Crested Gecko Caresheet (Rhacodactylus ciliatus)
Author: Cody Wiggens
Distribution
I believe that to best understand the captive needs of any animal, a good understanding of their natural habitat needs to be understood. The genus Rhacodactylus is found on New Caledonia, which is an area in the southwest Pacific. This area is east of Australia, and composed of a main island (Grand Terre), and several smaller islands, including the Isles of Pines. Rhacodactylus ciliatus, more commonly known as the crested gecko, "the eyelash gecko", or "the barking gecko", are found on the Southern Portion of Grand Terre and The Isle of Pines. Unfortunately, collection data was never acquired during the early imports and locales of the different morphs is now near impossible. The lack of records by breeders and hobbyists also contributes to this.New Caledonia is within the tropics. Rainfall is very seasonal and the climate is best described as hot and humid. New Caledonia produces three seasons; the cool season, the warm season, and the transition season/period. The cool season, which will be referred to later, spans for a total of four months and consists of less rainfall and cooler temperatures. The warm season spans for a total of six months and consists of large amounts of rainfall and warmer temperatures associated with tropical cyclones. The transition period is a three month period of little rainfall and high winds associated with the trade winds (mobot.org1).
The information below was recorded on Weatherbase.org and taken from Noumea, New Caledonia, located in the Southern region and at an elevation of 230 feet above sea level. It is a close representation of a natural habitat that crested geckos can be found in. All temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit and precipitation is recorded in inches. Each listing represents an average for each month. Also note that New Caledonia is in the Southern Hemisphere and the seasons are opposite of ours. It would be much easier for a hobbyist in the states to emulate their warm season during our summer, not during November to March.
Description
Crested geckos are unique in appearance. They are bred for several different color morphs and patterns. These can include tans, oranges, reds, a few very dark ones, as well as patterns such as, tiger stripes and black spotted. Crested geckos, like many other species of gecko, can climb vertical surfaces. (Pending the surface material.) This is because of the spatula tipped setae on the geckos footpad. Each foot of a gecko that can climb vertical surfaces contains almost 500,000 Setae. Each setae is tipped with 100 - 1,000 spatulae. This massive infrastructure of fine setae/spatulae creates an interaction with van der waals forces allowing them the ability to bond with solid surfaces. It is also noteable that geckos have double jointed toes. The double joint allows them to remove their foot from the surface in which they are climbing by lifting their toes from the tip inward. Another notable feature of the crested gecko are their big, pretty eyes, with what seems to be eyelashes. They clean and moisten their eyes by licking them. Their skin is covered with fine scales making them look and feel silky.Lifespan
A healthy crested gecko can live to be 10-15 yrs old, sometimes longer.Size
Hatchlings start at 3 inches and emerge into large adults ranging from 8-10 inches.Enclosure
A 20-gallon (or equivalent) is the recommended minimum size enclosure for a pair of adults. A 20 long, standing on end to make it tall, also works. Height is important since cresties are arboreal and like to climb. They are great glass climbers, so a secure lid is a must. Tank furniture can include logs, plants, hides, cork bark, and PVC tubing. Live plants such as Ficus and Pothos will help with humidity, add a natural look ,and aid in creating more hiding spots and security for the geckos.- Converting For Arboreal
Substrate
Some keepers use bed-o-beast, peat moss, sphagnum moss and cypress mulch, or they use a mixture of a few. The easiest to clean and totally safe substrate would be paper towels. This is the suggested substrate for hatchlings.Heating and Lighting
A UTH (under tank heater) on one end of the tank or a low watt light bulb can be used to reach desired temps if needed. Red bulbs can be used at night if temps drop to low. Crested geckos are nocturnal thus they require no special lighting. UVB lights can be used to simulate daylight but is not necessary for them to absorb calcium or Vitamin D-3.Behavior and Temperament
Crested geckos are easy to handle and very seldom bite. They can be flighty, so use caution and pay attention when handling. Be careful not to drop or handle your gecko roughly, this can stress them and cause the crested to drop his tail (this is a common defense behavior too) and it will not regenerate.Diet
A diet of crickets, mashed fruit and fruity baby foods (peach, apricot and banana) are the staple of a crested geckos diet. You can add "The Crested Gecko Diet" by T-Rex as an added variety and this may be used by itself or mixed into the baby food. As they mature, you can add some mealworms and waxworms.Insects should be dusted with calcium and Vitamin D-3 at least 2-3 times a week.
Water
A small water dish can be placed in the tank. Misting should be done 1-2 times a day. Mist plants and the sides of the tank. Cresties will often be seen licking the water from these areas.Sexing Cresties
Determining the sex can be difficult at an early age. It is best to sex them around 5 months as it may be possible to sex accurately at this age. (As the gecko matures, it will become easier defining the physical charecteristics used for visual sexing.) Males have two distinct hemipenal buldges and noticeable pre-anal pores in front of the vent and females have one which are sometimes not visible at all.Breeding and Breeding Behavior
Crested geckos should be 35-40 grams before breeding is attempted. In order to be cooled, they need to be cycled for at least 6-8 weeks. This is done by dropping the temperatures to the upper 60's and turning off any heat sources. Continue to offer them food twice a week, although they may not eat. After this time, begin increasing the temperatures, gradually, back to normal. At this point, a male and female can be placed together and a regular feeding schedule should begin again. Once breeding takes place, the female will deposit 2 white, soft eggs every 3-6 weeks. Normally, the older the breeder, the more clutches she will lay. You can estimate that 8-10 clutches during the breeding season will be deposited. Eggs should be removed no later than 24 hours after being deposited, so moist hides should be checked daily.Eggs should be placed in deli cups with 2-3 small holes and 1-2 inches of moistened vermiculite and/or perilite. Make sure you squeeze out any excess water. Eggs can be half buried or placed in an indention in the substrate. Place the eggs at least 1/2" apart to allow for growth/expansion. Eggs should be incubated at 74-78 degrees and will hatch in 65-80 days.
