A good, secure home is simple to put together. This is how I set up a basic cage, and why each piece goes where it does.
Video · 12 min watchWritten by Brian
For this setup I use an Exo Terra 30 × 30 × 45 cm (12 × 12 × 18 in) glass cage. It works for a single adult, a juvenile or a hatchling. Many keepers use a bigger cage for adults or a smaller one for hatchlings, which is fine.
Substrate first
The first thing in is substrate. I prefer Eco Earth coconut fiber because it holds humidity well. The usual complaint about these cages is that the screen top lets humidity escape too fast, and a good substrate fixes that: wet it well when you mist and it releases the water slowly. I mix mine with some sand, as in my lay boxes, but plain Eco Earth works fine.
It comes as a compressed brick that you soak in water until it expands. Spot clean the cage every couple of days and change the substrate every 4–6 weeks.
If you use paper towels or newspaper instead, add a humid hide. I use a reptile cave: a small cave with a hole in the front that you fill with substrate.
Thermometer and hygrometer
I put a thermometer on one side and a hygrometer on the other, so you can check temperature and humidity at a glance and adjust if needed.
Plants and vines
A large, dense Exo Terra jungle plant goes in the top back corner on its suction cup. The gap between the plant and the background gives your gecko a concealed place to hide.
The foam background that comes with the cage is good, but if you feed crickets, remove any not eaten quickly. Crickets eat foam, and your gecko eats the crickets.
For climbing I use the Exo Terra jungle vine. Its rough surface helps a gecko rub off stuck shed. I bend it into an arch, with both ends at the front and the arch leaning on the back, which fills a lot of vertical space. I drape Fluker's pothos vines over the middle of the arch for extra foliage and cover.
Hides on the ground
Crested geckos also hide low down, so I add slim, low hides. A gecko wants a small space where it is touched on all sides: the smaller the space, the lower the chance a predator gets in after it.
Elevated food and water
The floor is only 30 cm (12 in) across, so I strongly recommend a magnetic elevated food and water dish. Food on the floor ends up on their feet, which can cause shedding problems and lost toes. The magnets are strong enough to crack the glass, so set the dish inside, put the magnet on the outside to one side, and slide it into place.
Fill the dead space
The open middle of these cages is hard to fill because there is nothing to attach to. A rough stick laid across helps. Aim for a fairly full cage.
Diet, water and misting
I recommend Repashy or Pangea complete diets. A floor water dish is optional. Crested geckos do drink standing water, despite the myth that they only drink droplets.
I prefer a pressure sprayer to a trigger mister. Mist about once a day, always through the front doors, not the screen top, which can rust. Spray the floor well. A steady 60–70% humidity is ideal. After misting it should climb close to 100% and settle back to around 55–60%.