You are a beginner and are preparing a new journey with your crested gecko. While crested geckos are not so popular and don’t have much information about them, it has become the number one choice and gets a lot of attention.
For the first step in this journey, what you need to do is learn about crested gecko setup. Crested geckos can live up to 15-20 years in captivity, so an ideal home is the necessary and sufficient condition.
To set up a new living environment or a new house for crested gecko, what do you need to do? Including what? That is exactly what we will provide for you. Don’t worry, read the information below carefully.
How to setup a crested gecko habitat?
The first and most important thing in the process of setting up a new house for crested gecko is choosing a cage. This is where crested gecko will spend the rest of his life, so you need to consider carefully before making a decision.
#1. Crested gecko cage
Currently on the market there are many types of cages with diverse materials and prices. For those who do not have much experience, choosing a suitable pet cage is not easy.
Material:
First, a good crested gecko cage must be of good material. Currently the main cage materials are glass, plastic, wood and metal mesh. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages.
For plastic cages, this is a lightweight material and is quite cheap. However, they are easily scratched and affected by temperature. A crested gecko cage cannot withstand high temperatures for a long time so you will most likely have to invest in a new cage.
As for wood and metal mesh, although more durable than plastic, there are defects. A wooden cage will not allow you to easily and easily observe the pet. And the mesh material is very breathable but cannot keep the temperature and humidity.
We recommend you choose a glass cage. This material will make it easier to crested gecko cage setup. It holds heat and moisture well, is very durable and easy to clean.
Exo Terra AllGlass Terrarium is a high quality glass cage, very durable and can meet all the criteria for a good cage. With this terrarium, it can survive for up to decades and still retain its value.
This terrarium is designed with perfect seams, which help keep the heat and moisture at an ideal level for crested geckos. The surface is glass so you can attach climbing accessories for pets. Mesh cover allows for detachment so you can easily access inside and also helps to ventilate the cage.
With dual door and safety lock, the pet absolutely cannot escape when you clean the cage.
Size:
Besides the material, size is also a factor that determines a good crested gecko cage. The cage needs to be big enough for pets to have space for rest and activity.
You should pay attention to the width and length of the cage. Crested gecko is sensitive to temperature so you should choose a cage with both hot and cool heads. Gecko’s body temperature can vary with the environment temperature, so it also needs adjustments if the temperature is too hot or too cold.
The height of the cage determines the working space of the crested gecko. They are animals that love to climb, so a good vertical cage is great. You can equip vines, branches for entertainment and pet bedding.
A good sized cage makes gecko complete set up easier. So you need to choose a good sized cage that suits the needs of the pet.
A product measuring 18 x 18 x 24 inches, the most suitable for crested gecko is the Exo Terra Rainforest Habitat Kit. If you are a beginner, this is a rainforest habitat set that you should not miss.
This crested gecko kit was designed by European researchers based on the characteristics of this species. Therefore, it is suitable for crested gecko from childhood to adulthood.
24 inches vertically provides enough space for crested gecko to climb and you can use many accessories to set up for this space.
This terrarium has a good ventilation system on the screen so that the air in the terrarium is always well ventilated. Moreover UVB rays can penetrate this system to penetrate the terrarium.
It also has a full gecko set up with a compact top lighting system, necessary decorations such as vines, branches, substrate and water dish.
#2. Crested gecko lighting
Lighting is an important element of the crested gecko life cycle, so you really need to consider gecko light setup. How to provide light for pets that resemble the most natural light? How long is the lighting for them?
These questions are always asked by many people. Crested gecko is mostly active at night so light is essential to them. Especially between night light and daylight must be different.
Day time lighting is about 12 hours, at night is about 10 hours. During the day you can use sunlight for illumination, however the temperature of sunlight can adversely affect crested geckos. Exposure to high temperature light for a long time will cause the temperature in the cage to exceed.
Instead, you can use light bulbs for lighting, you can use any light like fluorescent, UVB or incandescent light. At night, we recommend using a green light bulb, like providing moonlight for pets. Too much light is not suitable for use at night and may interfere with the sight of your pet.
For daylight, we recommend using PRYSM Incandescent Light Bulb. This is a product that can both provide good lighting and provide the right temperature for crested geckos.
