Housing
There are many things to consider when setting up, arranging and maintaining a terrarium. Always have a fully equipped terrarium ready when you buy an Crested Gecko. Choose a terrarium that is taller than it is wide so that the eyelash geckos have room to climb. For a pair of gecko eyelashes you need a terrarium with a minimum size of 40 x 40 x 70 centimeters, but larger is always better for adult animals. Place the terrarium in a quiet place in the house and take the sun into account, the enclosure should not be in direct sunlight in front of a window! Move gently around the terrarium so that the animals do not get too much stress. A lock on the terrarium can be useful to prevent unattended children from reaching the animals, as these geckos can run into almost any surface and are therefore difficult to catch if they escape. The enclosure must be well ventilated and draft-free so that no mold can form and the animals do not get sick from boiling germs. Choose a terrarium with a back wall (or rather with an open front only), this prevents stress for the animals and improves their living situation. Never put two males together in one enclosure, the animals are mutually aggressive and can damage each other. Multiple females in one enclosure with one male is often fine (exceptions are always possible).
The Crested Gecko naturally lives in moist areas. The humidity in the terrarium must therefore be between 60 and 80% so that the natural biotope is simulated. Therefore, choose a ground cover that retains moisture, such as coco peat, bark, peat or spagnum moss. Plants, whether real or made of plastic, serve as hiding places and water catchers for drinking. Live plants also help you maintain the humidity in the terrarium and prevent large fluctuations. There should be enough climbing facilities and enough hiding places in the terrarium to allow the geckos to climb easily or seek rest. A container of moist spagnum or peat moss can be useful to help the animals molt.
Crested Gecko do not tolerate prolonged high temperatures. The temperature in the enclosure must therefore be between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature being below the spots. At night the temperature can drop to 18 to 22 degrees Celsius. Because the animals naturally live in a temperate sub-tropical climate, they can be kept at room temperature. It is important that the temperature never exceeds 30 degrees Celsius or below 18 degrees Celsius and the terrarium must always have a warmer and a colder part so that the animals can regulate their temperature themselves by choosing a place in the enclosure.
Make sure that the animals cannot come into contact with lamps and / or heat spots. You can optionally hang a UV lamp, but the Crested Gecko is by nature a nocturnal animal and therefore this is not necessarily necessary. We have achieved good results with our animals with the use of heat cables that are regulated by a thermostat and only switch on when the temperature falls below 18 degrees. If lighting does not heat up LED lighting with a natural color, it is switched by a timer so that a good day and night rhythm is created.
There are many things to consider when setting up, arranging and maintaining a terrarium. Always have a fully equipped terrarium ready when you buy an Crested Gecko. Choose a terrarium that is taller than it is wide so that the eyelash geckos have room to climb. For a pair of gecko eyelashes you need a terrarium with a minimum size of 40 x 40 x 70 centimeters, but larger is always better for adult animals. Place the terrarium in a quiet place in the house and take the sun into account, the enclosure should not be in direct sunlight in front of a window! Move gently around the terrarium so that the animals do not get too much stress. A lock on the terrarium can be useful to prevent unattended children from reaching the animals, as these geckos can run into almost any surface and are therefore difficult to catch if they escape. The enclosure must be well ventilated and draft-free so that no mold can form and the animals do not get sick from boiling germs. Choose a terrarium with a back wall (or rather with an open front only), this prevents stress for the animals and improves their living situation. Never put two males together in one enclosure, the animals are mutually aggressive and can damage each other. Multiple females in one enclosure with one male is often fine (exceptions are always possible).
The Crested Gecko naturally lives in moist areas. The humidity in the terrarium must therefore be between 60 and 80% so that the natural biotope is simulated. Therefore, choose a ground cover that retains moisture, such as coco peat, bark, peat or spagnum moss. Plants, whether real or made of plastic, serve as hiding places and water catchers for drinking. Live plants also help you maintain the humidity in the terrarium and prevent large fluctuations. There should be enough climbing facilities and enough hiding places in the terrarium to allow the geckos to climb easily or seek rest. A container of moist spagnum or peat moss can be useful to help the animals molt.
Crested Gecko do not tolerate prolonged high temperatures. The temperature in the enclosure must therefore be between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature being below the spots. At night the temperature can drop to 18 to 22 degrees Celsius. Because the animals naturally live in a temperate sub-tropical climate, they can be kept at room temperature. It is important that the temperature never exceeds 30 degrees Celsius or below 18 degrees Celsius and the terrarium must always have a warmer and a colder part so that the animals can regulate their temperature themselves by choosing a place in the enclosure.
Make sure that the animals cannot come into contact with lamps and / or heat spots. You can optionally hang a UV lamp, but the Crested Gecko is by nature a nocturnal animal and therefore this is not necessarily necessary. We have achieved good results with our animals with the use of heat cables that are regulated by a thermostat and only switch on when the temperature falls below 18 degrees. If lighting does not heat up LED lighting with a natural color, it is switched by a timer so that a good day and night rhythm is created.