Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, My family recently purchased its first reptile, a crested gecko. He is a year old male that we've had about a week now. We have a 20 gallon tall glass cage with a screen top and we use the coconut chunks as a substrate. The guy who advised our purchase is a lizard fanatic!!! And he recommended feeding him 6 large crickets 2 times a week in addition to babyfood a few times a week. Well, we put in 2 crickets the first night and he didn't pay much attention to them. I notice that they bury themselves in the substrate and I can never tell if he's eaten them or not. However, he will take peaches babyfood from our fingers everytime he comes out of his cage to be held. I currently don't use a vitamin suppliment, but I'm planning to pick some up this weekend. Also, last night we put 5 crickets into the cage as we haven't seen the original 2 in some time so I'm thinking he ate them. And the last 2 days our gecko has stayed buried in the substrate all day. If I dig around for him he'll come out and be social, but that's it.
So after that enormous amount of background, here are my questions...

#1, for one male living alone how many crickets do you feed, if any? I've read that they can successfully live on a cricket free diet, is that true? I was thinking about only offering babyfood daily mixed with a vitamin suppliment, and then crickets on occasion. Is this a healthy diet for him, how often do I offer the vitamins? calicium?

#2, is it ok that he stays buried in his substrate the entire day? I'm assuming he must come out at night. His body is always cold if I dig him out of hiding, is this normal?

#3, should I use a heating source? The guy at the store said room temp is fine. Our house goes no less than 70, but it is air conditioned. Could the cool temps lower his activity level leading him to hide under the bark?

That's it. Thank you to those who reply, I know this is a lot of beginner questions, but I want to do this right.
Thanks again, Jamie

Jamie, it sounds like you're doing a great job with the crested. I'll answer some of your questions based on my experience , but I'm sure other folks will give you some really good advice as well. There are some very knowledgeable people in this forum.
#1- Cresteds can live on a cricket-free diet, but I prefer to simulate what they would do in the wild, which would include crix. I feed mine 3 crix every other day, in addition to a fruit-based baby food. I sprinkle a calcium additive on the baby food once a week.

#2-All of my cresteds (4) will bury under the substrate on occasision. As I'm sure you know ('cause it seems like you've done your research), ambient room temps are fine for cresteds. Make sure they don't get over 77-78 degrees. Invest in a good tank thermometer just to make sure.

#3-Personally, I do not use a heating source on my crested tanks (question #2). I think you're fine without one. However, even if your ambient room temps are around 70, if the tank is close to a vent or by a window, the tank temp may be different, which is why I'd put a good thermometer in the tank.
If you have a 29G, you could even house another crested in there. Maybe start breeding? They're easy breeders and the world needs more cresteds, 'cause they are wonderful lizards!!
Good luck, hope this helps.
-----
2.1.0 water dragons, 2.2 crested geckos, 0.0.3 turtles, 1.0.0 5-line skink, 2.0.0 anoles, 0.0.1 giant millipede, 1.0.0 uromastyx, 1.0.0 armadillo lizard, 1.0.0 veiled chameleon, 1.1.0 bearded dragons, 1.0.0 pictus gecko, 1.1.0 CA banded gecko, 1.0.0 Hondo, 1.1.0 corns, 1.0.0 dog, 1.1.0 cats, 0.1.0 wife, 2 SW tanks - 20H, 55

Thanks, yes that helps a lot!
I believe my tank is a 20 gallon. 24 inches high, 20 inches long, and 10 inches wide. Too small for a second? I've found a female that we would like to buy and breed with our male, but I was unsure about the cage size. I'd hate to crowd them.

The other day, while handling him, I moved around the coconut bark and found 3 crickets left of the 5 we put in and no sign of the original 2, so he is eating those afterall. I'm off today to pick up some crested gecko diet to see how that sits with him.

I'm really unfamiliar with the different colors and morphs. I did find one page that somewhat described them, anyone care to label mine for me? The female we are looking at says harlequin. She is darker with lighter spots around her body, really pretty to look at.

Again, thanks for the response, I'm sure more questions will pop up. - Jamie

This is his "quiet" state. He's usually a bit more orange.

Pretty little guy.
-----
2.1.0 water dragons, 2.2 crested geckos, 0.0.3 turtles, 1.0.0 5-line skink, 2.0.0 anoles, 0.0.1 giant millipede, 1.0.0 uromastyx, 1.0.0 armadillo lizard, 1.0.0 veiled chameleon, 1.1.0 bearded dragons, 1.0.0 pictus gecko, 1.1.0 CA banded gecko, 1.0.0 Hondo, 1.1.0 corns, 1.0.0 dog, 1.1.0 cats, 0.1.0 wife, 2 SW tanks - 20H, 55

He is very nice-looking! Don't they just make the best pets? He looks like a tiger-fire mixture; I'm no expert, however. If you're concerned about the crickets hiding and not getting eaten, maybe consider feeding him in another enclosure or medium kritter keeper with paper towel on the floor. That way the crickets would be real easy for him to spot and gobble up.
-----
Terri
6:10:21 crested geckos: Bear, Goldfish, Kermit, Brimstone, WildSpatter-Spots-to-Spare, White Lips, Big Red, Olive, Smudge, Belle, Brilliant, Tina, Brick, Toni, Beauty, Shine, Randy, Squeak, Bling, Squeaker, Stripe, Redhead, Speckles, Harrys, Penny, BonusBaby, Fudgefire & BlackCherryMarble, and AAAaaaggghhhh 9 new babies since Weds, 7/20.

Think about putting him on the T-Rex crested gecko diet. It contains the vast majority of what they need without worrying about the proper supplements. Crickets are fine as a treat and to keep him entertained but not as a complete diet. Just crix would be like feeding your kid nothing but hot dogs; no fruit, no veggies!! Personally I don't like feeding them baby food because it isn't formulated for geckos and they fill up on it without getting their necessary range of vitamins and minerals. Coat crickets with the cgd and he'll get used to the taste of it.
As far as burrowing in the substrate, do you have branches or vines for him to climb? PetSmart for all their shortcomings sells some wonderful "furniture" to put in cages for them to perch and climb on. One gentleman I sold geckos to showed me his set-up once and I was appalled! He had NOTHING in the tank for them to climb on except the glass sides, and all of them had floppy tail as a result, not to mention how BORED they must have been.
-----
Terri
6:10:21 crested geckos: Bear, Goldfish, Kermit, Brimstone, WildSpatter-Spots-to-Spare, White Lips, Big Red, Olive, Smudge, Belle, Brilliant, Tina, Brick, Toni, Beauty, Shine, Randy, Squeak, Bling, Squeaker, Stripe, Redhead, Speckles, Harrys, Penny, BonusBaby, Fudgefire & BlackCherryMarble, and AAAaaaggghhhh 9 new babies since Weds, 7/20.