How can I help my new juvenile crestie settle in?

[Sakurahana]

Does anybody have any tips for helping my new crestie settle in comfortably? I've never kept reptiles before and want to make sure the little guy is happy and healthy in his new home. "He" (not sure of gender for certain yet as he's a juvenile) moved in yesterday.

His viv has fake leaves and flowers for him to hide in, some jungle vine to climb on and a gecko hide. Daytime temps are 21-26 degrees C, night-time temps 17-21 degrees C with one side of the viv kept warmer than the other. Humidity is around 80% most of the time and I spray the viv twice a day. He's been drinking droplets off the fake plants but I gave him a water bowl on the floor too.

I prepare some repashy mix for him each evening but I'm not sure if he's had any of it yet.

For the most part he seems quite happy and has found a warm dark spot under some leaves at the top back corner to sleep in, but earlier today he got himself stuck in a different patch of leaves, fired up and went to the loo. I had to help him out, so rearranged the leaves to stop that happening again. I don't want to be handling him a lot so soon after he's moved in as he'll need some time to settle.

Any advice would be welcome

 

[Aimless]

it sounds like he's fine.

can you please post a pic of his enclosure?

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Definitely sounds good so far. It can sometimes take weeks for a new crested gecko to settle in and eat.
How big is the gecko and how big is the enclosure?
Pictures of both will help us determine if everything is set up appropriately.

 

[Sakurahana]

Tank is 60cm high, 45 cm wide and 45 cm deep. The gecko is around 13 weeks old and is approx 8 cm from snout to vent.

I spotted him eating at around 21:00 yesterday, so I think he's doing OK.

Edited to add the pictures of the vivarium. If you look closely at the leaves at the side of the vivarium you can just about see his tail.

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Your crestie is definitely a baby.
I would like to make a few suggestions.
Since you have such a young kiddo, they seem to do much better in a smaller enclosure for the first bit of their lives. I keep my hatchlings and juveniles in medium Kritter Keepers with lots of foliage and climbers and lined with paper towel. This helps them find their food easier and you can monitor how much they are eating. Poop on the paper towel = a crestie that's eating. Moving your little one into a smaller enclosure will certainly help it settle in faster.
As far as the tank you have already set up, it's a great start to an adult enclosure. I'd just add a few more bits of foliage. My general rule of thumb is that it should be hard for you to find your crestie in all the foliage. More foliage and climbers will help your crestie feel secure in addition to being beneficial to it's health long term.

 

[Aimless]

I would disagree on size. if you have plenty of cover (foliage) a small gecko will grow into his enclosure just fine.

 

[JessJohnson87]

Check out some craft stores, they usually have a lot of great foliage on sale. Look into getting a feeding ledge to put near the plants that it likes to hide in the most.

 

[Sakurahana]

Thank you all for the advice. My husband added more foliage for the little guy this evening. He volunteered to come out and sit on my husband's hand for a couple of minutes during this process too, then promptly ran up to sit on his shoulder instead

We've also added an improvised feeding ledge made from bottle-tops until such time as we can source a "proper" one.

 

[JessJohnson87]

Try amazon for feeding ledges. Sometimes specialty pet shops can carry them, they don't have to be fancy, I have an acrylic feeding ledge.

 

[Yoshi'smom]

I like to upgrade my cresties enclosures as they get larger. I've noticed that they do well with this method.
As far as a cheap feeding ledge, if you don't care about appearance, you can find or order the suction cup bar soap holder. I use them for my weirdos that don't like to eat on the ground.

 

[Sakurahana]

Thanks for all the tips. He seems to be getting quite comfortable and is definitely eating at least every couple of days (I change the CGD for fresh daily just in case). I've spotted him licking up droplets off the foliage and sides of the viv regularly. He's also explored the whole viv, including the ceiling, and found a few regular hiding spots.

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Great! Sounds like he's settling in well for you!
I would recommend getting a gram scale so that you can keep an eye on his weight. You can find one at your local Walmart in the kitchen section for around $10-$15. If you keep a chart of his weight bi weekly or monthly, it will help you make sure he's gaining weight.