Crested gecko
care guide

🏠 One gecko, one enclosure.

Start with one gecko in each enclosure.
This makes it easier to monitor food intake and droppings, and avoids fights or unwanted mating.

• Choose a tall enclosure with good ventilation.
  Your gecko needs room to stretch out, climb and rest. Reassess enclosure size as it grows.
• Arrange branches, supports and leaves to create routes through the enclosure.
  Provide support for the body and tail at resting spots.
• For a baby in a large enclosure, add plenty of perches, branches and foliage so the interior is not bare.
  Connect climbing routes with resting spots at different heights, while keeping vents and airflow clear.

🌿 A comfortable place to rest up high.

Crested geckos naturally climb and spend time above the ground.
Secure perches that support the body and tail at elevated resting spots.

• Offer places to rest comfortably instead of hanging only on the walls.
  Arrange horizontal foam perches or branches at different heights.
• Foliage around the furnishings provides visual cover for quiet rest.
  Focus on creating plenty of comfortable, sheltered resting places rather than treating a separate hide box as essential equipment.
• How you furnish the space matters as much as its size.
  Provide connected routes and resting spots, while keeping ventilation openings clear.

💧 A water bowl is essential.

Even if your gecko licks droplets from the walls, provide drinking water separately.
Every gecko at Creyacht always has a water bowl.

Use a shallow bowl that is easy to reach, and replace the water daily.
Wash the bowl promptly if it becomes soiled.

🏝️ Choose flooring that is easy to maintain.

Paper towels or purpose-made liners make droppings and dirt easy to spot when starting out.
Choose material that absorbs water, dries well and does not tear easily.

Loose particles may be swallowed with food, so consider that risk when choosing substrate.
Creyacht does not recommend newspaper because its ink may run when misted.

🧺 What to prepare before bringing them home.

• 🏠
  Enclosure and furnishings

  Check ventilation, climbing routes and supported resting places.

• 🛖
  Perches and substrate

  Provide supported resting spots up high and flooring that is easy to clean.

• 💧
  Water bowl and mister

  Provide drinking water as well as moisture for the enclosure.

• 🌡️
  Digital thermometer and hygrometer

  Measure conditions where your gecko spends time.

• 🥣
  Species-specific diet and food bowl

  Prepare the food according to its instructions.

For a cold room, prepare heating equipment with a thermostat. A humidifier can help if the room is dry.

🍃 Airflow is part of everyday care.

Are the right readings all an enclosure needs?
Fresh air needs a way in and out, too.

Do not block vents to raise humidity or put off airing the room.
Temperature, humidity and airflow all need attention.

• Leave a clear path for air.
  Keep objects away from the vents on the top or sides of the enclosure.
• Air the room regularly, too.
  Keep cold drafts and direct air-conditioning airflow off the enclosure, and check that fresh air reaches the room.
• Check temperature and humidity before and after airing.
  Adjust how far and how long you open windows to avoid sudden changes. Check humidity before deciding whether to mist.

🌡️ What temperature should I aim for?

A room that feels comfortable to you may be different inside the enclosure.
Use a digital thermometer and hygrometer to check the area where your gecko spends time.

• Do not heat the whole enclosure to the same temperature.
  Provide a cooler area your gecko can move to, using 20~24℃ as a reference.
• Temperatures can fall at night.
  For a healthy gecko, use around 18~20℃ as a reference. Seek individual advice for young or unwell geckos.
• Avoid direct sunlight and air blowing from heaters.
  Take particular care that the entire enclosure does not approach 30℃.
• Use a thermostat with any heating equipment.
  Install it so your gecko cannot touch hot surfaces.

💦 How much should I mist?

Before deciding on a schedule, watch how quickly the enclosure dries after misting.
The same amount of water can dry differently depending on the enclosure and room.

At Creyacht, we use a usual humidity range of 40~60% as a reference.
Rather than holding one number all day, watch the brief rise after misting gradually fall.

• Humidity may briefly rise to 60~80% just after misting.
  Do not keep it constantly high or let water pool on the floor.
• If the enclosure dries out too quickly, slightly increase the amount or frequency.
  If it stays wet until the next misting, reduce the amount and check ventilation.
• Room humidity is not the same as humidity inside the enclosure.
  Keep mist from landing directly on the sensor.
• Watch babies especially closely for inadequate hydration.
  Check food intake, shedding and changes in body condition, too.

Misting does not replace a water bowl.
Always provide drinking water.
At CREYACHT, we also use humid hides to offer a moist retreat.

