Latin name: Rhacodactylus ciliatus

Common name(s): New Caledonian crested gecko, crested gecko

Native to: They are found on the island of New Caledonia.

Adult size: They can reach lengths of 4 to 6 inches from nose to vent.

Life Span: 10-15 years if proper care is given.

Eggs and young: Crested geckos generally produce 12 eggs with 18 being the most. They can be sexed around 6 months of age and should be at least 10 before mating. The male has a large hemi penal pouch under the base of the tail and females lack this. Females lay two eggs after 30-45 days gestation in a container with moss and vermiculite. Eggs should be incubated between 72-78 degrees F. Babies hatch between 65-80 days, depending upon temperature. They can be housed in 10-gallon aquariums with screen lids. Babies will eat after the first shed and should be offered small crickets and fruity baby food or CGD (crested gecko diet) daily. Vitamin supplements should be added every time and a dish of calcium should be in their cage.

Appearance: They get their name from the fringe-like scales that run from above the eye and all the way down each side of the back. They have prehensile tails and lamellae pads on the toes and the tip of their tails. Crested geckos can easily drop their tails and they do not regenerate. They come in many different colours and patterns that can change a little day to day. The head is relatively large to the body and is "flattened".

Feeding: Diet includes fruit flavored baby food such as peach and apricot or a powdered mix found in pet stores called CGD (crested gecko diet) and live prey such as crickets, mealworms and silkworms. The baby food or CGD in presented in a dollar-sized amount in a little lid or dish. Calcium supplement can be mixed in with the baby food and the insects are dusted with a vitamin supplement once a week. Crested geckos can be offered 5-6 crickets a night about 3-4 times a week and baby food on other nights.

Handling: These geckos will generally allow you to handle them for short periods of time but with regular handling could probably be handled for longer. They tend to calm down with age, however there are a few who remain flighty. Handling young crested geckos is difficult and sometimes shouldn’t be done as they drop their tails very easily. They do jump and stick to vertical surfaces so handling can be a bit of a chasing game at times.

Temperament: Known to be quite tame, less timid than other Rhacodactylus species.

Cage set up: Screen cages are the best to house your crested gecko in because along with sticky toes they also have claws. Although they can climb most surfaces I have found that they don’t stick to glass tanks very well especially after it is wet from misting. Crested geckos are arboreal and prefer enclosures with a vertical format. An individual gecko can be kept in a well-planted enclosure measuring 12" x 12" x 18". A breeding pair or a trio can be housed in an enclosure measuring 18" x 18" x 24". Branches, leaves, caves and other climbing or hiding material should be added to a cage setup.

Substrate: Paper towel works well or flannelette blankets made to fit the bottom of the cage. Towels work too but they might get their teeth caught in the material so it is best to keep this as something temporary. If you house your gecko in a glass tank it is also possible to not put anything down as a substrate. The key is to stay away from anything the gecko can accidentally ingest when it dives for a cricket.

Lighting: Although crested geckos are nocturnal they DO need UVB lighting. A red 40 watt bulb can be used for a little extra heat during the colder months and can be kept on at night to watch them play.

Heating: Crested geckos do well at room temperatures between 65°F and 70°F.

Humidity: Mist crested geckos twice a day if they are in a screen cage or once a day if they are in an aquarium. After misting, crested geckos normally drink water from the different surfaces around their enclosure or off of themselves. Although they do this, having a shallow dish full of water doesn’t hurt. The average humidity you want to keep the cage at is around 65%.