Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this on the sub forum but thought it may be answered more quickly here. I am concidering getting a crested gecko or two and had a few quick questions. I have read the care sheet on crestedgecko.com but it didn't mention a few things. What should the humidity be at? Do they need a uvb? What is the minimum cage requirement? What is the minimum cage size for two? Are they easy to care for or relatively difficult? How do you sex them? Are males or females more difficult to handle or the same? Thanks for the info.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

What should the humidity be at?
30-80% fluctuation for proper dry out ( so you don't get stagnant air, and moldy cage decorations)
Do they need a uvb?
no, they are nocturnal, they DO need Vit. d3 to properly absorb calcium however
What is the minimum cage requirement?
15 gallon for a single adult
What is the minimum cage size for two?
1 male, 1 female would be a minimum of 20 gallons
Are they easy to care for or relatively difficult?
one of the easiest species in my opinion
How do you sex them?
at 12-20 grams the males develop a VERY noticeable hemipenal bulge at the base of the tail
Are males or females more difficult to handle or the same?
relatively equal in my opinion, animals will be more skittish the less they have been handled and the younger they are.

Thanks for the quick reply. Does anyone have them for under $45? I am just wanting a normal pet not a breeder. I do love the reds and oranges. Thanks for the help. BTW....IF I cold not get the cage at proper humidity....(big if) would it be better just to provide a humid hide at all time? Thanks again for all of your help.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

Is $69 a good pet shop price? The pet shop is not known for good quality snakes, what should I look for in a healthy lizard? The ones I held seemed very alert actively jumping from one hand to the other. I highly doubt they dust their crickets though (but I am not sure because he did mention that they need a vitamin supplement added to their water)
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

if the pet store is known for having poor quality snakes, then i see no reason why i would buy ANYTHING from them without an extremely careful examination. most petstores somehow avoid to clean cages when moving WC animals out, and CB clean animals in, or even share the cages. Minimal care requirements for even the easiest to keep geckos ( cresteds) are also somehow neglected. 69 dollars is not a very good price for a petstore if they are plain animals, what area of the country are you in? ( most petcos have them for 55 dollars or less, but not in neccessarily good health)
there have been numerous ads for cresteds in the kingsnake classifieds gecko section, and there should be many in there for well under 70 dollars even including shipping ( if you just want a decent male or something or check out www.thecarnivorousorchid.com i know they were selling crested males very cheap last time i checked.
as far as what you should look for if you do end up buying one locally, check the eyes/sockets to make sure they aren't sunken in when awake and active, check the base of the tail to make sure it is fully filled out ( no hip bones etc.) make sure the tail is not kinky ( if it has a tail) and try to avoid ones with a bent,crooked, or 'flopped' tail. make sure the animal has all of it's toes, no open wounds or large visible scars, no visible mites or parasites ( look at the toe pads and base of leg joints etc) and make sure the animal has no stuck shed. Check that the animal has no dried fecal matter crusted around it's vent. If the animal has sketchy or twitching motions while it moves don't get it.
good luck and let me know if you have any more questions. If it were myself, and i didn't know any local breeders or what exactly i was looking for, i would buy one online from a reputable breeder or person where you can see good clear pictures of the animal, you will still be able to find one for under 70 dollars including over night shipping to your door.

That is a beautifull crested. They had some normals, some "tigers" and some very red/orange ones. All were $69. I really don't plan on buying from them since they had 4 in a 10 gallon and 6 cornsnake in a 10 gallon that they were feeding crickets to.... I won't be buying from them but they had such beautifull little cresteds (first I had seen in person) It feels like they have little leather pads on their feet when they run across your hand. But I am sure you all know that. Can some of you post crested setups? I would like to do something elaborate abd rainforesty but would also be interested in simple setup ideas. Thanks again.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"