Crested Gecko natural history

Crested Gecko natural history

Driving you up the wall!!
The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is a small sized, arboreal, crepuscular lizard found exclusively in the subtropical forests of southern New Caledonia. They range in size from 4 – 7inches, half of which can be the length of the tail. The toes and the underside tip of the semi-prehensile tail are covered in fine hairs called setae. Recent research has found that crested geckos can adhere to almost any surface (including glass) as a result of a weak electrical phenomenon known as Van der Waals forces. These hairs help the gecko to grip onto moist surfaces; the toes are also tipped by a small claw that aids in grip if the setae cannot find purchase. Crested geckos can also drop their tails (caudal autonomy) as a distraction to predators, but unlike some of their gecko cousins, a crested gecko’s tail will not regrow. This is not as detrimental to a crested gecko as it would be for a leopard gecko as crested gecko tails are used for climbing, not fat storage. The majority of wild adult crested geckos (approximately 75%) are tailless, having lost it through either predation attempts or through breeding. Some physical characteristics of crested geckos include:
o Triangular shaped head
o Large eyes and pupils
o Spiky crest extending over the eyes and down the back
o Robust, elongated body
o Comparatively short legs
o Slender semi-prehensile tail
The forests of New Caledonia, particularly the lower canopy where the crested geckos inhabit, will have a relatively stable constant temperature during the day with an almost constant relative humidity. During the evening, temperatures will drop, and humidity levels will increase. This pattern of temperature and humidity is relatively simple to maintain in captivity.
The crested gecko has no eyelids and instead has a transparent scale called a spectacle. This protective scale keeps the eye moist and is cleaned manually with the crested gecko’s tongue (sounds terrible but is actually adorable). A mostly arboreal species, crested geckos can be found from 2-10 metres off the ground and inhabiting the lower canopy of new Caledonian forests. Due to their natural crepuscular behaviour, crested geckos will sleep through the majority of the day, hidden in hollow branches or camouflaged in the canopy, emerging at dusk and dawn to feed.
Crested geckos are omnivores, feeding on a wide range of pollen, nectars, ripe fruits, and a wide variety of insects.
Crested geckos have been captively bred since their rediscovery in 1994, entering the pet trade at the end of 1999. Their captive numbers have since exploded with more than 25 morphs (derived from “polymorphism” – visually differential forms of the same species of animal) being bred with regularity, some of them include:
• Patternless
• Harlequin
• Bicolour
• Flame
• Tiger
• Brindle
• Dalmation
With a captive lifespan of 10-20 years (this may be much greater as some original wild caught specimens from 1994 are still alive and breeding!) a hardy nature and even temperament, crested geckos are a fascinating and fairly low maintenance reptile.
This ones climbing the walls!
Captive bred crested geckos will exhibit some fascinating and, occasionally, outright bizarre behaviours. Here, we will discuss what you could potentially see from your pet crested gecko:
• Eating their own shed skin – this is perfectly normal behaviour and all crested geckos (and many other species of gecko) have evolved with this trait. It is believed that the crested gecko will eat the shed skin to absorb any lost nutrients. You may never see you crested gecko shed due to this.

• Inactive during the day – You will notice that the crested gecko is very sluggish and stays hidden during the day. This is natural for the lizard as they are a crepuscular species and become active at dusk and dawn for a few hours at a time. It is advisable to offer low level UV lighting during the day to simulate daylight hours and the benefit of UV radiation.

• Biting – you may find that hatchling crested geckos will bite when handled. This is a natural response to a predator (which the hatchling thinks you are) with frequent handling and hand feeding this behaviour will diminish. The crested geckos’ jaws are comparatively weak, and the teeth are very small so the bites should not break the skin.

• Burying themselves in the substrate – if your crested gecko is digging in the substrate there are only 2 possible reasons for this:
1. Your gecko is female and is gravid (carrying eggs). By digging she is looking for a safe spot to deposit her eggs for incubation.
2. The temperature in the gecko’s enclosure is too high and it is trying to find somewhere to cool down.

• The gecko is lying out flat and turning its head away – the crested gecko is stressed and is trying to make itself inconspicuous. Stress can be caused in many ways, too much handling, poor diet, incorrect heat/light/humidity, parasites, and constant loud noises to name a few.
• The gecko has brighter colours at night – this is commonly known as firing up, this is the gecko intensifying its skin tones and its colours. This is generally the sign of an active gecko. You will most often find your gecko is fired up at dawn or dusk when they wake up and become active.
• Licking their eyes – as already mentioned, crested geckos do not possess eyelids and their eyes are kept moist with a transparent scale known as a spectacle. This protective scale can become dirty, and this is how the gecko cleans it.
• Chirping, barking, and growling – crested geckos can make some peculiar sounds, particularly during the breeding season. Lone males have been known to chirp for a female, breeding colonies will chirp and bark at each other and growls can be heard (more a low rumble than growl) when the geckos warn each other off territories.
• Tail dropping – this is natural behaviour and a defence against predation. Tails can also drop while breeding. Always be gentle with your crested gecko as they can be nervous animals when young, too rough handling can result in the crested gecko dropping its tail and attempting to escape the situation. Breeding is also a very physical affair and males and females have been known to drop their tails during the mating process.

These are some of the most common behaviours seen in captive crested geckos, but there are more to be seen. The more you interact and observe your pet, the more varied behaviours you will see.

Crested Gecko natural history – Conclusion #

Contender for the best pet reptile?
With their small adult size, comparative ease of care and docile temperament, crested geckos often find themselves earmarked as a “starter” or “easy” reptile. While there are no easy reptiles, crested geckos are a visually stunning, low maintenance lizard that (when kept with appropriate husbandry) can live for 20 or more years. With the bulk of their diet being a powdered food, they are relatively inexpensive to feed, and with no thermostat or external heating required, running costs also remain low.
The crested gecko is one of the most widely kept and bred gecko species in the entire world, and captive numbers give hope to a dwindling wild population. Experiencing very few health problems and by having such a calm nature makes these diminutive arboreal lizards a household name.

Not sure about keeping a Crested Gecko? Contact us and a member of our friendly reptile team will happily answer all of your questions.

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