Thinking of getting one

[xxohmycaptainxx]

So on the 22nd me and a friend are heading down to Maryland to go to the Repticon in Baltimore, well at first I was planning on a getting a pacman frog, I already have everything I need for one, but after more thinking I'd really prefer an animal that I can hold, even if only for a little bit and only every once and awhile. Along with that I really want another reptile and I have always been fond of crested geckos so I've been thinking of buying one instead. Of course I don't want to impulse buy and if I can't get everything together in time or I don't think I can afford it I just won't buy one I'll just go for the pacman frog as planned. In the mean time I had some questions and I hope someone could give me some answers, and yes I have a read the care sheet on here and several others I just wanted some clarifications.

1. Is an 18"x18"x24" adequate for one crested gecko?

2. What bulbs would you suggest to use during the day? I read in the caresheet that they do not require UVB because they're nocturnal. Would a regular lamp bulb be fine or would it be okay to use a low wattage Zoo Med basking bulb?

3. What multivitamin do you recommend? The two listed in the caresheet aren't ones that I've heard of being used in this country and I really would much rather use a brand that's used regularly in the US.

4. What do you recommend to be the best food? I read that mealworms and such should be avoided and that crickets are the best. How exactly would this work? If crested geckos are arboreal will they really come down to the ground to feed, and even then are they successful in doing so? I really want to make the tank as natural as possible, so the crickets will most likely be able to hide easily, although I'll do my best not to give them too many places to hide.

5. Is eco-earth a safe substrate? And can it be mixed with a bit of reptile mulch? I saw a few setups that had eco-earth like substrate with a bit of very dark brown mulch mixed in and it was very appealing to me but I'd like to pick a substrate that'll be safe for the gecko.

6. Do you recommend those magnet hides that stick to the side of the glass and provide vertical shelter for geckos? They're very attractive and I was thinking of getting one.

I think that's all but if there's anything specific that newbies mess up that you feel is worth mentioning please let me know. I want to do my best to make sure I provide the best environment for the gecko I might get.

 

[acpart]

I have one crested gecko. I think e 18x18x24 is fine. I use naturalistic settings: 2-3" of expanded clay balls, a layer of vinyl mesh and 2-3" of coco fiber, with some sphagnum moss (or not) on top. I have lights only because of the plants. One issue with a crestie is that the gecko can be a bit hard on the plants. I use a fake vine to twist up the cage and the plants can also use it as a kind of trellis. In an enclosure the size that you're planning, I'd also recommend a piece of driftwood or cork bark as a centerpiece to give the gecko some places to perch. I feed CGD (crested gecko diet) 3 times a week and provide crickets dusted with Repashy calcium plus twice a week. The crickets regularly climb up the plants and the gecko also sees them and dive bombs after them.
The magnet hides are nice and would be a good touch in my opinion.

I think that answers your questions

Aliza

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

Oh okay awesome. I think I'll go ahead with a mix of eco earth and sphagnum moss. Maybe i'll do more research and see if there are any kind of wood chips that would be safe. I don't want to do complete wood chips just a bit mixed into the eco earth to make the ground more stable and realistic looking. I already found a bunch of cheap online plants that are gorgeous, plus I'll be buying some in store as well. I think I'm going to go with a very low wattage Zoo Med basking bulb. I know they don't need to bask but I'd like them to at least have natural day lighting with UVB. I don't need a heat mat or anything as the temps in my room stay around 70-75 degrees year round. Thanks for answering my questions! Hopefully I can get the money together to buy the tank before I leave for the Baltimore repticon, where I'd be getting my cresty, but if not I'll just buy one from an online breeder instead. Although I'd much rather get one from the show.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi ~

Here's a link containing the tips I use for my mature crestie: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...ted-gecko-caresheet-tips-february-2015-a.html There are 3 posts which follow the first one.

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

Thanks for the link it had some great advice in it! I still want to go with fake plants as they're less maintenance and I just don't have the time for live ones as I'm not one of those people who can throw them in and forget about them. I tend to try to make sure they're healthy and growing and they soon take up too much of my time XD I have decided on a mix of eco earth with either cypress or orchid mulch, whichever my local pet store has. I'm going to buy some wood as well, most likely manzanita as its the most attractive to me, and I think I'll try making the crested gecko hammock you had included in that link, its a very smart idea.

