Crested Gecko Behavior & Habits

Crested geckos make interesting pets for first-time reptile owners or experienced enthusiasts. Also known as the New Caledonian eyelash gecko, these quirky creatures can exhibit behavior and habits that baffle their owners. Everything they do, from their movements and feeding behavior, to interaction with other geckos and appearance are important to their survival.

  1. Movement

    • Crested geckos are an arboreal species, meaning they live in trees in their natural lowland tropical rain forest habitat. They are also nocturnal animals and will be most active at night or when their cage area is dark. Geckos enjoy climbing and leaping from tree to tree in the rain forest so owners will often provide tall cages with lots of items for the lizard to climb on.

    Feeding

    • Crested geckos move about the treetops in search of food. They are omnivores, meaning they will eat both living creatures and plant material. Their typical diet is insects, flower nectar and rotting fruits. The crested gecko will feed at night. They will typically eat four or five crickets a day but will also eat mealworms and waxworms. Geckos like to hunt so owners are advised to give them live food.

    Social Behavior

    • Geckos get along with others of their species, but when kept in captivity certain sex combinations can cause problems. Males kept together will fight to the death, while females typically get along with each other. Males and females kept together will mate, but male mating behavior is often aggressive toward the female. Juveniles must be kept in groups of similar sizes because bigger ones will bully smaller geckos and keep them from obtaining food.

    Appearance

    • Crested geckos come in a variety of colors, and they are also capable of changing color. They do this to both better blend in with their surroundings and to indicate mood. An unhappy gecko will make itself darker. Crested geckos also shed their skin like a snake and will eat the skin after pulling it off. Also, crested geckos lack eyelids and must continuously lick their eyeballs to keep them moist and clean.