New Cresties

[Tarasbaby]

Well I plan on getting a pair of cresties I already have a cage that I built there has been one male in there before but he died, anyway is there anything I can do to ease off the stress when transferring them and any tips on caring for them?

I know about misting about the possible clutches and to have a laying box and incubator just in case

 

[Aimless]

if you have a pair, there won't be any just in case - they will breed.

I hope that if you are planning to house them together from the outset that you are getting them from a single source? otherwise, it is recommended to quarantine for at least a month if they came from a respected breeder, and I would go longer for a pet store gecko.

on a related note, how did your other gecko die? did he possibly have a disease or parasitic infection that could be in the cage? I hope you have cleaned the cage thoroughly and are not re-using any decorations with porous materials, in case he had an illness that could be passed on to the new geckos.

one other note - I also hope you are purchasing your pair as full adults?

if you already know all these things I'm sorry to be redundant! also, what sort of care tips are you looking for? there is an excellent care sheet over in the "caresheets" subforum that gives good general outlines, and a TON of information is already here, and can be found using the search tool.

 

[Tarasbaby]

I am getting them from the same source. Should I get them at the same time or have some time in between? I am buying them as full adults. He died from trying to eat something that wasn't food he didn't have a disease or anything. On another note are dirt and medium sized chips ok as bedding along with moss? The cage is 48 inches tall and 28 inches wide is this ok? What temperature should the incubator be for when they do breed? Is bedding needed in that cuz I do have extra. I know bedding is needed in the laying box or is it ok for her to lay right in the cage and for me to just pull them out and into the incubator? How many geckos would my cage fit in total? Just care tips or ideas that work for other people in care and breeding

 

[Tarasbaby]

I have to get them from a pet store I don't know any breeders and my parents wouldn't let me meet any from internet or anything and I can't go out of state I can get them both in a total of 4 weeks

 

[Tarasbaby]

Here's The Cage : sorry for so many posts LOL. Ignore the thumbnail LOL

 

[Aimless]

is it possible to keep that cage humid without making it moldy?

the answers to all your questions can be found in both the caresheet and by using the search function, as far as the husbandry and breeding tips. bear in mind they must both be FULL adults -

for the acquisition, hmmm...QT is still a good idea if you're talking a pet store (and keep them away from any other herps you might have too).

I have a few concerns. one, are you prepared for them to not like each other? it's unusual, but it happens. even girls of the same size put in a big enough cage will sometimes fight and you might have a need for two cages.
also, introduction is a little delicate. it's generally considered the best thing to let the girl establish and then add the male, but you have to watch them closely for at least the first few days and make sure no one's beating anyone up.
although it's very unusual, you can find a crestie female who will have murderous intentions toward a male and will damage him. aggressive cresties can fight to the death

if you don't yet have the geckos, you might consider spending a little more time and finding a way to get them from a breeder - are you anywhere near a place with reptile shows? as compared to a pet store gecko, you can usually get prettier animals that are less likely to have health issues for about the same price, since you're not paying the petstore markup. it would also give you plenty of time to establish your terrarium. you could make a very nice planted setup in that cage with very little money and not much effort on your part.

one more thing (sorry for the novel)- when you say "medium sized chips" what do you mean? cedar in particular, but pine in general, are toxic to reptiles.

there are also several threads focusing on substrate here. I like organic potting soil, maybe a little peat moss or coco fiber for moisture, and then moss and/or cypress mulch (mulch, not bark) on the top layer.

 

[Tarasbaby]

I don't live any where near any shows LOL.....The pet store that I'd get them from keeps them all together so either the pet store needs to better watch them OR they should be fine if anything happens, I have a smallish kritter carrier that should work it's sad but if they fought I'd have to give the aggressive one up Well me and my dad built the cage and bought everything together and we have a snake and the bedding said it was bedding specifically for reptiles of these kinds I'm not gonna list them all but crested gecko was one of them it's not really a bark it's softish but not to soft and it's got dirt mixed in oh and in the cage there are places to hide and a big vine and I plan on getting and hanging a hammock or to for them I'm HOPING that they get along. What the other gecko chocked on was moss but if the store doesn't sell both male and female then I will either try to find one that does or I will have to go to different stores.....I'm hoping they sell both though...The package said the bedding was peat moss. Is it ok? Should I show you a pic?

