Crested geckos are moderately active, and are crepuscular – becoming active at twilight, dusk and dawn. But sometimes, it can happen that a crested gecko hides all the time and won’t come out of hide. So why does it happen? In this post, we will answer the question of ‘why does my crested gecko hide all the time’, and what you can do to solve it.
Please note that crested geckos naturally rest and hide during daytime hours, and can prefer to lay and hide until the lights go out.
Reason #1: It’s all normal
Most new crested gecko owners stress a lot about their crested gecko hiding a lot. It is normal for crested geckos to choose one or two favorite hiding spots, and spend there most of the day. Crested geckos often get out when you are sleeping, and some are even shy to get out when you approach the tank.
So, if your crested gecko is hiding and sleeping most of the day, it is normal. Most crested geckos don’t come out at all until you turn off the lights.
Crested gecko also tend to sleep in strange positions and crammed in tight spots in the terrarium! Some enjoy sleeping under paper towels, some on trees and more. If they live in a group, you might notice them sleeping together.
However, if your crested gecko has lost weight, is not eating or pooping properly, then it could be sick. Not eating for a week or even longer is fine for new crested geckos when they are acclimating, though. Make sure to weigh your crested gecko regularly using digital jewelry or kitchen scales like this.
Reason #2: Your crested gecko is mildly or severely stressed
Stress is one of the major reasons why a crested gecko won’t come out of its hide. If you have just brought a new crested gecko home, then it will be stressed. It can take around a week, but even up to 2-3 weeks before a crested gecko acclimates to new surroundings.
During this time, a crested gecko won’t eat much or at all, and as a result – won’t poop regularly. At this stage, don’t handle your crested gecko and don’t force it to eat or come out of its hide! This will only worsen the situation.
Mist the cage and the gecko 1-2 times a day so it can lick the water droplets. You can even place cardboard or curtains that will cover the sides of the tank. Make sure to include lots of foliage (60-65% of the tank) and 1-2 hides so your crested gecko can feel safe. If your new crested gecko hasn’t eaten for a week already, start putting some CGD on its snout and let lick it.
Your crested gecko can also become stressed if you make any big changes in the terrarium or if you change the terrarium to a new one. Try replicating the previous terrarium and making any changes gradually. Also, make sure not to house a crested gecko smaller than 20 grams in a 15-30 gallon tank.
Other pets or loud noises can also scare your crested gecko. So it’s not a good idea to place a crested gecko’s tank in the living room where everyone makes lots of noise, with TV and other electronics.
Some crested geckos are even shy to eat in front of others. So consider having another feeder ledge in the back of the terrarium, around the foliage, where no one can see your crested gecko! And place this extra food cup or bowl on the ground, as well.
Reason #3: Your crested gecko is stuck
Believe it or not, your crested gecko can get stuck in the terrarium structures. For example, the common problem is when a crested gecko starts hiding behind the terrarium background and doesn’t come out for long periods of time. The owner then start thinking whether the crested gecko is fine hiding there, or is simply stuck.
If your crested gecko has started hiding behind the background, you can either block your gecko from going there or remove the background. To stop your crested gecko from going behind the background, place a cloth or something similar and push it inside the gaps that are on the bottom of the cage.
And if you decide to remove the background, then make sure to include lots of foliage and at least 1 hide for your crested gecko. This will help avoid making your crested gecko feel vulnerable and exposed.
In general, if your crested gecko has spent a lot of time in a hide and doesn’t come out to eat or drink, then look into a possible problem of your crested gecko not being able to come out of there.
Reason #4: Your crested gecko is bullied
If your crested gecko doesn’t live alone in the terrarium, then it can get bullied. Never house males or crested geckos of different sizes together. It’s also a bad idea to house small crested geckos of under 10 grams together, as they get competitive for food, water and everything else.
So if you can feel that your crested gecko is vulnerable with others, doesn’t eat or drink properly and hides all the time, house them separately as soon as possible.
Reason #5: The humidity in your crested gecko’s terrarium is too low
When the humidity in your crested gecko’s tank gets too low, your crested gecko will start hiding under the substrate. So if your crested gecko is constantly hiding under the paper towels, or is burrowing itself under substrate, it could mean that the humidity is low or that the temperature is high and it’s trying to cool down.
To prevent your crested gecko from hiding under the paper towels, you can place something on top of it. Your can also spray the paper towels slightly to make going under them harder. But some crested geckos actually enjoy sleeping under paper towels, and if they are active and eating, then it’s fine!
Aim to keep humidity in the crested gecko’s tank at 50-60% during the day, with few hours a day rising to 70-90%. You can achieve this by spraying the tank, your gecko and substrate towards the evening.
