Baby created has decided sleeping on the ground is more fun...

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Cyd

New member
Hello. I have a baby created gecko who has suddenly decided sleeping on the floor is way better than up on the log where she used to sleep. It's been about three nights of her spending the day and most of the night on the ground. Is that normal? I checked her feet and she's sticky, so it's not an issue of her having trouble climbing. Do they sometimes decide the ground is the place to be? I'm attaching a photo of her cage. It's 8x8x10.image.jpgimage.jpg
 
Aimless

Aimless

Super Moderator
she may have finally decided she feels comfortable. has she been eating regularly and shedding completely? if so you probably don't need to worry.

I would mention that in the middle of a table like that, she's pretty exposed and might not feel safe with that relatively small amount of cover/foliage. so, it could be that she is feeling stressed and acting weirdly. without more information, it could be either.
 
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Cyd

New member
She's been eating crested gecko mix from Pangea every other day and dusted crickets twice per week. She poops every other day and it looks healthy. I haven't actually caught her shedding, but she has grown a bit since I got her. She's been on the table for a little over a month and the sleeping on the ground started day before yesterday.
 
Aimless

Aimless

Super Moderator
she may just be finally adjusting to the new space, then. and if you're not aware of shed problems, she's shedding fine. I'm thinking it's nothing you need to worry about.
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Your crestie will benefit from additional climbing and hiding opportunities. I realize it's difficult to compare our vivariums with the wild. However, in the wild, sleeping in the open is a golden opportunity to become somebody else's dinner! :drool:

My mature crested gecko hides whenever he sleeps. He sleeps inside a 1.5 inch diameter bamboo tube. He's done that for 8+ years now! It's just natural. He also likes to climb as high as he can.

My suggestions:
  • Place some bamboo diagonally in the vivarium.
  • Get a thick bamboo or PVC tube for sleeping.
  • Consider suspending a 6 inch section of bamboo or PVC from the screen top. My crestie enjoys his "king of the mountain" feeling when he hangs out there.
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Cyd said:
It's awfully crowded in there; will adding more in such a small space be ok?
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Maybe stress is why he's been hanging out on the ground. :( Long bamboo or PVC placed diagonally is missing. Remove something else. Place the vivarium in a protected spot, maybe in a corner. You could also cover three sides with construction paper to add privacy.

Click here for instructions about the "chill bar" (second post on this thread): http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...ted-gecko-caresheet-tips-february-2015-a.html
 
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CrestedRick

Active member
How old is the little one? Possibly think about rehousing her to a larger tank and adding more plants towards the top of the tank. This will help her feel more secure, also as mentioned before possibly more the tank to a corner or wrap the tank will one of those sheets you can get at petco. Something that resembles a jungle.
 
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Cyd

New member
I'll definitely wrap the sides, I just can't really remove anything. The big leaf is where the food is and that's the only way she'll eat it. She's still climbing up to eat, so I don't want to mess with that and risk her not eating anymore.
She's about 3-4 months old and about 2" snout to vent. Is that big enough for a larger cage? I was planning on moving her to a 10gal. In the next month or so. If I move her too early will she be ok?
 
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CrestedRick

Active member
I would keep her where she is for now but definately wrap the sides and add some vines up towards the top of the tank. They need more height than ground space so a 10g isnokmbut you'll need to move her again in about 6 months. I had two in a divided 20g high tank and moved them to their own 18-18-24 Zoo Meds at about a year old. You can move Her when she's about 6 months to a tank around 18-18-18 or the size of mine. She won't have a problem finding food just make sure it's in a place that she feels secure in.
 
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Cyd

New member
I'm getting her a Zoomed 18x18x24 next month. I'll be making it a natural vivarium, too. I just need her to grow.
 