Hopefully I can get to a pawn shop sometime this week and sell off a few antiques I've had lying around. If I can't get at least another $150 more I'm gunna have to hold off getting a crested, which I'd prefer not to as I checked the online prices for crestys and they're outrageous as most geckos available are morphs, which I don't want I just want a standard run of the mill, non-inbred gecko. I know Repticon will have crestys as they're at like every reptile show ever but its all down to whether or not I can afford one. If not I might just buy a pacman frog as I had originally planned. I'd prefer not to but I really wanted to buy something at the show. We'll see, hopefully I can get the money.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Best not to "impulse buy" even if you've planned for one. There are a lot of cresties "out there".

Good wishes raising the $$.

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

Of course! I have done my research and I know what I need. My only issue is the tank I want is from online so I need time for it to come in, so I need to buy it this week or I won't be able to get the cresty. If I can get the money I can do it. If not I'll go with a pacman as I had planned for. I already have everything for a pacman and had originally planned on getting one but as I read more about crestys I decided I'd rather get one instead of a pacman. We'll see. If all goes well and everything I'm trying to sell is real I should have plenty of money but you never know. Here's hoping. Thanks again for all the advice!!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

You're welcome. Any time, .

You know where to find us. Sometimes we rarely "go home".

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

You're welcome. Any time, .

You know where to find us. Sometimes we rarely "go home".

One last question. What brand of multivitamin do you recommend? I already have some MINER-All Indoor coming in the mail so I'm already set on a calcium + D3 supplement. Do I need another vitamin supplement, and if so what, or is the MINER-All enough?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

One last question. What brand of multivitamin do you recommend? I already have some MINER-All Indoor coming in the mail so I'm already set on a calcium + D3 supplement. Do I need another vitamin supplement, and if so what, or is the MINER-All enough?

I like and use:
Zoo Med's plain (no D3) Reptivite multivitamin +
Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3

Since I use D3 calcium more often than the no D3 Reptivite, I like this option. Also Reptivite contains phosphorus. Because I use so little, I don't worry about that.

Can you post a link to the Miner-Al? I'm too sleepy.

The frequency of supplementation depends upon the dry diet you feed your feeders. Click for good info for mealworms, crickets, and dubia: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...feeding-issues-/68574-cricket-guidelines.html

EDIT: I see one downside to Miner-All Indoor. It contains no vitamin A acetate which is important for eye and skin health.

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

MINER-ALL Indoor

The MINER-All is the equivalent of the Zoo Med Repti-Calcium with D3. So I'll most likely go with the Reptivite as the multivitamin or a similar brand with no phosphorus. The caresheet on this site says crestys only need the multivitamin once a month so I don't think using Reptivite would be an issue but I'll do more research and see if there's a better option. And I do already have Fluker's dry cricket feed that's high in calcium and I am aware of properly gutloading crickets 48 hours before feedings. I didn't see any mention of Flukers cricket feed in that link you attached but I have read many good reviews of it and know many people who use it and I trust the fluker's brand. I do not yet have the T-REX cricket food for gutloading, as I'm not feeding crickets to my leopard gecko yet, but I will definitely buy some soon to be used for the crickets for my leo and my eventual cresty.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

MINER-ALL Indoor

The MINER-All is the equivalent of the Zoo Med Repti-Calcium with D3. So I'll most likely go with the Reptivite as the multivitamin or a similar brand with no phosphorus. The caresheet on this site says crestys only need the multivitamin once a month so I don't think using Reptivite would be an issue but I'll do more research and see if there's a better option. And I do already have Fluker's dry cricket feed that's high in calcium and I am aware of properly gutloading crickets 48 hours before feedings. I didn't see any mention of Flukers cricket feed in that link you attached but I have read many good reviews of it and know many people who use it and I trust the fluker's brand. I do not yet have the T-REX cricket food for gutloading, as I'm not feeding crickets to my leopard gecko yet, but I will definitely buy some soon to be used for the crickets for my leo and my eventual cresty.

I used Fluker's High Calcium Cricket Feed for a long time, but then someone on GU told me that it was junk. So I switched to Alber's All Purpose Poultry Feed upon the recommendation of a friend. She'd been using Albers for years. For a calcium boost I add chopped collard greens or pesticide-free dandelion flowers/greens in a dish to the side of the Albers.

Research has been done by Mark Finke, Ph.D, in 2005 which demonstrates that Fluker's HCCF made no difference in the calcium content of the crickets. That's why T-Rex formula is recommended. Although I have the T-Rex product, I'm not using it. What I'm doing with the Alber's and the collard greens works. If you don't like collards, just inflate their plastic bag with air and they'll keep well enough.

