Natural Habitat of the Crested Gecko

The crested gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) is affordable, easy to maintain, and favored as a pet lizard. The captive breeding of this species of lizard is common worldwide, as crested geckos are a popular reptile hobby and the export of crested geckos from their natural habitat is prohibited. Originally discovered in 1866, the crested gecko was believed to be extinct up until 1994, when it was rediscovered in the aftermath of a tropical storm.

  1. Identification

    • The crested gecko is brown in its natural habitat, but thanks to captive breeding it is available in several different colors. It grows to 8 inches in length and weighs about 3 ounces. This lizard is also known as the eyelash gecko because of its distinctive crest composed of pointy eyelash scales, which extend from behind each eye all along the back of the neck. The eyelash scales are not merely a physical attribute, but double up as a defense mechanism to ward off predators.

    Natural Habitat

    • The island of New Caledonia in the southeast Pacific, east of Australia, is the natural habitat of the crested gecko. The native home of this lizard species abounds in coastal plains, inland forests and mountains. Crested geckos thrive in this humid, tropical weather, which hovers around 75 to 80 degrees practically year-round. The crested gecko has a lifespan of 15 years. It is nocturnal and lives in trees at night, burrowing into leaves or loose soil to hide during the day.

    Diet

    • An herbivore in its natural habitat, the crested gecko forages for food at night by leaping across trees to feed on fruit. But in captivity, it turns omnivorous and eats not just fruit, but insects like crickets, mealworms and waxworms.

    Reproduction

    • Crested geckos can be mated from around 4 to 6 months of age. Males develop large hemipenal bulges that differentiate them from females, which are devoid of bulges. These geckos are quite social in comparison to other lizards, and do not display territorial aggressiveness. Female geckos can be safely kept in harem-like environments, i.e. several females with a single male gecko. After mating, the female lays eggs at one-month intervals, in clutches of two, totalling around 20 eggs a year.

    Considerations

    • If you plan to keep a crested gecko as a pet, make sure you re-create the natural habitat this lizard is accustomed to. Consider building a high, screened enclosure that is adequately heated and misted using substrates to keep the humidity levels high.