🥣 Staple diet & insects

• Use a well-established crested gecko powdered diet, often called “superfood” in Korea, as the staple.
  Follow the product instructions for mixing with water, and choose a nutritionally balanced formula intended as a staple diet.
• At Creyacht, we offer insects as a treat once every 1–2 weeks.
• Monitor intake of the staple diet and overall nutritional balance so insects do not dominate the diet.
• Prepare fresh mixed food daily and remove leftovers.
  If the product gives a shorter replacement interval, follow that guidance.

⏳ Frequency & portions

One portion size does not suit every gecko.
Adjust for the product's mixing instructions, growth stage, weight changes and the amount actually eaten.

Look for feeding marks on the food and monitor droppings.
If a baby eats poorly or loses weight, check its condition rather than waiting until the next scheduled feed.

🥄 Choosing a feeding method

🦎 If your gecko is from Creyacht

After hatching, our geckos are introduced to prepared food and crickets,
and are offered for sale once they can feed on their own.

If you have questions about intake after bringing your gecko home, tell us its name, weight and current food.

🚽 Waste & cleaning

• Check the enclosure every day and remove droppings as soon as you see them.
  Replace drinking water daily and wash the bowl promptly if it becomes soiled.
• Check for soiled substrate and dirty water bowls, and keep ventilation openings clear.

🦎 Checking body condition

Compare tail thickness, belly condition and any sunken appearance below the eyes with your gecko's usual appearance.
Records of food intake, droppings and weight changes can help.

A thinning tail or sunken-looking eyes are changes that need attention.
Do not diagnose dehydration or poor nutrition from a single sign.

🔎 Check that shedding is complete.

After a shed, check the toes and tail tip for retained skin.
If it is tight or shedding is repeatedly difficult, start by checking enclosure humidity and the humid hide.

Do not forcibly pull off retained skin.
If you notice swelling or discoloration, or signs such as poor appetite and low energy, contact a veterinary clinic that treats reptiles.

🦴 MBD · Metabolic bone disease

Bone health depends on the balance of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D, as well as the keeping environment.

• Feed a balanced species-specific diet and do not add supplements without appropriate guidance.
• Calcium sacs alone cannot tell you whether a gecko is healthy. Jaw or limb deformities, tremors or abnormal movement need veterinary attention.
• Do not pair a female with a suspected pelvic deformity. The risk of egg binding—difficulty passing eggs—needs to be assessed.

🌿 Changes in tail posture · FTS

Arrange the enclosure so the gecko can rest with its body and tail supported.

• Place foam perches or horizontal branches up high so the body and tail are supported while resting.
• Furnish large enclosures with routes for climbing and resting rather than leaving empty space.
• If the position of the tail or pelvis changes, assess the gecko's condition rather than only rearranging its enclosure.

🏥 Signs needing prompt attention

Appropriate care depends on the cause of the symptoms.
Ask Creyacht about husbandry; consult a reptile veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

🐾 Getting used to handling

Let your gecko settle into its new home and start eating before you begin handling.
Give it time to become familiar with its food and hiding places.

• Rather than expecting a dog- or cat-like response, enjoy watching your gecko feel comfortable in its home.
• Keep handling sessions short and give the gecko a break if it avoids you or appears distressed.
  Support its body with your hands and stay low over a surface to reduce the risk of a fall.
• Never grab or pull the tail.
  Crested geckos can drop their tails, and a lost tail does not regrow.
• Wash your hands after handling your gecko or cleaning its enclosure.
• Hand feeding may help a gecko become used to your hands, but it does not guarantee a friendly temperament.
• With bowl-fed geckos too, take things slowly and watch their individual responses.

🎨 Choosing a gecko you love

Color, pattern, structure and lineage.
There are many things to consider, but what matters most is a look you find beautiful.

If you plan to breed, look beyond the gecko's current appearance to its parents, earlier generations and actual breeding results.

💬 Still have questions?

To help us understand your setup, send a photo of the enclosure,
temperature and humidity readings, your gecko's weight and the food you use.

To ask a quick question or share life with your gecko,
join the conversation in our group chat.

🔎 Identifying sex

At around 5 g, a magnifying loupe may help with sexing,
but a young gecko's sex cannot always be confirmed with certainty.

If you want a confirmed male or female, ask whether the gecko is mature enough for its sex to have been verified.

🥚 When to pair

• Do not decide to pair geckos on age and weight alone.
• For females, also assess body condition, nutrition and calcium reserves.
• Pairing too early can put a strain on a female's health and affect egg quality.

📋 Before breeding

• Check that food intake and body weight are stable.
• If you suspect a problem with the pelvis, jaw or another part of the body, assess health before considering a pairing.
• Check lineage and relatedness, and keep breeding records to manage bloodlines.
• Monitor recovery and body condition so repeated breeding does not place excessive strain on the gecko.