Don't get just any poultry feed.

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

Albers isn't available anywhere near me, I live in NJ, would you recommend the Zoo Med Bearded Dragon diet listed in your cricket guidelines thread? I don't want to use Purina as I don't like them as a company and don't want to buy their products for personal reasons. Ugh that really sucks about the Flukers food. I think I still have the receipt for it and its unopened, maybe I'll take it back for a refund. So I'm definitely going to buy the Reptivite or a similar brand and if I can find a reliable dealer I'll be the T-REX cricket gut-loader. Now I just need to find a stable dry food for the crickets. Collard greens will be easy to find as well, they should be organic correct?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Albers isn't available anywhere near me, I live in NJ, would you recommend the Zoo Med Bearded Dragon diet listed in your cricket guidelines thread? I don't want to use Purina as I don't like them as a company and don't want to buy their products for personal reasons. Ugh that really sucks about the Flukers food. I think I still have the receipt for it and its unopened, maybe I'll take it back for a refund. Are the Flukers Cricket Quencher cubes, water substitute, also duds? Should I return those as well?

This one definitely: Zoo Med's Natural Adult Bearded Dragon Food

Glad that we're having this discussion. Return the Fluker's HCCF. I don't use any water gels for moisture. In fact I did hear that if the water gel cubes dry out and were consumed by crickets, the gels would reabsorb moisture from the crickets and dehydrate those bugs.

Really I follow those Cricket Guidelines except for the T-REX product. For moisture I spray the towels. I also just lay the collards or dandelion greens right on top of the paper towel and watch the crickets go to town.

Mark Finke's research is detailed on post #45 following the basic Leo Caresheet.

PS: Buying organic collards is best. I've got dandelions all around my house. In fact, I think I'll start a dandelion garden strip this summer on the west side.

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

Okay I'll do that and the cricket quencher isn't really cubes its more like Jell-O. Maybe I'll try it, Idk. I'll definitely get the bearded dragon food though and I'd pluck my own dandelions too, we got lots, but I live by a main highway and my town and landlord spray pesticides so I don't wanna poison my animals. In the guidelines it said to watch out for fiber issues with the beardy food, is that something I should be concerned with?

 

[acpart]

If you get a hatchling or juvenile crestie, the large tank you have planned will probably be too big. Small cresties can do OK in a 6qt tub, so that may relieve some of the pressure about the set-up.

Aliza

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

I plan on getting an adult, they're more stable and easier to deal with.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Okay I'll do that and the cricket quencher isn't really cubes its more like Jell-O. Maybe I'll try it, Idk. I'll definitely get the bearded dragon food though and I'd pluck my own dandelions too, we got lots, but I live by a main highway and my town and landlord spray pesticides so I don't wanna poison my animals. In the guidelines it said to watch out for fiber issues with the beardy food, is that something I should be concerned with?

When I began recommending the adult beardie food, one GU member questioned whether it contained too much fiber. Nobody has ever fussed about loose leopard gecko stools from too much fiber.

After you begin using this particular beardie food, you'll probably wish to cut down on the frequency of dusting with your supplements.

 

[xxohmycaptainxx]

I most likely will. I am aware that most people suggest dusting every other feeding, which would result in a dusting about 2-3 times a week. Once I get my leopard gecko and my eventual crested eating a consistent diet of crickets, I'll stop dusting as frequently and probably only do it once a week. I just hope I can find a good dealer for crickets. My local pet stores are good with mealworms and other worms but they suck with crickets and most of them are either tiny or dead. I'll keep looking and back check out bait and tackle shops. I'm sure I can find a reliable petsmart or something for crickets tho.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I most likely will. I am aware that most people suggest dusting every other feeding, which would result in a dusting about 2-3 times a week. Once I get my leopard gecko and my eventual crested eating a consistent diet of crickets, I'll stop dusting as frequently and probably only do it once a week. I just hope I can find a good dealer for crickets. My local pet stores are good with mealworms and other worms but they suck with crickets and most of them are either tiny or dead. I'll keep looking and back check out bait and tackle shops. I'm sure I can find a reliable petsmart or something for crickets tho.

A feeder hmarie186 recommends is blue bottle fly larvae from Jada Bait.

Click & scroll for blue bottle info: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...ckets-blaptica-dubia-hornworms-silkworms.html