Besides, it also has a good price, so you do not have to invest in lighting accessories or other temperature accessories. This incandescent bulb has a fairly long lifespan so you can use it for a long time.
With a capacity of 40 Watt, it certainly won’t use too much electricity. You will not have a headache because of your electricity bill every month.
For night light, Exo Terra Night-Glo Moonlight Lamp is the product we highly recommend. This product simulates the blue moonlight, very naturally and does not affect the crested gecko life cycle.
This lamp is made of blue glass so it will not be scratched or dull like some other products. Moreover the lamp also warms your pet to a suitable temperature at night. Appropriate power, not too big for a light bulb to operate at night.
At night you should not use the bulbs are too large, or too bright brightness. A soft blue light is what you should invest in a crested gecko’s habitat.
#3. Crested gecko heating
As you probably know, temperature is very important to crested geckos and can directly affect their health. The reason is that they are cold-blooded animals, so their temperature varies with the temperature of their habitat.
Between daytime and night temperatures suitable for crested gecko is not the same. During the day, they need higher temperatures than the night, about 23 – 27 degrees Celsius is appropriate.
The daytime temperature is always higher, so you need to pay attention so that the temperature in the cage does not exceed the safe threshold. If the temperature is too high, crested gecko can suffer heat shock, burns or death.
However, at night, the temperature needs to drop to 19 – 22 degrees C. If the temperature at night is low, you need to warm the crested gecko cage immediately. If they are not provided with the right temperature, their bodies will change with the temperature of the environment, which is very dangerous to life.
Fluker’s Ceramic Heat Emitter is the product I would recommend. This is a standard infrared ceramic heat emitting, which helps provide the right temperature for crested gecko’s habitat.
This product does not emit light so it can focus well on its warming role. Besides, with a variety of power options, you can easily choose a ceramic heat generator with a capacity suitable for the size of the cage.
The product provides a more accurate temperature if it comes with the controller và gecko lizard setup. This is also a product with a long life, so you can save costs in the long run.
#4. Crested gecko humidity
Humidity is also an important factor with crested gecko. You should always keep the humidity in their habitat at 50- 75%, which is the correct and safe level for pets.
To maintain this level, you need to use a hygrometer. You should choose a cage that comes with a hygrometer, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time buying a separate hygrometer.
How to adjust the humidity in the cage when it is too high or too low? If the humidity is too low, you can place a dish of water in the cage, can use crested gecko feeding items to store water.
If the humidity is too high, reduce it by opening the door or opening to allow outside air to circulate into the cage.
Or you can use humidity accessories to maintain the humidity at the most stable level. Currently on the market there are many products with diverse designs and prices, so that you can easily find them. However, you should consult customer feedback first to make a wise choice.
How to create a crested gecko bioactive setup?
What is the bioactive habitat? You can simply understand this is an environment that includes living things and things that can absorb pet waste biologically.
Crested gecko bioactive setup is completely harmless to pets but also provides them with a natural habitat, similar to the wild natural habitat where they lived before. Moreover, if living in this setup, crested gecko can be greatly improved mentally and health.
To create this set up, you just need to add live plants, natural substrates that can absorb the crested gecko’s urine and urine, or even add natural stones. Generally, adding natural objects to the crested gecko’s habitat.
In order to create this bioactive setup, you also need all the above elements we have listed, also need to meet all of those factors. The difference is that you only need to add living creatures instead of artificial accessories.
The Large Crested Gecko Vivarium Plant Kit is a crested gecko bioactive kit that should be at the top of your priority list. This plant set is designed for use with glass shallow lakes of less than 29 gallons.
With 4 types of plants including 2 types of vines and 2 types of tropical plants, this set of plants can not only provide a natural environment for pets but can also provide a climbing space of interest.
All of these plants are very easy to take care of, they grow very quickly without any special care. The tree has large leaves so the pet can drink the water that has accumulated on the leaves (this is a special hobby of crested gecko).
At the right price, this is a good option if you are looking for items to set up for your crested gecko’s bioactive enclosure.
Conclusion
Crested gecko is a sensitive species, so you should pay close attention and caution in creating crested gecko setup. Even the smallest items and elements need a certain amount of thought before making a decision. Besides, creating a setup that suits the needs and interests of crested gecko is also something you should consider.