Choosing, Buying a Crested Gecko and Bringing It Home

If you are reading this article, you have probably decided to finally purchase a crested gecko. If you are not sure if a crested gecko is for you, read the pros and cons article to learn more about suitability and personality of crested geckos.

We have also talked about different crested gecko morphs in this post. Generally, crested geckos are very friendly, laid back and don’t mind handling. In this post, we will talk about choosing, buying a crested gecko and bringing it home.

We will give you tips on choosing a healthy crested gecko and what to look for when buying one. There are different places where you can find crested geckos for sale, and we will discuss pros and cons of buying a crested geckos from different sources.

Then, we will also cover what you need to do to bring your crested gecko home and what to do after this. We will discuss if it’s better to buy one or few crested geckos, if a male or female make better pets, determining the gender, where to buy a crested gecko and much more.

Before bringing a crested gecko home, make sure to buy and set up its terrarium and have some food ready.

How to choose a healthy crested gecko?

When choosing a crested gecko, make sure it is healthy and friendly. Let’s discuss the features that you need to look for when buying a gecko. If you can come to the place to see and physically handle your crested gecko, look for the following:

• Your crested gecko must be captive bred. While all of the crested geckos in the trade are captive bred, it will not hurt to ask. Captive bred lizards are healthier and free of parasites.
• Even before seeing your crested gecko, take a look at its cage. Are there too many crested geckos in one cage? Overcrowded conditions often lead to stress in crested geckos. Terrarium should also have at least all the basic accessories – food and water bowls, substrate/flooring, some branches, thermometer and hygrometer etc. Generally, there should be no more than 2 crested geckos in a 15 gallon tank.
• Take a look at crested gecko’s poop/feces – they should not be runny or liquid.
• When you first handle your crested gecko, check its eyes – they should be bright, round, same size and not sunken. The pupil should be thin (with normal light). Crested gecko’s pupil should only dilate in the dark.
• Check crested gecko’s jaws – they should not be hanging or soft. The bite should also be even. Soft or hanging jaws might indicate a Metabolic Bone Disease.
• Take a look at crested gecko’s toes – make sure none are missing or deformed. You should skip buying a crested gecko that has any toes missing, as it can cause problems with climbing. If you decide to buy a gecko with one missing toe, request a lower price. Don’t buy a crested gecko with more than 2 missing toes.
• Check your crested gecko’s weight and overall appearance – is its weight normal? A crested gecko is too thin/skinny if you can see the hip bones/backbone/ribs sticking out. Its head will also look larger than the rest of the body (unless it is a reverted morph that has a long head). A healthy crested gecko’s body should be rounded without any bones sticking out.
• What is more, the spine and tail should be straight, not kinky. Kinky tail or spine can indicate late stage calcium deficiencies and a Metabolic Bone disease. These changes are often irreversible, so avoid a seller that has let its geckos suffer like this.
• Does a crested gecko have a tail? Many crested geckos lose their tails, especially in the wild. A crested gecko might easily lose its tail if someone grabs it by a tail or makes any unexpected moves. If a crested gecko loses its tail, it won’t grow back. But it should not affects its life greatly. If you decide to buy a crested gecko without a tail, make sure that seller reduces the price.
• Check a crested gecko’s vent – it must not have any caking or obstructions. Healthy crested gecko’s vent should be clean and have no smearing. Hemipenes (reproductive organs) should not be protruding.
• Ask to handle a crested gecko or ask the seller to handle it. When handling, a crested gecko should be alert, walk and climb on your fingers or arms. If a crested gecko looks completely lethargic and doesn’t want to move, it can indicate health issues. It should also easily stick to your fingers or other smooth surfaces.
• Check crested gecko’s skin – there should be no mites, cuts or bite marks. Bites can mean that a crested gecko has lived in overcrowded conditions and has been bullied or attacked by other cage mates.
• Touch crested gecko’s belly – it should be rather flat. If you can feel any bumps, these can indicate that the gecko is egg-bound or impacted.

Should I buy one or few crested geckos?

