# Other Animals > Other Pets >  My new crested gecko!

## myke66

Picked up this little guy last night from Petco, what a friendly little lizard! 

Here's a vid of the little guy hanging out on my thumb...
Baby crested gecko - YouTube

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## Don

The more you handle the less spastic they are so enjoy and get him feeding on the Repashy Crested Gecko Complete Diet.  You'll have a happy and healthy Gecko there.

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## myke66

> The more you handle the less spastic they are so enjoy and get him feeding on the Repashy Crested Gecko Complete Diet.  You'll have a happy and healthy Gecko there.



Thanks! Funny you'd mention that, earlier today i was playing with him and got him to eat some CGD right off my finger, very cool!

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## Eel Noob

Nice pickup.

Looking good already can't wait to see how it turns out.

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## Beardo

Congratson the new addition, but I wanted to point out a few changes you might want to make.....although cocofibre is great for many of the frogs we keep, it sucks for "sticky-toed" geckos. You won't find ANY rhacodactylus keepers that use anything other than paper towels or something similar for their geckos. Also, keeping proper humidity levels in a glass tank is going to be nearly impossible and could cause shedding problems (which that one already seems to be having on the toes, you'll want to get that skin off ASAP. Just put the gecko into a deli cup with some paper towels soaked in lukewarm water).

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## Don

So true.
One thing i found is I am so much happier keeping my Cresty in with fake plants, paper towel bottom, and a medium size piece of Tupperware with some wet leaf liter.   I mist a few times a day, average is three and keeping the tank clean is also a breeze by just changing out the paper towel and rinsing off the fake accents and leaf liter.

I know it doesn't look so cool without the full built tank but its so much better for the Cresty.

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## Savannah

OMG!! so cute!! i want one. lol

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## myke66

Thank you for the tips! I'm happy to report the skin around the toes is gone thanks to keeping the humidity up, there is only a small ring of shed around his one eye left, if its not gone by today when i get home i will try the Tupperware suggestion ive seen a lot when it comes to shedding issues. 

As for the substrate, the ecoearth was recommended by guy at petco who had been breeding them, but i can understand why the stickiness of the gecko would not mesh well with that. Would reptile carpet work? Paper towel bottom alone will not work.

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## Jeff

> Congratson the new addition, but I wanted to point out a few changes you might want to make.....although cocofibre is great for many of the frogs we keep, it sucks for "sticky-toed" geckos. You won't find ANY rhacodactylus keepers that use anything other than paper towels or something similar for their geckos. Also, keeping proper humidity levels in a glass tank is going to be nearly impossible and could cause shedding problems (which that one already seems to be having on the toes, you'll want to get that skin off ASAP. Just put the gecko into a deli cup with some paper towels soaked in lukewarm water).


I'm not really sure I completely agree with a couple of points here, but I can respect safety first for the benefit of the animal. Don't take this post the wrong way (believe me, I sound incredibly hypocrytical in always pushing for non-particulates) but it is possible to house any Adult gecko in the Rhacodactylus genus on a coir based substrate so long as certain precautions are met. Example: feeding CGD as a base diet from dishes, and offering insects in a bowl just as one might do for frogs. Though I do always advocate the use of paper towel and non particulate substrate for babies, juveniles, and new keepers... I just felt the use "Any keepers" was a little extreme. Again, don't get me wrong, I've always raised hatchlings on paper towel and egg flats - but it is very possible to keep this species in naturalistic vivaria with no issues  = )

I've always used Coir based bioactive substrate for Rhacodactylus geckos; particularly adults from breeding colonies in naturalistic vivaria and have been since 2001. You'll find that Phillipe de Vosjoli (one of the authors of "Rhacodactylus The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care" and "Crested Geckos" from the experts at advanced vivarium systems recommends the use of this kind of substrate when setting up naturalistic display. 

Again - I too am all for safety first. But it is an option for adult geckos when fed responsibly, and I know of number of keepers who maintain them this way.

I also think that humidity for this species is significantly over-rated. I've kept breeding groups in screen enclosures year-round with absolutely no issues (actually, never had a gecko develop FTS while using screen), using only a 2oz souffle cup for water and misting once heavely in the evening. A lot of keepers feel obligated to keep them constantly moist because they are from a tropical habitat, but the key is cycling between mistings to allow substrate to dry out. Keeping things overly steamy can actually be counter-productive with shedding and can allow bacteria and mold to flourish. Depending on the individual gecko and your home - a single heavy misting at night is usually adequate, though a light misting or two during the day won't hurt.

Myke66, Reptile Carpet isn't an ideal option for these guys for few reasons: 1) The strands can easily snag the claws of the geckos as they walk upon it, 2) If hunting for food, their teeth can get caught in the carpet (yes, its happened), and 3) Carpet doesn't really retain moisture very well. Its not a bad substrate choice for some species, but I'm not a big fan for Rhacs.

I would consider paper towel for the time being, particularly because the gecko is so young. It's just so much easier to maintain a sterile, safe, and effetive environment. I know it doesn't look pretty, but once your gecko is an adult you can consider some particulate substrate options so long as you are responsible during feeding time = )

Why is it that paper towel will not work for you?

