Hey guys,
Long time snake owner here, pretty well versed in that knowledge.
My mum years ago had cresties but that was when i was much younger and im sure the husbandry wasnt on point either.
Im interested in getting just one crested. No more. But, before i even truly entertain the idea, i want to educate myself on their needs first.
Temps across the enclosure
Best kind of enclosure
Anything to avoid
What do i look for/questions to ask when buying
Etc
Im probably way over thinking this, but i dont like taking anything living in without doing my research to ensure it’ll thrive…
Google is not a friend all the time and i want to hear from actual people who actually own them.
I dont want to end up getting the wrong supplies, the wrong tank size, the wrong anything and end up not doing right by the animal, as it deserves a great home, like id expect any of my animals to have.
Thank you so much in advance!
So cresties are fairly easy animals to keep as they don’t really need a lot to thrive. Due to specialised diets that have been formulated specifically for them, they do fine without any additional heating or lighting, and they don’t need giant enclosures, however all of these things are ofc great if you are able to provide them.
So because of that there’s a lot of freedom when it comes to how to set them up, so im gooing to list both their very basic needs, and more advanced care.
Tank size: typically the minimum is 18x18x24, they generally just need space to move around and stuff to climb on at different levels. The bigger the better, though.
Temperature: as long as your indoor temps don’t drop below 72 often they don’t need additional heating. However, a basking spot of about 85/86f is a great addition, just make sure to keep it on a thermostat, and that the tank is big enough that they can move to areas with temps in the low-mid 70s.
Lighting: since there’s vitamin d in their diet, they don’t need additional lighting, however a low-output uvb-tube is a great addition. They’re ferguson zone 1 animals, so they need a UVI of no more than 1 in their basking spot, which can be achieved in a few different ways, but the Arcadia 2.4% shadedweller is designed so that they can get right up under it, meaning you can still utilise the space close to the top of the tank. IIRC the UVI is around 1 at 4 inches underneath the bulb through mesh.
Humidity: They need their humidity to be around 75% on average. Make sure to let the enclosure physically dry out a bit in between mistings so that no surface is constantly wet, and the substrate isn’t soggy as this promotes mould and fungi growth which can cause issues in the long run.
Food: They eat a specialised diet known as CGD, and they don’t need anything additional, however providing live insects can be a great form of enrichment if they are interested, not all are. Always provide a water bowl, lots of sources claim that they won’t use one, but that has been debunked time and time again. Providing a water bowl also means that you don’t necessarily have to mist every single day, which means you don’t have to worry about the tank being too humid.
Setup: They just need some stuff to climb on, and places to hide. They do super well in bioactive setups, so that’s what i typically recommend. You can get creative with other types of enrichment if you want, one of my geckos has a hamster-wheel that he uses almost daily.
Cresties are quite hardy and rarely get sick, but when buying a gecko, look for one that isn’t too skinny, and one that has bright eyes that are slightly protuding, they shouldn’t be sunken in nor should they be super bulgy. The geckos should be alert, and active. Make sure that if there are any issues like missing toes, too many toes, tail nips, tons of stuck shed etc, that the breeder is honest about it, and that the breeder has taken care of the shed. If you get your gecko from a breeder, they should also be able to provide info on their lineage, hatch-date, weight and such, and should be able to give you an estimate on sex and morph.
What??!? I love this! I had no idea they’d use such a thing.
I was skeptical at first, but i decided worst thing that could happen was that he didn’t use it… He figured it out instantly though, and loves it! The only downside is that it gets dirty really quickly cause he uses it so much 
That’s funny! Is it plastic? I am going to try one for my boy!
Yup, plastic and no holes or anything he could potentially get his tail/toes stuck in. Got a pretty large size as well so that he doesn’t really bend his back too much.
Ok thank you! I gotta get one! I hope my little toodley doo will like it!!! 
If you ever get a video of that, I would love to see!
Me too!!!
Thank you!
I would have never thought to give one a wheel. Thats a superb idea.
It makes it more plausible now that it’d be feasible and possible for me to care for one properly.