In the previous post, we have talked about choosing a healthy crested gecko and buying it. But before you bring your new crested gecko home, you must prepare its new habitat and set it up correctly. This is unless you plan to keep your new crested gecko in a plastic Kritter Keeper for quarantining. But in the meanwhile, you need to choose, buy and set up a terrarium. In this post, we will talk about crested gecko terrarium choosing and buying. We will also share terrarium/vivarium/enclosure ideas and how to seal wooden accessories in the tank.
What type of a terrarium do crested geckos need? Enclosure ideas
You should get a vertical terrarium for your crested geckos, because they love climbing and spend most of their time on branches. There are few options for a crested gecko’s terrarium, and your choice should depend on your needs.
If you are planning to keep one or a few crested geckos, the best type of a terrarium is one made of glass. Don’t choose an acrylic terrarium, as it will scratch easily and will obstruct the view.
You can also keep your hatchling and babies in a plastic keeper or aquarium with lid before moving them to a glass terrarium. Plastic container can be cheaper, but won’t look as effective as a glass terrarium.
If you are planning to breed crested geckos, then you might consider getting multiple plastic Kritter Keepers and housing each crested gecko separately. You can create racks of containers and use simple paper towel/newspaper substrate.
Can you keep crested geckos in a wooden vivarium?
Wooden cage is not really suitable for crested geckos. The problem is, your crested gecko needs high humidity levels, and wood will warp and start rotting.
Your crested gecko will also often defecate on the walls of the terrarium. Cleaning poop from the wood will be problematic and will wear down the wood quickly. Even if you seal wood with polyurethane, it can still wear down.
Ideal terrarium size for a crested gecko
According to an updated guide from FBH (Federation of British Herpetologists), minimum terrarium size for an adult crested gecko is 4x4x5 SVL (Snout to Vent Length). That would equal to around 20x20x25″/51x51x64 cm (WxDxH). In this case, a minimum tank size for a crested gecko is around 18x18x25″/45x45x64 cm (WxDxH).
For 2 crested geckos, you will need a minimum 60 gallons terrarium. For each additional crested gecko in the tank, you need to add 20 gallons.
If you have bought a hatchling or a baby crested gecko, don’t house it in a large terrarium. Your hatchling or baby crested gecko can live in a Kritter Keeper or other plastic terrarium for around 3-4 months before you move it to a larger habitat.
Placing your small gecko in a big enclosure will stress it out and it will struggle to find food and water. If you have few crested geckos, keep them all separately in these containers.
Keep your hatchling or baby crested gecko in a small-medium Kritter Keeper for around 2-3 months. Then, move it to a large Kritter Keeper and keep it in that one until it turns 5-6 months old. An extra large one can be more suitable if you are planning on keeping it in there for longer.
And when your crested gecko becomes an adult (20 grams and over), move it to a proper 40-50 gallon terrarium or more. Keeping your baby crested gecko in a plastic terrarium can save you some money. But if you don’t want to keep it in a plastic terrarium, you can get a 5 gallon aquarium/terrarium with a lid until it turns around a few months old. You will need to purchase a screen cover separately.
What is the best terrarium for an adult crested gecko?
One of the options would be tall vertical tank like this, that is 18x18x24, or roughly 33 gallons. This is a minimum sized terrarium that will have enough space for 1 adult crested gecko. If possible, go for an even larger terrarium.
Buying a screen cover for your crested gecko’s terrarium without a lid, such as aquarium
Screen cover is a must with any aquarium or terrarium for your crested gecko. Crested geckos have sticky toes and will climb any surface. They also often love climbing the screen cover and hanging from it.
If you don’t have a screen cover, your crested gecko will escape. A screen cover is also very important for ventilation in the tank and preventing your crested gecko from touching any hot bulbs.
A glass terrarium that you buy will come with a screen cover. But if you buy an aquarium (such as this 5 gallon one) for housing your young crested gecko temporarily, you will need to buy a screen cover separately. When buying a screen cover, make sure it is the right size to fit the tank. With the 5 gallon aquarium, you will need this screen cover that is 16 inches long and 8 inches wide.
What to do if wooden cage accessories start molding? Sealing and painting wooden accessories in the terrarium.
You will probably want to buy some wooden accessories, such as branches or vines. But the problem is, your crested gecko’s terrarium needs high humidity, and these wooden accessories are likely to mold.
To solve this problem (at least few months at a time), you need to seal or paint the accessories. Before placing any wooden accessories in the tank, bake it for 40-60 minutes at 250 degrees F. Also bake wooden accessories if they started molding.
There are few ways to seal wooden accessories in the terrarium. But the biggest problem with sealing accessories is finding the spray or material that will not be toxic to your crested gecko. Let’s review some ways to seal wooden accessories.
Please note that these are general solutions and there is no guarantee they are 100% safe. To reduce any risk of toxicity, make sure your gecko doesn’t eat from sealed accessories and let them off-gas (air-out) before placing in the tank.
It is fine to seal wooden vivarium accessories with acrylic spray and oil-based polyurethane to prevent molding. There is also a water-based polycrylic, but it will not last as long as an oil-based one. Make sure to air out all the sealed accessories before putting them back in the terrarium.
They shouldn’t smell as well, and it can take around a week or two to fully air them out. Make sure your gecko doesn’t eat from any accessories that are coated with polyurethane or polycrylic. Polyurethane can release toxic fumes if exposed to high temperatures, but temperatures under 85 degrees should be fine.
Silicone caulk can make wooden accessories waterproof. Use some kind of a brush and apply it on top of the accessories. Make sure it dries and doesn’t smell before putting an accessory in the terrarium. You should also wash it few times to make it safer.
Non-toxic marine epoxy or non-toxic pond epoxy (for example Pond Shield) can be used to apply on wooden accessories. But application can be messy and you will need to leave it for a month or two to cure.
Non-toxic wood waterproofer can be a good choice for protecting wooden accessories from high humidity. One of the examples is this Seal-once marine waterproofer.
You can use a hot glue gun and hot glue to seal and attach some terrarium accessories. Make sure to let it off-gas fully (can take up to a week) before placing the accessory in the tank. Once hot glue is cured, it is non-toxic and safe. Crested gecko’s terrarium won’t be too hot either to melt this hot glue.
It is a good idea to buy branches/driftwood that are more resistant to rot. These include cypress and buttonwood. You can read more on vivarium plants and driftwood in our next post.