New Crested Gecko Parents..Need to know how we are doing Please

Discussion in 'Rhacodactylus (Crested) Geckos' started by Pima, Aug 8, 2010.

  1. Pima

    Pima New Member

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    Hello everyone, we were going to get new leopard geckos, but ended up doing a lot of research on crested geckos and found with the natural humidity in our area, this would probally be a better bet for us. When talking to the guy at the pet store, he mentiond the lighting that is needed. I have everything he suggested, but in all the reading and research ive done, it mostly says no light is needed. uvb and uva. Again i have both readily available if we do need them. I could read til im blue in the face, Figured why not ask the people that already have them and see what they are doing. we have a 20L, looking for extender/tank topper or a new tank when she gets bigger (baby only 3 Inches) we know the tank is to big to feed her in, and we do have a Med critter keeper for that. Papertowels are the sub for right now...so we dont lose her in there. right now temp is 82. humidity is about 55. with what ive read, this is all ok so far. The pet store said she doesnt like the CGD and they feed her crickets so they gave us some of them. I have reptivite with and without D3...not sure what one to use, but had them both from previous leo (as well as everything else). I know she will need vitamins and nutrients she cant get from crickets so im glad i hung on to these. I have day and night lights as well, but temp is good so none are on right now. Just let me know what else i may need, im planning on placing an order with a company that i usually buy from if there is anything we may have missed. We have vines and climbing things already in place as well as 2 hides a SHALLOW water dish and a few rocks set up so the papertowels are not so easy to get under. 2 thermometers, to get readings from diff ends of cage, and a humidity gage. Let me know if im missing something IMPORTANT like need RIGHT NOW, and ill get it in 5 mins as i live right near a pet store. If i dont need for about a week, ill be ordering it later today. She is healthy, vet checked already (the store checked already earlier this week, and the vet is on call in that store during hrs). They said they feed them roughly every other day/3-4 times a week.
    So any thing we are missing, please let us know. if we are right on que, also, please let us know. Thank you and when we get pics, and a name, we will happily share them!!!
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. wildenglishrose

    wildenglishrose Embryo

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    If you live in a warm house you wont need heat, I have a male crested gecko and he doesn't have heat or UVB as i live in a warm house and his temps stay good, you don't need UVB, some people use it but you don't have to have it. Mine doesn't like the crested gecko food so i feed him baby food with bee pollen in, he doesn't like insects that much either but every so often he will eat a couple of small crickets that i dust with D3. I offer my crestie food every two days, they really don't eat that much. I spray his tank twice a day too. Hope this helps
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. Pima

    Pima New Member

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    It helps a lot. so Im guessing i have everything we will need for out lil one to be happy and healthy then? Thank you so much!
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. Pima

    Pima New Member

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    Crested_Cage.jpg

    Here is a picture of her cage
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. wildenglishrose

    wildenglishrose Embryo

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    Could you maybe have the cage standing up? If you get what i mean, just crestie's live up in trees in the wild. They need height more than length, i like what your using on the floor and if i was you i'd stick with that. Don't ever use soil or bark on the floor because your crested gecko could become in pacted when she is catching food. They really are wonderful little lizards, mine is sooo friendly has never bit me once or even tried to. He's only just under 3 and im his 3rd owner but he's still so lovely. Enjoy your new little buddy
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. Pima

    Pima New Member

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    I could stand it up, but she is a baby... the cage is more likey too big for her right now. we are looking for something bigger for her for when she gets older. Zilla used to make cage toppers that doubled the height almost of the cage. But we cant find them, so i emailed the company about it. Id feel safer this way then putting it on its side. heck if i had a house not an apartment, shed have her own room to run in. I believe in giving them LOTS of room to do as they wish. we just like being able to watch them and enjoy them. (take care of them and handle them also of course) but watching them, yeah thats awesome!!!
     
