Crested Gecko Care Guide: Enclosure, Temperature, Humidity and Diet

Crested geckos at a glance

Crested geckos come from the warm, humid forests of New Caledonia. They live off the ground in branches, are most active at dusk and dawn, and hide during the day.¹ The species was thought to be extinct until a population was rediscovered in 1994, and all crested geckos in the UK pet trade are now captive bred.¹

Adult length

About 8 in with tail¹

Lifespan

Up to 15–20 years¹

Enclosure

18 × 18 × 24 in+ (tall)¹²

Warm spot

79–85°F¹³

Cool area

68–77°F¹²

Night

64–72°F¹³

Humidity

Rises after misting, then dries¹³

Diet

Powdered diet plus insects²⁶

Housing

Alone¹

What you need before you bring one home

• A tall glass enclosure with a mesh top and good ventilation¹²
• Branches, vines and broad-leaved plants for climbing and cover, and a hide at both the warm and cool ends¹²
• A small, low-wattage heat source on a thermostat, if your room is cool¹³
• A gentle UVB lamp: medium output, 5–7% (RSPCA), or low output, around 6% (RVC)¹²
• A digital thermometer and a hygrometer¹²
• A spray bottle or pressure mister³
• A moisture-holding substrate, such as a soil and coconut fiber mix¹⁵
• A complete crested gecko diet, small feeder insects, and calcium powder⁶
• A small dish of fresh water¹

The RSPCA advises running the enclosure for a week before the gecko arrives, so you can adjust heat and humidity first.¹

Enclosure size

Crested geckos climb, so height matters more than floor space.⁴

Source	Hatchlings	Adults
RSPCA	Start smaller and increase as it grows1	45 × 45 × 60 cm (about 18 × 18 × 24 in) minimum1
RVC		45 × 45 × 60 cm minimum, as large as possible2
ReptiFiles	12 × 12 × 12 in, under 12 g4	18 × 18 × 36 in minimum4
Pangea	No larger than 8 × 8 × 12 in up to 12 weeks8	18 × 18 × 24 in for a single adult8

Glass is preferred over wood because of the humidity.¹ Place the enclosure away from drafts, heaters and direct sunlight.¹

Temperature

This is where crested geckos differ most from other popular reptiles: they do not need, or tolerate, high heat.

Source	Warm spot	Cool area	Night
RSPCA	26–28°C (79–82°F)1	20–24°C (68–75°F)1	Can drop to 18–20°C (64–68°F)1
RVC	About 28°C (82°F)2	About 25°C (77°F)2	About 20°C (68°F) minimum2
ReptiFiles	82–85°F (28–29°C)3	70–75°F (21–24°C)3	65–72°F (18–22°C)3
Pangea	No separate warm spot; 70–78°F overall for most of the year8		Mid-60s°F tolerated8

Too hot: Pangea says crested geckos become stressed at 82°F or warmer.⁸ ReptiFiles says temperatures consistently above 85°F can cause stress and heat stroke.³

Too cold: ReptiFiles says temperatures consistently at or below 72°F can cause lethargy, poor appetite and illness.³

In practice, that means a small warm area in the low 80s°F at most, with most of the enclosure cooler. Check with a digital thermometer at gecko height, especially in summer. Run any heat source on a thermostat.¹

Humidity and misting

Source	Humidity
RSPCA	40–50% normally, with boosts up to 80% by spraying1
RVC	50–70%2
ReptiFiles	60–80%, drying to around 50% or 40% before misting again3
Pangea	At or above 50%, with 80–100% for several hours a day after misting8

The sources agree on the pattern: a humid spell after misting, then a dry-out. Constant wetness encourages mold and bacterial infections.³⁸ ReptiFiles suggests misting at least once in the evening, and again in the morning if needed.³

Misting also matters for drinking. Crested geckos prefer to lick droplets off leaves and glass, though you should still keep a dish of fresh water out.³¹

Light and UVB

• Day and night. The RSPCA and RVC give 12 hours of light a day.¹² ReptiFiles, citing Dr. Frances Baines, gives 14 hours in summer and 10 in winter.³
• No night lights. ReptiFiles advises against red, blue or black night bulbs, which can disrupt the day and night cycle.³
• UVB. Use a gentle lamp: a 5–7% tube, which the RSPCA calls medium output, or a low-output lamp of around 6% (RVC).¹² The RSPCA aims for a UV index of about 0.7 at the basking zone; ReptiFiles aims for 1.0–2.0.¹³ Provide plenty of shade.
• Hatchlings under 13 g in small enclosures need special care, because a UVB lamp on a tiny cage can give a dangerous dose.³

Substrate

The RSPCA recommends a moisture-holding substrate such as coconut fiber or a soil mix, topped with moss or leaves, and suggests a bioactive setup for permanent housing.¹ ReptiFiles’ mix is 60% organic topsoil and 40% coconut fiber, 2–4 inches deep.⁵

• For geckos under 13 g, ReptiFiles notes that loose substrate is an impaction risk, and suggests paper towel instead.⁵
• Avoid bark and wood chips, pine and cedar products, and reptile carpet, which can catch delicate toes.⁵
• Do not let it get waterlogged, which breeds bacteria.¹

Food

Age	Complete powdered diet	Insects
Juveniles, 0–12 months	Daily	1–2 times a week
Adults	Every 2–3 days	0–1 times a week

Schedule from ReptiFiles.⁶

• Powdered diet. Mix with water as directed and remove leftovers daily, because it turns sour quickly.¹ Avoid diets with wheat, rice or bran.¹
• Insects. Crickets or small roaches, gut-loaded for at least 24 hours and dusted with calcium.¹⁶ The RVC says to feed mealworms only in moderation and waxworms as occasional treats.² ReptiFiles says to avoid mealworms and superworms, which can be hard for crested geckos to digest.⁶
• Fruit is an occasional treat. Too much can make a gecko refuse its prepared diet.⁶

Where the sources disagree. Pangea, which makes one of these diets, says crested geckos can be kept on a complete powdered diet alone, but recommends dusted, gut-loaded insects once or twice a week for best health.⁸ The RVC says crested geckos are typically fed a complete formulated diet. Its alternative is fruit and dark leafy greens daily, with insects once or twice a week.² The RSPCA recommends a varied diet and says the powdered diet should not be used exclusively.¹ The RSPCA also says never to feed banana or citrus, while ReptiFiles lists banana as an occasional treat.¹⁶

If yours is not eating, see crested gecko not eating.

Handling

• Wait before handling a new gecko: a week according to the RSPCA, two weeks according to ReptiFiles.¹⁷
• Let it walk onto your hand. Never grasp the tail. Crested geckos can drop it, and unlike other geckos they cannot regrow it.¹
• Start short. ReptiFiles suggests 5 minutes every other day at first, building to 15 minutes, and no more than 20 minutes a day.⁷ The RSPCA gives about 10 minutes at a time.¹
• Handle over a soft surface, such as a bed or couch. Crested geckos leap, and a soft landing can prevent injury.⁷

Housing more than one

Keep crested geckos singly. Never keep males with others permanently.¹ Females can sometimes live together if each has enough basking, hiding and feeding areas, but separate them at once if you see chasing, squeaking, tail shaking or biting.¹ ReptiFiles adds that two females need at least twice the volume of an 18 × 18 × 36 inch enclosure.⁴

Health: what normal looks like

• Steady weight. Weigh regularly: a growing gecko should gain, and an adult should hold steady.¹
• Weekly records. ReptiFiles suggests a weekly note of weight, feeding, behavior and shedding, because sudden weight loss often signals illness.⁹
• Annual vet check. The RVC recommends one every year.²