Crested Gecko

Is a crested gecko right for you?

The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is a tree-dwelling gecko known for the rows of spiny scales running from above its eyes down its back and the eyelash-like projections over its eyes. Adults usually measure 18-25 cm including the tail. Unlike the leopard gecko it lives at temperatures close to room temperature and can be fed a prepared powdered diet, which is why it is often recommended to people who would rather not deal with insects. In return it is very sensitive to heat and needs high humidity.

The most important question: can you keep the vivarium below 26-27 °C through a hot summer? In a south-facing room without air conditioning, that is often impossible.

Before you adopt

A healthy animal has clear eyes, a well-filled body and clean toe tips. Prominent hip bones, wrinkled skin or sunken eyes point to dehydration or illness. A curved spine, soft jaw and tremors suggest metabolic bone disease.

A tailless animal may be perfectly normal. When this species drops its tail, the tail does not grow back. Tailless adults are common, and this is not a health problem; it only affects appearance. There is no need to turn down a healthy animal just because it has no tail.

Legal status: The crested gecko is endemic to New Caledonia, where collecting and exporting wild animals is prohibited, so animals in the pet trade are captive-bred. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable. At the time of writing we could not confirm that it is listed in the CITES appendices, but protected status for New Caledonian geckos is under discussion; check the current position. Many countries also require import paperwork for non-CITES reptiles (in Turkey, for example, a conformity certificate from the nature conservation authority). Buying from a breeder who can document the animal's origin, or rehoming one, is the cleanest route.

Vivarium set-up

Size

• Hatchling (under 4 months): a small vivarium of around 40 litres is enough.
• For one adult, the Chicago Exotics veterinary clinic gives a minimum of 30x30x45 cm (width x depth x height). The same source gives 45x45x60 cm for two or three animals, which is also a better target for a single gecko.
• It lives in trees; height matters more than floor space. Front-opening doors mean you never have to grab the animal from above.

Temperature (the most critical setting: avoiding overheating)

PetMD advises not to exceed 27 °C for extended periods; the Swiftail veterinary care sheet warns that temperatures above 28 °C can be fatal. Most homes need no extra heating; if the room drops below 18 °C in winter, add a low-wattage, thermostat-controlled heat source. In summer move the vivarium to the coolest, shaded or air-conditioned room. A closed glass vivarium in a sunny window heats up within minutes.

Humidity

• Target 60-80%, misting 1-2 times a day.
• It needs a cycle, not constant wetness: humidity rises after evening misting and partly dries during the day. Chicago Exotics suggests around 50% by day and 80% at night.
• A poorly ventilated, permanently wet vivarium leads to mould and skin infections. Use a hygrometer.

UVB According to Swiftail, UVB is not required, but low-level UVB (2.0-5.0) can benefit juveniles and breeding females in particular. If you use it, leave plenty of foliage and shade, replace the tube every 6-12 months and do not exceed 10-12 hours a day.

Substrate Coconut fibre, an orchid-bark mix or kitchen paper. Gravel, large wood chips and walnut shell can cause impaction if swallowed.

Decor Plenty of diagonal and horizontal branches and dense, non-toxic foliage. Horizontal perches reduce the time the gecko spends hanging head-down on the glass.

Feeding

In the wild it is an omnivore that eats fruit, nectar, pollen and insects.

Staple: a complete prepared gecko diet

• Powdered diets made for crested geckos and mixed with water are formulated to meet all nutritional needs.
• Mix fresh, offer in a small dish on a raised ledge and remove within 24-48 hours; old food spoils.
• Every other day for juveniles; 2-3 times a week for adults.

Insects (supplementary)

• 1-2 times a week, crickets or dubia roaches smaller than the space between the eyes.
• Dust insects with calcium and a multivitamin and gut load them beforehand.
• Insects provide protein and encourage natural hunting behaviour.

Fruit: Soft fruits such as ripe banana, mango or fig can be an occasional treat, but fruit alone is not a balanced diet. A crested gecko fed only fruit will develop metabolic bone disease.

Water: A shallow dish plus droplets on the leaves after misting. Many individuals drink droplets rather than from a bowl.

Health and lifespan

With good care it lives 15-20 years.

Signs that mean a vet visit:

• Wrinkled skin, sunken eyes, appetite loss lasting more than a few days
• A curved spine or tail, soft jaw, tremors
• Tissue protruding from the vent (prolapse): an emergency
• Old skin stuck on toe or tail tips
• Lethargy, open-mouth breathing, weakness after a hot day

Problems specific to the species:

• Heat stress: The most insidious danger for this species. Open-mouth breathing, weakness, loss of balance. Move the animal somewhere cool at once and contact a vet.
• Metabolic bone disease: Mostly caused by fruit-heavy or inadequate diets. Curved spine, weak jaw, tremors.
• Dehydration: Low humidity and too little misting. Wrinkled skin, sunken eyes.
• Shedding problems: In low humidity, skin retained on the toe tips cuts off circulation.
• Prolapse: Tissue protruding from the vent. See a vet before the tissue dries out.
• Impaction: Unsuitable substrate or oversized insects. No droppings, swollen belly.
• Floppy tail syndrome: The tail flops over towards the body. It is linked to spending long periods head-down on glass, but the exact cause is not known; it usually does not threaten health directly.

Salmonella: Like all reptiles, it can carry Salmonella. Wash your hands after every contact; children under 5 and people with weakened immunity are at higher risk.

Handling and behaviour

1. Do not touch for the first 2 weeks. Wait until it starts eating in its new home.
2. Never hold it by the tail. Stress, squeezing or grabbing the tail can make it drop, and the tail does not come back. Occasionally a small nub forms.
3. Let it walk hand to hand. Instead of gripping, place your palm in front and let it "walk" from one hand to the other.
4. Stay close to the floor. It jumps suddenly; sit on a bed or rug while handling.
5. Keep it short. Chicago Exotics describes tolerance of up to 15-20 minutes a day; if it tries to escape, put it back.

According to Swiftail, tail loss is not a medical emergency. Keep the substrate clean; if bleeding does not stop or the area swells, see a vet. It is nocturnal and sleeps among the leaves by day.

Housing together: Never put two males in the same vivarium. If a male and female live together, the female will lay constantly; according to Chicago Exotics females can lay two eggs roughly every three weeks in the breeding season, which is a heavy calcium drain.

History and life in the wild

The crested gecko is endemic to the south of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, occurring in three separate areas on Grande Terre and the Île des Pins. It was long thought extinct until it was rediscovered on an expedition in 1994. Breeding began with a limited number of animals exported before permits were halted, and it has become one of the most widely kept pet geckos in the world.

The wild population is under pressure today from the introduced little fire ant, rats, cats and wildfires. Because the pet population is sustained entirely by captive breeding, there is no need to take animals from the wild, which is good news for the species.