Are Crested Geckos Friendly? Is This The Right Pet For You?

Are Crested Geckos Friendly

Are Crested geckos friendly? Yes. Crested geckos are known for being friendly and docile pets once settled. This gecko is beginner friendly, suitable for adults and children above 5 years of age.

If you are looking for a friendly reptile that enjoys being held, Crested gecko is the one for you. In this article, we will be covering the following topics:

  • Are Crested geckos friendly when kept as a pet
  • Do Crested geckos allow to be held
  • Are Crested geckos friendly with other geckos
  • Are Crested geckos social
  • Can children have Crested geckos as pets

And more..

Are Crested Geckos Friendly As A Pet

Are Crested Geckos Friendly

Before getting this little reptile as a pet, you might wonder are Crested geckos friendly? Yes,  Crested geckos are a friendly lizard! But how friendly can a gecko really be?

It’s important to remember – no matter how friendly, the Crested gecko is still a reptile and will never be as friendly or cuddly as a dog or a cat.

Crested geckos, as most reptiles, are display pets. Having this gecko as a pet will mainly consist of admiring them from a far and having around 10 to 15 minutes interaction outside the tank.

Besides being friendly, the Crested gecko is also a low maintenance pet and easy to care for. However, the one thing to be prepared for as an owner is that Crested geckos can get easily stressed. We talk about this more below, in the next section.

Do Crested Geckos Allow To Be Held?

Handling of Crested gecko is an important part of determining are Crested geckos friendly.

Crested geckos are very soft to touch with a smooth exterior unlike some other reptiles. Therefore, you’ll definitely enjoy holding this little guy but what about them? Does the Crested gecko allow and enjoy being handled?

Once settled in and used to their owner, the Crested gecko will allow a good amount of handling. However, there are a few things you should be aware of when handling a Crested gecko.

Handling Tips

  • Waiting time. If your Crested gecko is new, don’t handle them the first 2 weeks, so they can settle in and not feel stressed
  • Leaps of faith. The Crested gecko is known to be jumpy. They enjoy leaping and grabbing onto the nearest object. This should not alarm you as it’s part of their nature
  • Handle with care. Don’t ever grab the gecko by the tail or squeeze them. Any rough handling can result in your gecko getting stressed and dropping its tail. Although, dropping tail doesn’t affect their health, it’s a result of them experiencing extreme stress and fear which you want to avoid
  • Nervous. As people, Crested geckos’ temperament can vary. If you have a more nervous gecko, they might react by nipping or trying to escape when you try to hold them. Don’t worry! This only means that your gecko needs some more time to feel comfortable and safe
  • Poop. When handling your gecko, they might poop on you. Don’t be alarmed as it’s a normal and expected response

If you interact and handle your Crested gecko everyday for 10 to 20 minutes, you will create a strong and long lasting bond. This pretty much answers the question are Crested geckos friendly? Not only are they friendly, they also like being handled and enjoy interaction with their owner which can’t be said for all reptiles.

However, to get to the point where your Crested gecko feels comfortable and trusts you, follow the tips and techniques in this article How To Hold A Crested Gecko: Tips On Handling Crested Gecko

Are Crested Geckos Friendly With Other Geckos?

In the wild, Crested geckos are solitary animals and only meet up with other geckos when it’s time to reproduce. Therefore, you should not worry that your gecko might get lonely. That’s how they prefer it. The interaction you have with them will be enough socialising to keep them happy and content.

Although, keeping the Crested gecko alone won’t impact their happiness or health, the question still stands are Crested geckos friendly with other geckos in the same tank?

If you want to keep more than one Crested gecko in the same enclosure, it’s essential to follow the rules below strictly! This is important because having the wrong combination in the same tank, can result in health issues, injury and even death to one of the geckos.

Male Crested geckos are difficult to house with other geckos due to safety reasons. Male geckos 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

On the other hand, 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

Learn more about housing Crested gecko together here Can Crested Geckos Live Together? Top Tips On Housing Crested Geckos

Are Crested Geckos Child-Friendly?

Are Crested Geckos Friendly

As Crested geckos are docile and calm, they are considered a suitable pet for children. However, in terms of handling, only children above the age of 5 should be allowed to hold the gecko and it needs to be done with adult supervision.

