Crested Gecko

📌 Description

The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal gecko from New Caledonia. It is known for the soft crest of scales above the eyes and along the body, which gives it the “eyelash” appearance that made the species so popular.

Adults usually reach 18-25 cm including the tail. Many captive adults are tailless because crested geckos can drop the tail when frightened, and unlike leopard geckos, they do not regrow it. A tailless gecko can still live normally if the wound heals cleanly.

Crested geckos are popular because they are manageable, attractive, and feed well on prepared diets, but they are still long-lived reptiles. With good care they often live 15-20 years.

🌍 Distribution

Crested geckos are endemic to New Caledonia, especially forested areas in the southern part of Grande Terre and nearby islands. They live in humid forest, shrub layers, small trees, and dense vegetation rather than open dry habitat.

Important habitat features include:

• Vertical branches and foliage
• Humid nights and drier daytime periods
• Moderate temperatures without extreme heat
• Dense cover for daytime resting
• Fruit, nectar, and insects

In captivity, the goal is a tall, planted or heavily decorated enclosure with many climbing routes, shaded retreats, and a daily humidity cycle.

🌡 Climate across the native range

Monthly climate normals from reviewed GBIF occurrence locations:

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · CC BY 4.0 · Monthly normals calculated by Herpeton Academy from daily archive values.

Location references use GBIF.org occurrence data where available; original occurrence records retain their source dataset licenses.

⚖️ Legal status

As checked in April 2026, Correlophus ciliatus was not found in the CITES Appendices or in the local EU Wildlife Trade Annex text check used for this project. However, the species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and wild export from New Caledonia is restricted.

National and local rules may still apply to keeping, sale, transport, breeding, and proof of origin. Keep purchase records and breeder details.

Buy captive-bred animals only. The pet trade has many established captive lines, so wild-caught or unclear-origin animals are unnecessary and ethically risky.

The Bern Convention is not usually relevant unless a species is native to Europe or covered by local conservation rules; check current national guidance for the country where the animal is kept.

🤌 Husbandry

An adult crested gecko needs a vertical enclosure. A practical minimum is 45 × 45 × 60 cm, while 45 × 45 × 90 cm or larger is better for active adults.

The enclosure should have:

• Branches, cork tubes, vines, and ledges at several heights
• Dense foliage for daytime hiding
• A feeding ledge or stable food platform
• A shallow water dish
• Good ventilation with humidity retention
• Enough open routes for jumping and climbing

Solitary housing is the safest default. Males should never be housed together. Females may still compete, and male-female pairs often lead to repeated breeding and stress.

💡 Lighting

Crested geckos are nocturnal and crepuscular, but they benefit from a clear day-night cycle. Provide 10-14 hours of daylight depending on season, or a simple 12-hour cycle if seasonal adjustment is not practical.

Low-output UVB can be beneficial when installed correctly. It should cover only part of the enclosure, with plenty of shaded retreats. A low UVI in the upper exposed area is enough.

If UVB is not used, choose a complete crested gecko diet and supplements that provide vitamin D3 safely. If UVB is used, avoid adding too much extra D3.

For UV planning, treat this species as Ferguson Zone 1. Aim for about UVI 0.5-1.0 in the upper exposed area, while leaving retreats and a gradient down to shaded areas near zero UVI. This usually points to a low-output UVB tube such as a ShadeDweller-style or 2-7% T5, chosen for the enclosure height; measure with a Solarmeter 6.5 when possible, because reflector, mesh, distance, and lamp age change the real exposure.

🌡 Heating and temperature

Crested geckos tolerate moderate room temperatures, but they still need a safe gradient. Overheating is one of the biggest risks.

Useful ranges:

• Gentle basking area: 27-29°C
• General daytime range: 22-26°C
• Night: 18-22°C
• Avoid sustained temperatures above 29°C

If your home stays in range, extra heat may not be needed. If heat is needed, use a low-wattage overhead source or ceramic heat source controlled by a thermostat. Do not use heat rocks.

