Crested geckos have increasingly become popular in the pet industry due to their easy care, variety of colours and patterns available, and their small size. They are easy to handle, fun to watch, and generally docile. They are solitary animals and can live alone. However, during the breeding seasons, they live with other crested geckos.
Unlike other pets such as guinea pigs and degus that thrive in groups, crested geckos cannot live in groups. This makes them more suitable for the owner to focus all their attention on them. If you love crested geckos or want to breed them, you can keep more than one. Do not assume that crested geckos are social animals and be careful when hosting more than one.
Can I Keep Many Crested Geckos?
Crested geckos are unsocial animals and like to be alone. While in the wild, they mostly live alone and interact with other crested geckos for breeding. There is no increased health risk when you get only one crested gecko as a pet. Staying alone in a terrarium will not make them suffer from stress and loneliness.
If you have to keep more than one crested gecko, consider the cost of food, their average life expectancy, vet cost, and other specific long term needs. Vaccination and maintenance are also essential in keeping a crested gecko. The following are the recommended combinations of crested geckos that you can consider;
Male Crested Geckos
Do not house many adult male crested geckos in one terrarium. The males are territorial and will fight each other over the space in an enclosed environment such as a terrarium. Fighting can cause stress, injuries and sounds.
Female Crested Geckos
Female crested geckos are not territorial and will rarely fight over space, making them ideal for those who want to keep multiple crested geckos. Females have a higher social tolerance towards each other and are usually friendly. You can house up to five females in a right-sized terrarium.
A Male and A Female Crested Gecko
It is not a great idea to hold a female and male pair of crested geckos. While this initially looks like a good idea, the male crested gecko will chase the female throughout the terrarium to try to breed with her. You should always expect to have hatchlings when you choose to house a female and a male pair.
Housing a female crested gecko with a male crested gecko for a long time could lead to stress. The female crested gecko needs a cooling down duration to recover and avoid stress. If a cooling down period is not provided, her lifespan will shorten and cause health issues.
Several Male and Female Crested Geckos
Territorial conflict is why you should not keep many male and female crested geckos together. The territorial dispute will worsen when males are kept with females. In turn, males can get injuries and stress due to fighting. It is not advisable to have this combination due to the high risk of anxiety for your geckos and yourself.
One Female and Many Male Crested Geckos
It is the worst combination of housing crested geckos. Due to the male crested geckos’ territorial nature, they will fight each other over hierarchy and dominance. The male crested geckos will chase the female around to breed with her and cause injuries and stress. It is the female crested gecko that will suffer most from such a situation.
Can A Poison Dart Frog Live with A Crested Gecko?
If you are interested in keeping amphibians and reptiles, you can consider owning a poison dart frog to live with your crested gecko. Both of them have significant similarities and differences. While both require a high humidity vivarium, crested geckos are more sensitive to humidity above 80 per cent. Very high humidity can cause health issues for the crested gecko.
Crested geckos are tropical animals, but cannot tolerate very low or very high temperatures. During the day, a crested gecko will do well in temperatures between 22 to 25 degrees Celsius (72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit). During the night, temperatures between 20 to 23 degrees Celsius (69 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit) will be ideal for a crested gecko. Poison dart frogs are also tropical animals and will be comfortable in the same temperatures as crested geckos.
Crested geckos are omnivorous animals. In the wild, their diet mostly includes insects, pollen from flowers, and rotten fruits. As pets, crested geckos will feed on meal replacement powder which contains crucial nutrients. Conversely, a poison dart frog’s diet consists of meat, and will only stick to meat even as a pet.
It is not recommended to raise both a crested gecko and a poison dart frog in the same terrarium. It is impossible to get the right humidity that suits both of them, and they will eventually get hurt without the suitable moisture for each of them.
Despite not being aggressive animals, crested geckos will still prey on smaller animals such as roaches and crickets. A crested gecko may chase a poison dart frog to bite them. A crested gecko’s bite is not very deep but can lead to severe injuries and possibly kill a poison dart frog.
When to Introduce a New Crested Gecko
Before introducing a new crested gecko to the one you already have, allow a 60-days quarantine period. This is essential to ensure it does not have any parasites or diseases, prevent stress, and make sure it eats appropriately. Although it is rare for crested geckos to have any diseases, it is better to be sure.
Your crested gecko will probably be stressed as a result of changing its environment. Avoid putting your gecko in the same terrarium with other crested geckos until 60 days are over to avoid stress. Separating your gecko will also help you determine if he is pooping correctly.
What Is the Ideal Environment for My Crested Gecko?