 

[Aimless]

that's probably ok, but some things packaged for reptiles still aren't safe read through the ingredients list.

ugh. I would be very reluctant to buy a crestie from a place that just houses a bunch together. you may or may not get a female that may or may not have already bred. have you looked for breeders in your area, who might meet up with you? are you near a local herpetological society? there are crestie breeders everywhere (possibly the pet store's stock is someone's breeding project overage or culls), and they really are a better option (for usually less money) if there's any way to make that work.

I really feel it's worth more effort in the beginning, as they will live 10 years or more quite easily if you get good stock and they stay healthy (barring accident).

 

[Tarasbaby]

I plan on getting different bedding anyway LOL I asked my dad today and he said we'd get different bedding. I also plan on getting 2 females now but I have a kritter keeper in case they have been bred. Any name suggestions for one? I am probably gonna get them at petsmart which is right by wal mart petco is the one that keeps them together I think they are males only though I have yet to look at them at pet smart though. I have enough for their food right now. I get $25 a week so at most to have both it will take 4 weeks and if my mom slips me a bit extra I'll use that to get different bedding. What is the best way to hold crested geckos by the way? I want to be extra safe with these geckos

 

[Aimless]

again, I would strongly encourage you to search this site. all of your questions have been asked - and answered - many times already.

I would also encourage you to use google to find videos of people handling their geckos.

you say you had one before - how long did you have him?

 

[Tarasbaby]

I had him for about a month or 2 maybe 3 (he was a frogbutt) He was very gentle (tried to crawl in my mom's ear) will do that

 

[dptydog]

i do not normally reply, but i am concerned now ready throughout this thread , your cage doesn't seem capable of holding humidity , i build custom cages and peg board will rot, and carry fungus and molds. which can kill a crested. 2nd thing the short life of your other gecko and your appear to be missing the suggestions of doing some research.

hey i personally love to see people happy and to find a great pet, but sometimes pets we get we really should be prepared for it. Im curious when your other pet got ill , did you guys see a vet?

With a income of 25$ a week, if your new gecko was to get ill would your mother or father be willing to pay a 200 to 300$ vet bill?

So sum it up, I want you to be happy and your pet to be happy and Healthy.
I also would like you to consider the material in the care sheet and through out these forums here to make sure you can finically provide the care needed.
Make sure your mom and dad are on board with cost of not only possible vet bills, food, and incubator setups if you plan to do that.

these are very hardy animals and i raise and breed my own as well. but even though they are labeled easy as far as care, they still require the right environment to survive.

If i am speaking out of place i really do apologize
Best wishes
dptydog

 

[Tarasbaby]

the cage held humidity fine LOL

He wasn't ill he chocked on a piece of bedding (I'm switching)

They would, I'd have to pay them back though.

I pay for food and everything. Turns out I'm getting 2 females but will still watch for eggs as I know they might have been bred before and still capable of laying fertile eggs Looking at dozens of care sheets doing lots of research

 

[dptydog]

well that is wonderfull, Im sure you and your new babies will be realy happy.

is that a plastic peg board then that lines the back of that enclosure or is it the particual board on the back. ?

 

[Tarasbaby]

It's a wood pegboard

 

[Aimless]

T, I would strongly encourage you to take the time (and the $6) to get a spray can of water-based polyurethane and sealing the cage's inside, then allowing plenty of time for off-gassing, before you put more geckos inside. dpt's point about pegboard rotting is a really good one.

are you certain he choked? if you found him dead with substrate in his mouth, it's more likely that he bit it when he had his terminal seizure during death

 

[dptydog]

i think sealing it is a great idea. before you seal that peg board kinda press on it in area's you would have high moisture if it is soft, then it already in the decaying stages of wood, which could mean rot, mildew, fungus ect is present. just want you to have a high success rate.