Crested Gecko Habitat

[Chiefmcfuz]

I was planning on setting up a small crested tank but I have some questions I can get an exo-terra terrarium.

What other equipment/items will I need?

Substrate? Lighting? Heating? Food dishes etc?

 

[Mel&Keith]

You might find better info searching through the Rach section (http://www.geckoforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=24)

We use paper towels for substrate, a laying box with moist coco husk for a humid hide, fake plants, a homemade hammock, and disposable plastic condiment cups inside a ceramic crock for the Crested Gecko Diet.
Cresteds are fine at room temps not above 80 degrees so they generally don't need any special heating or lighting.

Oh, I forgot, you'll also need a misting bottle to spray them with water every day.

 

[rubym]

Our little boy seems to like his jungle vines also. My husband made a feeding ledge for him and he has decided that this is a better place to sleep then it is to eat. He sleeps with his head in the little empty paper cup.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Ok so whos got pics?

 

[Mel&Keith]

I moved this thread to the Rhacodactylus so you'll probably get more answers. Try searching through some of the threads too, a lot of people have already posted pics of their Crestie enclosures.

For instance, here's one: http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=18033

 

[acpart]

I think I have this posted elsewhere but here it is again, although blurry.

Substrate: baked clay balls, eco earth, sphagnum moss

Plants: split leaf fern, something vinelike from my houseplant, fake vine to give everything some support

"furniture": ceramic hide, ceramic water bowl (back right corner), ceramic food bowl, hygrometer (front right corner)

poop cleaners: pill bugs (not visible)

lighting: exo-terra hood with compact florescents, clamp light with incandescent bulb mostly for heat which I will probably turn off in the summer

Spencer also has a summer condo in the basement --just a simple 10 gallon with fake plants, food, water and tile where he lives when it gets too hot in my living room in the summer. He was probably down there 5 days last summer.

Ailza

 

[Bodon]

i dont have any good shots of my entire tank, but i know my geckos like this fake rock thing a lot. It was for an aquarium but works just as well in the crestie tank.

Here are some of the fake plants i have in the tank. They really seem to like them.

 

[goReptiles]

I use egg cartons and fake plants. The litle ones love curling up in the egg cartons. No heat, as the room with the reptiles is pretty warm as it is (around 74F). On occassion when I have cresteds in my room, I'll take a small UTH and stick it on the side of the tub or tank, as my room tends to stay pretty cold. No lighting.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I moved this thread to the Rhacodactylus so you'll probably get more answers. Try searching through some of the threads too, a lot of people have already posted pics of their Crestie enclosures.

For instance, here's one: http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=18033

Thanks

I have been searching the forumes and I am getting mostly close ups but I am looking more for what we call in the reefing biz a Full Tank Shot

 

[moosassah]

This is Ferrous' exoterra home. I've since removed the largest plant. It didn't do too well. In the back left corner is one of those reptile waterfalls. It's being used as a planter. Ferrous is frequently seen bedded down on the waterfall.

Pothos is the most successful plant. I'm trying to train it up the fake vines. 2 of the vines are stuck into the substrate (sphagnum moss & orchid bark & the soil from the plants over a base of lava rock which is separated from the soil by a square of PVC sleeve) and are wedged into place. The vine at the top is wired through the screen & seems to be a favorite hang.

There are 2 millipedes living in the substrate as of yesterday.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Did anyone go to the reptile show today in White Plains NY?

Re-starting thread in the next post. This and all posts above it are old.
Just trying to keep things organized for myself
​

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Ok so I should probably bump this threat instead of starting a new one. I have the exoterra 12*12*18 setup. And I am going to use paper towels for substrate for now. Is there any type of magnet mounted feeding dish holder on the market? Also what type of natural cleaners are there that I could add to the tank to aid in manual cleaning? Will an internal waterfall be ok to keep humidity up?

 

[Northstar Herp]

Ok so I should probably bump this threat instead of starting a new one. I have the exoterra 12*12*18 setup. And I am going to use paper towels for substrate for now. Is there any type of magnet mounted feeding dish holder on the market? Also what type of natural cleaners are there that I could add to the tank to aid in manual cleaning? Will an internal waterfall be ok to keep humidity up?

http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/index.php?target=products&product_id=29818

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/index.php?target=products&product_id=29818

Cool.

Thanks.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Sorry was a long night at work and my brain is mush, I should have asked this before but I forgot. Does CGD have the appropriate amount of calcium required for the crestie or doe it need to be supplemented in addition to the CGD?

 

[MrTantalizin]

I was at the reptile show in Whiteplains ^_^

CGD is a COMPLETE diet. It is possible to only feed CGD (without supplementation or insects) and your geckos should get all of their "vitamins" from it. Although I recommend feeding live prey once or maybe twice a day. Ive noticed cresteds LOVE to hunt insects. And I like to offer alittle diversity to my geckos.

I use paper towels as substrate, a incadescent bulb in a clamp fixture for added heat (now in the winter), a flourescent fixture with a UVB 2.0 bulb (just as alittle extra vitamins and for day/night cycle). I have a live ficus plant and artificial jungle vine. I also have some artificial plant in there for added foliage. I have pieces of wood (i believe mopani but you all can confirm that later) mounted to my tank. The tank itself is a 18x18x36 Screen cage (which is pretty big for cresties).

As far as a waterfall. In my opinion, NO. Unless it is highly maintained it is a breeding ground for bacteria. That can get your cresties sick and if it gets too bad it can even get you sick (if the enclosures in your room). Unless you are doing an advanced naturalistic vivarium I would say steer clear of waterfalls.
A simple solution could be either a humidifier in the room, one of those ZooMed reptifoggers (i have not tried em but I heard they work well). A misting system can also help but is kind of a bigger investment. If you was to get either the reptifogger or humifier (or both) you should be ok. That also kind of depends what area you live in and the ambient humidity in your area. Live plants in your enclosure will also help keep humidity up. Another option if you are worried about the humidity is you can place terrarium moss (artifical or not) in a "hide" (can be as simple as a little tupaware semi-enclosed) and place it near the middle of the cage. This allows your gecko the possibility to go in there if it feels neccesary. It can also help with shedding.

I will be making a mini video of my enclosure and posting it within the next couple of days. check back periodically for it. Anymore questions ask away. Hope I was able to answer some of your questions. Another place you can get great answers is www.pangeareptile.com forums (the forum link is on the bottom). That site is more specified towards Rhacodactylus Ciliatus (CG's).

-Shawn:main_thumbsup:

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Thanks for the info Shawn. Sorry this thread is a little old should have put a big break in things up there but didn't, and I wanted to try and keep everything together and organized. Misting isn't really a problem unless I go away. That doesn't happen often. I have a moist hide somewhere from my old leo setup I would imagine I could use that in the cage. I didn't think UVB lighting was necessary.

 

[MrTantalizin]

I have a moist hide somewhere from my old leo setup I would imagine I could use that in the cage. I didn't think UVB lighting was necessary.

No problem. I dont see why you wouldnt be able to use the same hide. And you are correct again, UVB isnt neccesary considering they are nocturnal.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I just have to dig out my Gecko stuff from storage, I know I have the tank and I think a light but after that I will have to figure things that I need to get I guess LOL

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Wow the questions just keep coming LOL

Are males more common than females? Does incubation temp have as much to do with sexing of Cresteds as it does Leos?