CrestedL

CrestedL

New member
Cyd said:
I'll definitely wrap the sides, I just can't really remove anything. The big leaf is where the food is and that's the only way she'll eat it. She's still climbing up to eat, so I don't want to mess with that and risk her not eating anymore.
She's about 3-4 months old and about 2" snout to vent. Is that big enough for a larger cage? I was planning on moving her to a 10gal. In the next month or so. If I move her too early will she be ok?
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Not sure if this will help much but check her feet.. Cresties tend to be messy when they eat, and will walk into their food at times, perhaps more since yours is younger, and the food can cling to their feet and try out making it hard to climb. Other possibilities are that if she/he underwent a shed recently, make sure you check the foot pads to make sure nothing is stuck, but her staying on the ground could also indicate a shed may be coming soon (check for different colourations). One more possibility is that when you spray the tank, the water dries up on the walls and leaves hard water spots, making it hard for her to find any friction on the walls. What the people above mentioned is most likely the problem, but I just thought that maybe rather than psycological it may just be she cant stick. If any of these prove to be true, just give her a "sauna" and use q-tips to remove the stuck shed or caked food, watch for any shed that may be left behind, and maybe find a hard, rough sponge to scrub the sides of the tank with next time. I hope this proves useful, but it would be in your best interest to try and use the reasons above before turning to this
 
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Cyd

New member
I'll check again tonight, but she's been pretty sticky still. I don't see any hard water spots and I spray with filtered water, but I'll try wiping down the glass, too. I haven't been able to see signs of a shed because she's such a light color until she fires up. What else should I look for in terms of a pending shed?
 
CrestedL

CrestedL

New member
Cyd said:
I'll check again tonight, but she's been pretty sticky still. I don't see any hard water spots and I spray with filtered water, but I'll try wiping down the glass, too. I haven't been able to see signs of a shed because she's such a light color until she fires up. What else should I look for in terms of a pending shed?
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Just watch to see her skin, normally at least for me my gecko will become a little whiter than usual prior to shed, but he's older than a baby so I don't know if they do the same. She'll probably just hang around a lot on the ground and see shelter, I would suggest a moist hide or hide for her, but don't use something like a log without caution. I learned the hard way when I had a log and it began to mould -_- I was thinking about this post last night too, and one little reason that probably isn't it is (idk if someone said this before) she might not be getting enough calcium, just make sure she's getting good nutrients :)
 
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Cyd

New member
I covered 3 sides of the cage and she's still on the ground. She has a nice moist spot under the log with miss that I spray every other day. She also eats calcium dusted crickets at least twice per week and Pangea Fruit mix is always in her cage. She climbed up last night to eat, too. I'll pick up some bamboo and give that a shot. I don't think she's any lighter than normal and she was stuck to the glass when I checked on her this morning, so maybe not a shed? I'll try and fit more in there for her to climb on.
 
CrestedL

CrestedL

New member
Cyd said:
I covered 3 sides of the cage and she's still on the ground. She has a nice moist spot under the log with miss that I spray every other day. She also eats calcium dusted crickets at least twice per week and Pangea Fruit mix is always in her cage. She climbed up last night to eat, too. I'll pick up some bamboo and give that a shot. I don't think she's any lighter than normal and she was stuck to the glass when I checked on her this morning, so maybe not a shed? I'll try and fit more in there for her to climb on.
Click to expand...

Sounds like she's in good care, could just be adjusting then
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Cyd said:
I covered 3 sides of the cage and she's still on the ground. She has a nice moist spot under the log with miss that I spray every other day. She also eats calcium dusted crickets at least twice per week and Pangea Fruit mix is always in her cage. She climbed up last night to eat, too. I'll pick up some bamboo and give that a shot. I don't think she's any lighter than normal and she was stuck to the glass when I checked on her this morning, so maybe not a shed? I'll try and fit more in there for her to climb on.
Click to expand...

I appreciate all these details! :)

Try to find a wide piece of bamboo so that she can hide when she sleeps. If not bamboo, a PVC tube will work.

Is vitamin D3 in the calcium you use?

Is vitamin D3 in your Pangea?
 
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Cyd

New member
Elizabeth Freer said:
I appreciate all these details! :)

Try to find a wide piece of bamboo so that she can hide when she sleeps. If not bamboo, a PVC tube will work.

Is vitamin D3 in the calcium you use?

Is vitamin D3 in your Pangea?
Click to expand...

The Pangea has no vitamin D at all, but Repashy Calcium Plus has a vitamin D. It doesn't specify which one, though.
 
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