Keeping few crested geckos might sound exciting and interesting. Generally, crested geckos will do very well alone and don’t need anyone to be living with them to have a fulfilling life. But if you want to have few geckos, you might make this happen.

If you decide to buy few geckos, follow few very important rules:

• Don’t house males together, as they can get territorial.
• Keeping a male and female (apart from breeding introduction) can lead to a male demanding too much attention from a female. He will keep trying to mate with her and can keep following her during the breeding season, which doesn’t last only few days. So, it is better to only introduce a male to a female for breeding purposes or have few females instead of one.
• Never house crested geckos of different sizes together. Crested geckos that are larger in size can become cannibalistic and bite smaller gecko’s toes and tail and even eat them!
• You can house hatchlings and babies (any sex) together, but separate them when they are 5-6 months of age.

If you have bought few crested geckos of the same size, you will need a larger tank/terrarium and enough space for each, for climbing and other activities. But if you have a gecko and want to introduce another one, make sure to quarantine it first.

Quarantining should include checking new crested gecko’s health by taking it to the vet and performing fecal tests for parasitic infections. Quarantine should last for around 5-6 months.

Watch the crested geckos housed together and how they interact with each other. And if you notice them fighting, separate them. They can injure each other and cause not only superficial wounds/cuts, but also internal injuries.

But what if you only have one tank for two or more crested geckos?

If you have housed two or more crested geckos – females or one male and few females and they are fighting, you need to separate them. If your tank is large enough for few crested geckos, you can separate them in the same tank. There are few days to do it. One of the ways is to place a vertical plexi glass or a mesh divider with suction cups or hooks.

If you need to heat different parts of the terrarium, you can use a long heating cable (such as this 23 feet Zoo Med heat cable) that you can extend to various parts of the tank. This way you will be able to create a temperature gradient in each part of the terrarium.

Should I buy a male or female crested geckos? Does a male or female crested gecko make a better pet?

When buying a crested gecko, especially your first one, you are probably thinking about the differences between both sexes. There are pros and cons to owning a female or male crested gecko:

Pros of owning a male crested gecko:

• When owning a male crested gecko, you won’t need to think about it carrying and laying eggs. That means no nesting site or worrying about egg-binding.
• Male crested geckos tend to live bit longer than females.
• Males are usually sold for cheaper than females.

Cons of owning a male crested gecko:

• You won’t be able to house few males together. But you will be able to house one male and up to 5 females.
• Males can become territorial during a breeding season.
• Male crested geckos are prone to prolapse.

Pros of owning a female crested gecko:

• Female crested geckos can be housed together (but some females might reject each other).

Cons of owning a female crested gecko:

• A very big disadvantage of owning a female crested gecko is that it will be laying eggs, no matter if it has been with a male or not. Eggs will be infertile if she hasn’t mated with a male.
• Laying eggs will cause stress to her body – her lifespan can be shortened due to this reason. She will also need a special diet before, during and after pregnancy. And you will need to watch her calcium storage sacs to make sure she is not deficient in calcium.

Verdict: buying a male crested gecko is better if you are not planning to breed your crested geckos. You won’t need to deal with egg-laying.

How to determine crested gecko’s gender?

As we have discussed, you won’t be able to tell crested gecko’s gender until it turns at least 5-6 months old. But even 5-6 months can be too early, especially with females. The best time to sex your gecko is when it reaches 3 inches long (7.6cm), or about 8 months old.

A big difference between a male and female crested gecko is the presence of a hemipenal bulge at the base of the tail. Females don’t have this bulge, and it appears very flat.

Another feature that differentiates male and female crested geckos are preanal pores. Unlike in many other lizards, both male and female crested geckos have similar rows of scales with pores. Those pores are more prominent in males, but it is quite challenging to tell the difference. So, determining the sex in crested geckos often relies on looking at the preanal area and presence/lack of a hemipenal bulge.

Male crested gecko

Should I buy a hatchling, baby or adult crested gecko?

When picking a crested gecko, think about your priorities. Do you want your crested gecko to live longer? Or maybe you want to breed them? Depending on your aims, you will need to choose a crested gecko that is of the specific age.