  12. ajlista

    ajlista Well-Known Member

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    If you look at some crested gecko tanks online or something like on youtube, you will see what he means by can u stand it up. Crested geckos, unlike the leopard gecko, dont need floor space, they need tall tanks with branches and leaves to climb on, they arent ones to usually just stroll around on ground, you can buy some nifty tanks made by a company called exoterra, idk if there are any other brands or not that make tanks like it or not. But its a tall tank with 2 doors that u can swing open so you can take stuff out, put stuff in, and take out your crestie with ease. I dont know the price of them, so i couldnt tell you if they are expensive or not.... For now you dont need a tank like that uuntil they are problly sub adults, than i think you should start moving onto tanks like these.
    Hope i helped,
    Anthony
     
  13. Pima

    Pima New Member

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    Anthony,
    Yeah im not cool with putting tank on side bc its a lil wobbly. she really is the size of my pinky right now, but i know she will get bigger. This is the tank we had on hand to use while we look for a tank for her adult life. we have been searching for deals and what not in tall tanks, id like to find one just as wide but 2x as tall. been pricing, but like i said Zilla used to make whats called a fresh air cage topper. It added the height of the cage with out buying a whole new cage...more cost effective. so thats my first choice because if i get a new cage, then this one is empty... then i have the need to fill it..then my fiance kills me. see how this works? lol If ANYONE knows where to find a Zilla fresh air cage topper for a 20L tank, please let me know!! Id appreciate it!
     
  14. ajlista

    ajlista Well-Known Member

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    I say get a 10 gallon high which are cheap, and than put that topper on it, depending on how high the topper is, and she should be set for life
     
  15. Pima

    Pima New Member

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    That may be what we do, just keeping an eye out for something we like that is big enough, i figure i have a couple months. but i did think about the 10 with the topper lol.

    Hey, i know the temp for her cage shouldnt really be that hot. ive heard try not to let it get above 85. Can someone just clarify im trying to keep the cage at 80 and bc its hot here, im leaving the AC on 24/7 to keep it cool in the house so its not overly hot in her cage also.
    thank you
     
  16. StikyPaws312

    StikyPaws312 Moderator

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    The set-up is good for a hatchling.... you're right on with it maybe being a bit too big but as long as s/he is finding their food s/he should be good.

    I don't think Zillow is making the cage toppers anymore but I did find some in stock at this website. I've never ordered from them before so I can't say anything about their customer service or anything...

    As far at the temps and lighting go you don't need any lighting (day or night) and you're right about them getting stressed from temps above 85, 90 degrees they can die from so you have to be very careful if you live in a hot climate. I currently have all my rhacs in my bedroom with the ac on 24/7 to 74-76 degrees (bumped down to 68-70 when I go to sleep...). I do know some breeders who choose to put a UVB light on during the day in the winter or during a females breeding season if they are having calcium issues but it's not something that's normally needed (like for a chameleon).

    By the way, a 20gal tank is the perfect size for a full grown adult (1 not 2) and s/he can stay in that tank their whole lives. But like the others have pointed out, they are an arboreal species and mine always hang out in the foliage high up in their tanks, they probably won't ever use those cute rock hides :-/ You might want to look into adding more foliage higher up and attach it to the screen if you don't want to have it on it's side...

    With the diet of a crested gecko you're absolutely right, the crickets alone are not giving your little guy all that he needs to grow and be healthy, variety is the spice of life :( Lol, I definitely would try to offer him the meal replacement powder - crested gecko diet (CGD), all my rhacs are on repashy's CGD and they love it, finish their bowls every night I put them in :) That is a complete diet with the balanced amount of fruit nutrients, fats, protein, vitamins, calcium, etc. When or if you get it make sure you mix it only with water because it's a balanced diet all on its own and mixing it with other ingredients like baby food throw off the nutritional content and your gecko might not be getting the best nutrition they should.

    You're doing a great job so far, good luck with the little guy or girl and keep us updated on how he or she is doing :) good luck!
     
  17. Pima

    Pima New Member

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    Sticky,
    Thanks a ton for the link. but so happens today at the store, i found a reasonably priced tall cage so im shopping for it as cheap as i can get it (always need a bargain lol). The cute lil rock hides, lol, we were going to get another leo or 2 so i bought the stuff for them. they are mostly there to hold down the paper towel edges so her food doesnt get under them and make the cage bottom not look empty. She does like to sit on the house so least its not a total waste. she actually hunts from there. Sits there and when her food runs by its an air assalt with a very deadly ending. So she does hunt and find her food with no problems so far for the large cage, and she eats like a beast! we are planning on getting her more plant like items so not worried about that at all. placing order for the CGD bc pet store here doesnt have any...figures. Her cage is at a constant 75-80 no dips or rises. IN NJ its just been HOT here last few weeks, we appreciate the coolness of the ac when we get home though house isnt as hot as usual lol. we do put on the UVB for a lil each day (i dont want to leave it on when noone home because lamp is clipped to something and i dont think its all that steady for now. but she had that at the store, so i dont want to mess with something that isnt broken so to speak. Thank you again for letting us know we are doing ok. Pictures to eventually come lol
     

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