a female Crested gecko.

Learn more about Crested gecko personality here Crested Gecko Personality – Is Crested Gecko Right For You

unusualpetsguide

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.

You may also like...