Newborn Crestie Care Advice

[Revasius]

Hi!

The first of my crested gecko's eggs just hatched almost 2 hours ago. He's a snappy little thing (earning him the name Rex,) and I just wanted to check that my husbandry is good for him. (I am not a first-time crested owner, he's #8.)

1. He's in a Kritter Keeper (medium) until he hits the 9-10g mark. It has toilet paper tubes, a couple fake plants, and will have a food & water bowl.

2. I should wait to feed him until after his first shed?

3. How soon should I assume his clutchmate will hatch?

(I know about keeping humidity up and making sure he does not surpass 80 degrees.)

 

[acpart]

I'm a garg breeder, not a crestie breeder, but it's not that different, I think. I provide a small amount of CGD in a bottle cap at day 3-4. I dip the hatchling's nose in it the first few times. In general in my breeding of a variety of species, I've had clutch mates hatch up to 5 days apart.

Aliza

 

[Aimless]

I add food right away. and chances are good he's already had his first shed by now; that generally happens in the first 12 hours.

IMO, tp tubes are great hides, but if you're keeping the humidity appropriately high they mold pretty quickly. I just use thick plastic foliage and it's enough cover.

the biggest issue with very small cresteds is humidity. you can't wait 2-3 days to mist like you can with adults; they really need it every day until they put on a few grams and are established. otherwise, the care is the same as with adults

 

[KattsKritters]

Sounds like you got most of it under control ... congratz on the wee one!

I found my clutch-mates hatch a day apart ... or within a 12 - 24hr window. I have had some hatch a couple hours (if that even) apart!

I set my babies up in a small keeper actually, with a paper-towel floor, green leaves and a small half log hide (I think it is the hermit crab size from PetSmart). For food, yeah I do the bottle cap stuff ... they are so small they can sit on those and not tip them over.

As for misting, the babies do well with a morning and night misting for the first bit. Then just a nightly ... every night... but not an overkill misting ... just enuff for them to get wet and to have water to lick off the walls and leaves.