• Generally, it is better to buy a baby that is at least 2 months old, to know that it is healthy and feeding. Buying a hatchling can be risky, as it can reject feeding and die.
• A big disadvantage of buying a baby is the inability to tell the sex of a crested gecko until it turns at least 6-8 months old.
• Are you planning to breed your crested geckos? If you are planning to breed your crested geckos, it is a good idea to buy a young female. Female crested geckos start laying less clutches with age.

Where to buy a crested gecko?

There are many places where you can find and buy a crested gecko, but you must always be careful. While it is always the best to see and handle the gecko before you buy it, online buying can also bring many advantages. But how much do crested geckos cost? Crested geckos can cost around 40-60$, but unique morphs can cost 500-700$!

Buying a crested gecko from a pet store. Pros and cons

Pet stores are very likely to sell crested geckos. Advantages of buying a crested gecko from a pet store is the convenience – you are likely to find a local pet store that sells them.

You won’t need to travel far and getting home will be easy. Another advantage is that you will be able to see the conditions that a crested geckos has been living in – the cage, food and maybe feces.

When buying a crested gecko from a pet store, find employees that will answer all of your questions. Make sure to ask all about the diet, supplementation, temperatures etc. to see if the staff is knowledgeable. If you suspect that the crested geckos are not well cared for, and look stressed, don’t buy one.

A disadvantage of buying a crested gecko from a pet store is that there can be many other animals and some of them might not be receiving the best care. Another disadvantage is that you will not be able to meet the actual breeder and find out all about parents, lineage, initial care conditions etc.

Buying your crested gecko from a commercial or private breeder – in person or online

There are many reputable breeders that have different crested geckos for sale. The advantage of buying a crested gecko from a breeder is that you will be able to ask all the questions about a gecko’s lineage.

Breeders are also people to go to for interesting and unique morphs. These people are often very knowledgeable and experienced in what they do. Make sure to do your research and find a trusted seller before purchasing a crested gecko.

The disadvantage of buying a crested gecko from a breeder online might be the cost of shipping. Also, you won’t be able to see your gecko and handle it.

If you are buying a crested gecko online, make sure that the breeder guarantees live delivery and that the shipping doesn’t take longer than 24 hours. Otherwise, it will cause a big stress to your crested gecko and it can even die. Make sure that the seller uses heat pads or cold packs when shipping in cold/hot weather.

Buying your crested gecko at the Reptile Expo

Reptile Expo is an interesting gathering where different hobbyist and professional breeders sell their creations. If you live close to the venue, make sure to attend as you can find many breeders in one place, compare prices and ask various questions.

But if you live far away, it can be problematic to visit a Reptile Expo. Reptile Expos also tend to be busy, so it can be hard to talk to all breeders that you wish.

Bringing your crested gecko home

If you have bought your crested gecko directly from a pet store, breeder or reptile expo, you will need to safely transport it home. Before you buy your crested gecko, make sure to set up its terrarium and buy some food for the first week or two.

You might bring your crested gecko in a small cup with holes on the sides so it can breathe. But this is suitable only if the journey is very short. If the journey is long, you can choose a good container such as a Kritter Keeper, that is designed for transporting reptiles or other small animals.

It has a lid with a handle and ventilation holes and feeder windows. You will also be able to use it for the vet visits. Pick a medium or large size if you are planning to keep your crested gecko in it for quarantining.

If traveling in hot or cold weather, place cold packs/heating pads underneath the container. This way you can travel with your gecko without causing it any stress.

Crested gecko acclimation

After coming home, place your crested gecko in its tank straight away. One exception is if there is another gecko in there. You will have to take your crested gecko to the vet to check it for any parasitic infections. Quarantine period should last around 2-3 months, before you introduce it to other geckos in the tank.

Try not to handle your crested gecko for the first 2-3 weeks, while it is getting used to its new surroundings. Don’t make big changes in gecko’s diet (ask the seller what it was eating before), as it will cause stress.

Make sure there are hides in the tank, as your crestie might spend lots of time hiding during the first few weeks. And then, slowly but surely, your crested gecko will get used to its new home and you!