If you are struggling with keeping the humidity up, you can get a reptile fogger like this and use it for few hours towards the evening. Let the tank dry towards the morning.
Always have one or two hygrometers in the tank to measure humidity levels in the terrarium. This way you will be able to control the humidity and see if anything needs change.
Reason #6: Your crested gecko actually comes out when you don’t see it
Very often owners don’t notice their crested gecko coming out of the hide. This makes them think that the crested gecko has been in the hide for a long time. Some new crested geckos, or ones that are shy or new, tend to do that.
Are you sure your crested gecko’s hasn’t come out at night? Many crested geckos actually come out for some time (around half an hour), and then go back to their hide again.
Your crested gecko is unlikely to go more than few days without food and water and not look dehydrated. Signs of dehydration include wrinkly skin which lacks elasticity, droopy eyes and tiredness. If your crested gecko has lost weight (use digital scales for weighing and is dehydrated), then something is wrong.
Reason #7: Your crested gecko is ill
If your crested gecko is ill, then it will act lethargic and is likely to lay and hide most of the time. Your crested gecko might be suffering from a Metabolic Bone disorder (calcium and/or vitamin D3 deficiency), for example. In this case, your crested gecko will be lethargic, have soft bones, tail and back kinking and will have no interest to eat.
Other illnesses might include infection, injury (falling from high structures), egg binding and more. Make sure to observe your crested gecko and its behavior and see if there are any other symptoms along with constant hiding.
You can read the full guide on crested gecko diseases and their symptoms here.
Reason #8: There is a lack of foliage and other hides in the tank
If your crested gecko is constantly hiding in one spot and doesn’t come out much at all, this can mean that there are no enough of other hides. When there is a lack of foliage and other spots to hide, your crested gecko is likely to hide in one spot.
This is because your crested gecko will feel exposed. Add more hides and foliage (can be both live or fake plants). Crested geckos don’t like open spaces, so make sure to cover 60-65% of the terrarium with plants, branches and hides.
Reason #9: Terrarium lighting is wrong
As you know, crested geckos become active after evening hours when it naturally gets dark. You must turn off any light bulbs for your crested gecko at night, otherwise you will disrupt your crested gecko’s day/night cycle.
Turn off all bright light, UV light (make sure not to use UV light of higher than 5.0). The room should also be dark. You might leave a low wattage bulb that is also half dimmed, to give your crested gecko some visibility.
This can also be a night lamp in your room or in the hallway. Try not to use red, blue or black bulbs, but they might be used when not too bright (such as a moonlight bulb). Turn off your light when you go to sleep (even if it’s after midnight), and it should be fine.
Most crested geckos will get scared and confused if you approach the tank at night, and this can cause stress and hiding. If this happens, you can cover the sides of the tank with a cardboard or cloth for the night.
Crested gecko burying himself/herself?
Your crested gecko might be burying himself/herself in the soil if the temperatures in the tank are too high to cool down, for example. Background temperatures in the crested gecko’s tank should be around 75-77 F (23.8-25 C) on the warm side, and 68-70 F (20-21.1 C) on the cool side.
If your crested gecko is burying itself in the substrate, then it could also be looking for feeder insects or bugs that live in the soil (isopods etc.).
Another option could be low humidity in the tank, so a crested gecko would bury itself to get more moisture from the ground.
Female crested geckos start digging when they are ready to lay eggs, so if she is burying herself, she could be gravid. In this case, you will need to make a lay box as well. She might get gravid even without mating with a male.
Crested geckos love hiding, so your crested gecko could be burying itself to hide and feel safe. Make sure to never have a crested gecko smaller than 20 grams on soil substrate, as it’s risky.
If your crested gecko is still new, or if you have changed the terrarium, your crested gecko can be sometimes hiding under substrate for few weeks before feeling comfortable.
Do crested geckos need hides?
Yes, crested geckos absolutely need hides in order to hide when they feel tired, stressed or when sleeping. Hides will provide the feeling of stability and security for your crested gecko.
Make sure to have hiding spots and foliage in a crested gecko’s terrarium!
All in all, if your crested gecko is healthy, the lack of hiding spots and foliage will cause stress, burrowing and hiding in one spot. Crested geckos that don’t have few hiding spots will have trouble sleeping during the day and being active at night.
Make sure to include fake or live plants that your crested gecko can hide in. Also, include at least one, or better 2-3 hiding caves. These can be wooden logs, caves like this, magnetic hides and more! Arrange them at different heights, as well.
You can even make few of your own hides, such as coconut hides and more. Read this post to learn more about hides and other accessories in a crested gecko’s tank.