Crested geckos are omnivores, meaning that they eat both plant and animal matter.
What to feed:
Crested geckos will eat crickets, waxworms, mealworms, baby food, Repashy Superfoods, and fruit. Mealworms, however, should be avoided due to their thick exoskeleton and little nutrition. Some fruits you can feed to your crested gecko: peaches, pears, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, mangos, passion fruit, papaya, figs, and watermelon. Do not ever feed your crested gecko citrus fruits such as: oranges, lemons, limes, pineapple or grapefruit. Citrus is terrible for your geckos.
In the wild, crested geckos eat decaying or rotten fruit, so it's okay to feed geckos fruit that's a little overripe, but fresh fruit is better since it provides more nutrients.
Crickets and waxworms or other insects should always be "dusted" with calcium powder at every feeding. You should provide a multi-vitamin on the insects at least once a week as well. To dust insects with calcium, drop them into a zip-lock bag, add some calcium dust, and shake them around until they're covered.
If you choose to feed your gecko baby food, make sure it's organic and has little to no citric acid in it. You will probably never find baby food without citric acid in it as a preservative, and I personally avoid feeding my geckos baby food because of the citric acid in it.
The best option to feed your gecko is the Crested Gecko Diet (CGD), also known as the Repashy Superfood diet. This diet comes in powder form and must be mixed with water before fed to the gecko. CGD contains all the nutrients your gecko needs, and fruit does not have to be given if you're feeding this. Crickets should always be fed to your crested gecko, even if you're feeding CGD.
How much to feed:
Insects should never be bigger than the space between the gecko's eyes, or half the size of its head. If insects are too big for your gecko to eat, it can choke on them or might avoid them altogether.
Adult geckos should be fed as much CGD as can be consumed in 4 hours. Never leave food in the terrarium for more than 24 hours, as it can spoil or mold. Offer your gecko about 1 teaspoon of blended fruit. The fruit has to be blended well or chopped into tiny pieces. Adult geckos should also be fed about 3 crickets every day.
Juveniles should have 1-2 crickets per day and about 1/2 teaspoon of CGD or fruit.
When to feed:
The only thing that works with my gecko is if I feed him crickets in the morning and CGD at night. Different geckos have different personalities and habits, however, so you'll have to experiment and see what time is best for your gecko to eat. If you don't know, you should feed your gecko in the evening before turning his light off.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Crested Geckos
Crested geckos are a type of lizard from the island of New Caledonia. Their other names are: New Caledonian Crested Gecko, Guichenot's Giant Gecko, Eyelash Gecko, or their scientific name: Rhacodactylus ciliatus.
Crested geckos were thought to be extinct until they were "rediscovered" in 1994.
Crested geckos have hair-like spikes that run along their eyes (hence the name "eyelash gecko"), down their back. It has a crest that runs from each eye to the tail. The toes and tip of the tail of this lizard have tiny hairs called setae. The setae are divided into hundreds of tiny, microscopic hairs. This is believed to be what geckos use to cling to vertical surfaces. Each toe has a claw that helps the gecko cling to surfaces the setae cannot, such as ceilings.
New Caledonian Crested Geckos come in a large variety of colors, called morphs, that include red, brown, gray, orange, yellow, and sometimes even pink or purple. Different geckos have different patterns on their backs including: spots, tiger-like stripes, and straight stripes.
The crested gecko has no eyelids, and uses its tongue to lick the film over its eyes. These lizards also have long tails (the tails are usually the same length as the body) that can break off as a natural defense against predators. Unlike many other geckos, however, their tails will not grow back. The lack of tail has not changed the personality or health of these geckos, it only changes their beautiful looks.
Crested geckos are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active at night. Crested geckos are also omnivores, meaning that they eat both plant and animal matter. In the wild, crested geckos eat rotten or decaying fruit as well as crickets.
The crested gecko is a tree dwelling lizard, so the habitat should include lots of plants, trees, and hiding places for the gecko.
These geckos can be tamed to be held, and it's easier to train them while they're juveniles. They can grow to be up to 8 inches long, the tail making up half of the length. The geckos also shed, and they usually eat the skin once they're done shedding.
Crested geckos are a great pet to have for the beginner reptile owner.
Crested geckos were thought to be extinct until they were "rediscovered" in 1994.
Crested geckos have hair-like spikes that run along their eyes (hence the name "eyelash gecko"), down their back. It has a crest that runs from each eye to the tail. The toes and tip of the tail of this lizard have tiny hairs called setae. The setae are divided into hundreds of tiny, microscopic hairs. This is believed to be what geckos use to cling to vertical surfaces. Each toe has a claw that helps the gecko cling to surfaces the setae cannot, such as ceilings.
New Caledonian Crested Geckos come in a large variety of colors, called morphs, that include red, brown, gray, orange, yellow, and sometimes even pink or purple. Different geckos have different patterns on their backs including: spots, tiger-like stripes, and straight stripes.
The crested gecko has no eyelids, and uses its tongue to lick the film over its eyes. These lizards also have long tails (the tails are usually the same length as the body) that can break off as a natural defense against predators. Unlike many other geckos, however, their tails will not grow back. The lack of tail has not changed the personality or health of these geckos, it only changes their beautiful looks.
Crested geckos are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active at night. Crested geckos are also omnivores, meaning that they eat both plant and animal matter. In the wild, crested geckos eat rotten or decaying fruit as well as crickets.
The crested gecko is a tree dwelling lizard, so the habitat should include lots of plants, trees, and hiding places for the gecko.
These geckos can be tamed to be held, and it's easier to train them while they're juveniles. They can grow to be up to 8 inches long, the tail making up half of the length. The geckos also shed, and they usually eat the skin once they're done shedding.
Crested geckos are a great pet to have for the beginner reptile owner.
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