As mentioned previously, the Crested gecko is a fragile animal, that can get stressed easily. Therefore, children should first be shown what is the right way to handle the gecko. This will not only avoid causing stress to the gecko but it will also avoid traumatizing the child in case they hurt the animal by accident.

Another important step before allowing your kid to hold the Crested gecko is ensuring the gecko is already used to handling.

During the handling, observe how the gecko responds to your kid. Ensure the gecko is not being squeezed or accidentally hurt as then they might try to escape and it can result in injured pet.

A good way to involve an older kid, above the age of 10, in the Crested gecko care is by giving them the responsibility of feeding the gecko or cleaning the tank.

As Crested geckos aren’t cuddly and only enjoy being handled for short periods of time, the most fun part of owning a gecko for a child would usually be observing the gecko in a natural looking terrarium.

So after all, are Crested geckos friendly pet for a child to have? Yes. As long as they are handled with care, the Crested gecko is a suitable and friendly pet for a child.

Are Crested Geckos Ever Not Friendly Or Agressive?

Crested Gecko Gaping

As mentioned earlier, Crested geckos are docile animals that can be tamed. However, we also mentioned they are easily stressed. This can also result in the gecko responding in a more aggressive way to protect themselves.

It’s important to remember that your Crested gecko will only react in such way if it’s stressed and scared. What does an aggressive reaction look like? If feeling threatened the Crested gecko might arch their back to make themselves look bigger, open their mouth wide also known as gaping or jump at the tank’s glass. In addition, when being handled, they might try to escape by wriggling in your hands or even bite.

Do Crested Geckos Bite?

In the wild, the Crested gecko will choose to run away and hide instead of be confrontational. However, when kept as a pet, they are in a small tank and they can’t run away, so they will do the best next thing which is act to protect themselves.

As any animal that have teeth, the Crested gecko can bite. However, as their teeth are tiny, the bite is harmless and doesn’t even brake the skin. However, there is always the possibility of bacteria such as fungi to be transferred. That’s why it’s important to wash your hands before and after handling a Crested gecko.

If your Crested gecko does try to bite you, it’s important to understand why they are doing this. Usually, this behavior is a result of something causing them stress.

To learn about all the possible causes for stress in Crested gecko click here Crested Gecko Stress Signs: How To Prevent And Treat Stress

So, if they can bite on occasion, are Crested geckos friendly or not?

As with any other pet, the Crested gecko can also behave in more aggressive ways if they believe they are in danger and are just protecting themselves. However, due to their small size, their “aggressive” behavior pose no threat to us.

With that said, the Crested gecko is still considered a friendly and easily tamed reptile pet that is great for beginners.

Final Thoughts

Before getting Crested gecko, you might wonder if this is the right pet for you. Having a friendly pet is important for many people, even reptile owners. So, are Crested geckos friendly?

The Crested geckos are one of the friendlies lizard. They are known for being docile and easily tamed. Once the gecko is settled in their new home, they enjoy being handled and enjoy daily interaction with their owner.

In addition, the Crested gecko is child and beginner friendly. They are easy to care for and overall healthy pets.

If everything described so far fits your lifestyle and personality, then Crested gecko is the one for you!

However, one thing to remember is that these geckos can get easily stressed. Therefore, to avoid this, it’s important to do the research and provide them with the right care. This way you can have a happy and friendly Crested gecko pet.

Related Topics Q&A

Are Crested Geckos Easy To Care For?

Crested geckos are very easy to care for and are considered low maintenance pets that can live up to 14 years. It’s recommended to feed them a commercial CGD diet such as Repashy or Pangea at least every other day and provided them with fresh water daily.

If the humidity and temperature levels in the tank are not right, it can have a negative effect to your gecko’s health. Ideally, you want temperatures between 72°F to 75°F and humidity levels need to be kept at 60% during the day and at 80% during the night.

In terms of their enclosure, they need to be kept in the vertical tank with some decorations such as artificial plants, vines and hiding spots.

To learn more about Crested gecko care, click here Crested Gecko Care: The Ultimate Step By Step Guide

Do Crested Geckos Need A Lot Of Attention?

Crested geckos are solitary animals and are perfectly happy on their own. Therefore, they don’t require much attention.

However, it’s still recommended to spend 10 to 20 minutes a day interacting and handling the gecko. This will help get the gecko used to handling and build a strong bond.

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.

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