Measure temperatures near the top, middle, and lower enclosure. In summer, plan cooling and ventilation before the room becomes dangerously hot.

💧 Humidity and water

Crested geckos do best with a humidity cycle, not constant wetness. A practical target is around 50-60% during the drier part of the day, rising to 70-90% after misting at night.

Mist in the evening and, if needed, lightly in the morning. The enclosure should dry partially between mistings so mold and bacterial growth do not take over.

Most crested geckos drink droplets from leaves, glass, and decor, but a clean water dish should still be available. Dehydration can cause poor sheds, lethargy, wrinkled skin, and appetite problems.

🌿 Enclosure and decoration

The enclosure should feel leafy and three-dimensional. Empty vertical glass boxes make crested geckos feel exposed and can lead to stress.

Suitable substrate options include:

• Coconut fiber mixed with organic topsoil
• Tropical forest reptile substrate
• Sphagnum moss in selected humid areas
• Leaf litter for cover and bioactive setups
• Paper towel for quarantine or medical monitoring

Bioactive enclosures work well for this species if drainage, plants, clean-up organisms, and ventilation are established. Good plants include pothos, philodendron, schefflera, bromeliads, ficus, and other safe, sturdy tropical plants.

All branches, cork, ledges, and hides should be stable. Crested geckos jump suddenly and need secure landing spots.

🪳 Feeding

Crested geckos are omnivorous. In captivity, the staple diet should be a high-quality complete crested gecko diet mixed with water according to the instructions.

Offer fresh prepared diet two or three times per week for adults, and more often for juveniles. Remove old food before it spoils.

Live insects add exercise and nutrition:

• Crickets
• Dubia or discoid roach nymphs
• Black soldier fly larvae
• Silkworms
• Small locusts where legal

Insects should be gut-loaded and dusted with calcium and vitamins as needed. Avoid feeding only fruit puree, baby food, honey, or insects alone; these diets become unbalanced quickly.

🥚 Breeding

Crested geckos breed easily, which is exactly why breeding should be planned. Females can lay repeated clutches and may be depleted if calcium, food, temperatures, and recovery time are poor.

Mature males usually have clear hemipenal bulges at the tail base and visible preanal pores. Females lack strong bulges and have much less obvious pores. Sexing young juveniles can be uncertain.

Sexual maturity often occurs around 12-18 months, but females should not be bred until they are fully grown, well-conditioned, and usually at least about 35-40 g. Weight alone is not enough; body condition matters.

Prepare laying sites, incubation, hatchling tubs, tiny insects, complete diet, records, and homes for offspring before pairing animals. Never keep a male with a female long term just for convenience.

🩺 Common problems

Common problems usually come from overheating, dehydration, stale wet enclosures, poor diet, calcium imbalance, falls, or stress.

Watch for:

• Stuck shed on toes, tail stump, or eyes
• Wrinkled skin or sunken eyes
• Refusing food for long periods
• Weight loss or a thin body
• Soft jaw, tremors, or weak grip
• Burns from unguarded heat sources
• Nose rub from escape attempts
• Egg binding in females

Check temperature, humidity cycle, diet, supplements, and enclosure security first. If symptoms persist, or if there is weight loss, swelling, injury, egg-laying trouble, or neurological signs, contact a reptile veterinarian.

📌 Conclusion

The crested gecko suits keepers who can keep the enclosure cool, humid but ventilated, and well covered. The common mistake is treating it as a simple shelf pet rather than an arboreal reptile with real climate and diet needs.

It is easy to keep badly because it tolerates mistakes for a while. Keep it cool, humid but ventilated, well fed, and well hidden, and it becomes a calm, long-lived, and rewarding gecko.

📚 Sources and further reading

• CITES Appendices and Species+ trade database, checked April 2026
• EU wildlife trade regulations and annex references, checked April 2026
• GBIF species backbone and occurrence data for taxonomy and distribution context
• IUCN Red List and specialist husbandry references where applicable