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## myke66

> I'm not really sure I completely agree with a couple of points here, but I can respect safety first for the benefit of the animal. Don't take this post the wrong way (believe me, I sound incredibly hypocrytical in always pushing for non-particulates) but it is possible to house any Adult gecko in the Rhacodactylus genus on a coir based substrate so long as certain precautions are met. Example: feeding CGD as a base diet from dishes, and offering insects in a bowl just as one might do for frogs. Though I do always advocate the use of paper towel and non particulate substrate for babies, juveniles, and new keepers... I just felt the use "Any keepers" was a little extreme. Again, don't get me wrong, I've always raised hatchlings on paper towel and egg flats - but it is very possible to keep this species in naturalistic vivaria with no issues  = )
> 
> I've always used Coir based bioactive substrate for Rhacodactylus geckos; particularly adults from breeding colonies in naturalistic vivaria and have been since 2001. You'll find that Phillipe de Vosjoli (one of the authors of "Rhacodactylus The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care" and "Crested Geckos" from the experts at advanced vivarium systems recommends the use of this kind of substrate when setting up naturalistic display. 
> 
> Again - I too am all for safety first. But it is an option for adult geckos when fed responsibly, and I know of number of keepers who maintain them this way.
> 
> I also think that humidity for this species is significantly over-rated. I've kept breeding groups in screen enclosures year-round with absolutely no issues (actually, never had a gecko develop FTS while using screen), using only a 2oz souffle cup for water and misting once heavely in the evening. A lot of keepers feel obligated to keep them constantly moist because they are from a tropical habitat, but the key is cycling between mistings to allow substrate to dry out. Keeping things overly steamy can actually be counter-productive with shedding and can allow bacteria and mold to flourish. Depending on the individual gecko and your home - a single heavy misting at night is usually adequate, though a light misting or two during the day won't hurt.
> 
> Myke66, Reptile Carpet isn't an ideal option for these guys for few reasons: 1) The strands can easily snag the claws of the geckos as they walk upon it, 2) If hunting for food, their teeth can get caught in the carpet (yes, its happened), and 3) Carpet doesn't really retain moisture very well. Its not a bad substrate choice for some species, but I'm not a big fan for Rhacs.
> ...


Thank you very much for this info, it was exactly what I was looking for. Paper towel isnt impossible, its just that the tank is on display and one of the selling points i used for getting this all setup with the fiance was how nice it would be to look at  :Smile:  

I have an elevated eating dish that sits just under the leaves, and a water dish above the soil. Would this be acceptable for using the substrate I've chosen? Honestly i'm more concerned with this shed that stuck around its one eye. I did the tupperware thing when i got home, and ill do it again tomorrow to see if that helps loosen it up.

As you said, ive read the same thing about spraying down once at night and letting it dry during the day, i heard the "humidity cycle" is good for them, so i'll continue to do that.

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## Jeff

I would continue following David's advice with the shed skin; let the gecko sit in the deli cup for a good 30-45 minutes and then you can try to help ease some of the skin off with a dampened cotton swab. Just roll the damp swab over the skin and try to peel it distally from the body. With persistance, the shed will eventually come off. It becomes much more manageable when damp, spraying the gecko down prior to working can be effective as well... Keep us posted on the progress of the stuck shed over the next few days as you continue to work with it.

Yeah... I was partly afraid to post what I did because I do truly feel that paper towel is best for juvies; but these guys do behave brilliantly in naturalistic display and can be kept with a coir based substrate as adults with care. I'd still try to urge you to make the switch to paper towel - but a couple of products that can help in preventing the ingestion of a substrate are things like this for CGD and water:
Food Dishes, Bowls, Cups :: Elevated Magnetic and Velcro Ledges - Pangea Reptile Supplies Home Page 

And of course, bowl feeding any live prey. But really - you can make very nice looking setups with paper towel using a variety of tactics. Adding a background to the back, using some artifical foliage as partial ground cover and various wood pieces... and you could assure your fiance that once the animal is old enough, and you guys know your gecko well enough and feel comfortable with it, you could make a switch to a more attractive display option.

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## Don

I thought the tank below is a beautiful setup and you would rarely ever see him on the bottom.  I am hoping to do something like this eventually for mine.
Love the abundance of climbing structure.

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## myke66

^^ Very cool viv!!


So I wanted to post an update on the eye shed.. I kept him in the tupperware for 35min, and afterwards i tried easing it off with a wet cue tip. Unfortunately it wasnt coming off, it seems to be just the very end of the eyelid. I do think it looks better than before though, below is a close up of his eye. I also took this time to upgrade his home a bit with some new foilage and some vine for climbing. I also setup an elevated food tray in the form of a leave which is up near his leaves. In the pictures below you'll see him standing on after being placed back in his tank.


Here are some pics of his eye up close..





Here's the new setup..




His elevated food dish


Right side


Left Side



Funny story...while i was setting up his new foliage and after i had already attempted to get his eye shed off, i told my finace she had to hold him before he went in. So she was enjoying handling him, even said how cute he was... till he pooped on her. She was like did Eddy just poop on me?? So naturally like any reptile owner i was excited to see poop... she however was not as much.

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## Beardo

Excellent points Jeff. I concur that my use of "any" was a bit of an exaggeration lol. The minority of keepers is likely more accurate.  :Smile:

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## Beardo

> I thought the tank below is a beautiful setup and you would rarely ever see him on the bottom.  I am hoping to do something like this eventually for mine.
> Love the abundance of climbing structure.


This looks like it would make a bada$$ _Uroplatus_ enclosure!

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## Don

I saw a pretty good video of the Crested Gecko Sauna on Youtube and the young man doing the video was a little long winded but did do a good job.  I have only had to use the sauna once due to food stuck to the poor guys back foot and it worked wonders.

Get use to the poop :-)  Mine does it every time the wife or granddaughter holds him.
I always wondered if it was because of the warm hands.

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## myke66

How active are these guys supposed to be? Once mine crawls off my hand into a part of the tank, he will sit in that exact same spots for hours and not move. Nor do I see much activity over night..

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## Don

I think that would depend on how much they have to climb on and explore.  They usually sleep most of the day away and mine starts searching for a meal early evening.

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