CRESTED GECKO
Rhacodactylus ciliatus
Origin: New Caledonia
Family: Gekkonidae


A medium sized arboreal lizard from New Caledonia. Crested Geckos have a broad triangular shaped head with crests running from the upper eye rim down to the shoulder area. A prehensile tail with a flattened tip , that is used to cling to vertical surfaces along with it's adhesive toe pads makes these lizards excellent climbers.

Only having entered into the UK hobby in the last few years. They are fast gaining popularity due to their docile nature, ease of care & incredible personalities. Crested geckos will give Leopard Geckos a run for there money in both the popularity stakes and the diverse range of colours and patterns that are showing up in captive bred specimens. Already available in several colour and pattern morphs, all cresties have the ability to change colour. This firing up as it is known can be very dramatic, what might look like a drab brown gecko one minute can change into the most striking orange, red, green, or even yellow specimen the next.

Did I mention they have the most incredible personalities. With gentle handling and encouragement they can be coaxed to feed from your hand. Once trust is achieved they will even come to you when you open the vivarium door, jump onto your chest or arm and just sit there looking at you with that clownish face there famous for, and those big round eyes surrounded by " eye lashes " any women would just die for.

Being a nocturnal lizard, they will spend most of the day curled up within the leafs of plants. Fig trees seem to be there favorite and live specimens of these will do well in the vivarium, alternatively there are plenty of silk and plastic plants available form either your local reptile store or garden center that will equally serve the purpose. Being an arboreal species they require a tall vivarium with plenty of vertical climbing surfaces such as bamboo canes. Substrate can be newspaper for ease of cleaning or for a more natural and appealing look, peat or bark chipping's. A daytime temperature of between 72-80 F (22-27 C) and a night time drop to 65-75 F (18-24 C) can be achieved by the use of a well guarded ceramic heater wired to a good thermostat.

The beauty of keeping nocturnal species is that there active when your home from work, school, or the pub. Install a guarded red bulb in the viv and you can watch their antics as they jump from cane to cane. Oh yes, they talk too, well not exactly talk but they have quiet a vocal range of noises, squeaks, clicks, grunts sometimes sounding like little chickens clucking about. Not recommended for keeping in your bedroom if your a light sleeper.

Another plus for this species is they can be raised on a non livefood diet. Although a lot more thought must go into there diet, for it to be nutritious enough. A commercially packaged complete dry diet is available now that you mix up with water and feed to your cresties three to four times a week.

If your not adverse to the stray cricket sharing your home then, your crestie will love these fed to it once or twice a week. Twice a week they will readily eat pureed fruit, such as bananas, peaches & pears, or commercially prepared fruit baby food that has been laced with supplements. Don't forget to dust your crickets with multi vits just prior to feeding.

Fresh water should be available at all times in a shallow bowl, spraying the vivarium nightly is a good routine to get into not only does it serve to higher the humidity that in turn helps with sloughing but also encourages your cresties to drink from the leaves of the plants or sides of the vivarium.

Housed singularly or in small groups of one male to two or three females, these geckos make excellent pets for beginners, with them being relatively new to the hobby the potential to cultivate new morphs makes them appealing to the experienced keeper as well.

Reccommended reading : THE CRESTED GECKO IN CAPTIVITY by Robbie Hamper