Crested geckos have specialized toes that allow them to climb all types of surfaces. When selecting a home for your crested gecko, it is essential to remember that they will climb on anything, and will help you avoid leaving an opening in the ceiling. If they find space in the roof, they will escape.
Crested geckos will spend most of their life in trees because they are semi-arboreal. A sandy aquarium is not ideal for them and will always want lush foliage and things to climb on. Some crested geckos can grow up to four inches, and a twig will not be ideal for them. In this case, a 20-gallon aquarium is suitable for them. It would be best if you did not assume that they will need only a small space because they are tiny creatures.
Unlike some lizards, they do not need a heat source such as a heat lamp. A humid environment is necessary, and the room temperature can be suitable. If you are in a dry area, use a squirt bottle of warm water to mist the terrarium at least twice a day.
How Should I Handle My Crested Gecko?
You might want to walk around with your crested gecko on your shoulder, arm or hand because it looks like a cool thing to do. Crested geckos tolerate being carried around, unlike other species of geckos. Young crested geckos can be a bit jumpy when out of their terrarium, but they become more passive and more comfortable to carry around as they become older.
If you take good care of your crested gecko, they can live between 15 to 20 years. This period is a long time, and you will have experienced a lot with them. Before you decide to adopt a crested gecko, consider whether your family or yourself are willing to commit your time to raise him for that long duration. If not, you can consider adopting a pet with a shorter lifespan.
What Can Kill My Crested Gecko?
Crested geckos can act lethargic and sometimes tend to play dead, so do not panic when you see your crested gecko not moving or laying on the floor. They are generally passive during the day and tend to sleep more. Your crested gecko can die due to several reasons, for example;
- A severe infection– blood in the poop and increased weight loss can be signs of a disease that can kill your crested gecko. If he is housed with other pets or geckos at home, be careful to prevent them from infecting your crested gecko.
- Physical injuries– a crested gecko can get serious injuries when they fall from a high structure. Falling can cause broken bones, internal organ damage, and brain damage that can lead to death.
- Very high temperatures– exposing your crested gecko to high temperatures can kill him very quickly, even if it is just for an hour. Temperatures above 26.6 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) can cause overheating and heat stroke, leading to death. It is crucial to have a heat gradient in their environment to prevent heat-related death.
- Exposure to chemicals– chemical gases are dangerous can kill your crested gecko. Move him to a different room when you want to clean the tank, paint, or seal cracks. Leave the tank for some time to off-gas before you decide to put him back in the tank. When shopping for chemicals, select only those that are safe for reptiles, and ensure you dilute bleaches if you plan to use them around your crested gecko.
- Dehydration– high temperatures, lack of misting, and low humidity can lead to dehydration, and your crested gecko can die quickly. Sunken eyes, lethargy, and wrinkly skin are common signs of dehydration in a crested gecko.
- Egg-binding– sometimes an egg can get stuck in the crested gecko’s oviduct and cause egg-binding caused by physical build, lack of egg-laying site, and nutritional deficiencies. An egg can also rapture in their belly and cause death.
What Can I Do with My Crested Gecko When I Am Going On Vacation?
Despite loving your home and pet, you might want to get away for a few days. Having a crested gecko will need you to have plans in place to ensure he is feeding, safe, and healthy while you are away. Some options to consider if you are planning to be away from home for some time include;
Take The Crested Gecko with You
While you may choose to bring your crested gecko with you for your trip, it is not advisable to carry him along if they are too young to be handled. Airlines and trains will not permit the transportation of live reptiles and sneaking your crested gecko on the plane is not a good idea.
If you plan to be away in a single location for a week or more, carry your crested gecko in a deli cup, store the cup securely, and transport his cage separately. Even if the exact temperature and humidity requirement are not met temporarily, the crested gecko will be fine. However, it is not advisable to turn on the air conditioner in the car.
Leave Your Crested Gecko at Home
You will need to arrange for your crested gecko to get some care while you are away. Many geckos can survive without any care for a day or two. If you are out for a weekend, he can stay alone, although it is recommended for someone to be available in case of a power outage or other emergencies that will affect him.
For more extended periods of absence, you can take your crested gecko to a professional pet sitter at a daily fee. Despite being expensive, your gecko will have the attention of an experienced person and quality care for a long time. If you have a collection of crested geckos or hatchlings, you can get a professional caregiver to check on them every few days.
The Bottom Line
Many people will want to cohabit their crested gecko with other animals because they like the idea of keeping many crested geckos or to cutting on the cost of having a separate enclosure. Cohabitation does not benefit the crested gecko, and because of their solitary nature, will prefer to stay alone. Putting him to live with another animal can cause stress, injuries, and death. They only care about ample hiding space, food, water, and breeding.