Have you ever thought of owning a reptile? This simple read will guide you through the steps needed to care for one of the reptile trade's most popular species, the New Caledonian Crested Gecko (Correlophus ciliatus).
Crested geckos are quirky little things. They have an array of strange and funny behavior that may be alarming to inexperienced owners.
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Above is an adult, female, brindle crested gecko that has dropped its tail.
Crested geckos drop their tails. Crested geckos, like many other gecko species, have the ability to drop (or lose) their tails. This ability is called autotomy. However, unlike many other gecko species, crested geckos will not regrow their tails. They will drop their tails if they are startled or stressed. Don't worry if your crested gecko drops its tail - it's normal. Many crested gecko owners have 'frogbutts' (crested geckos who have dropped their tails). Geckos will have issues relearning their balance and estimating their jumps for about a week. Crested geckos' health is not at risk after they drop their tails.
The purpose of autotomy is to distract potential predators with the detached, wiggling tail while the animal makes its getaway. It is important to never grab or hold crested geckos by their tails for this reason. They can get scared and will drop their tail easily. As stated before, this tail will not grow back.
Crested geckos will also lick their eyes. Crested geckos do not have eyelids and therefore cannot blink or close their eyes. They instead have a transparent scale that covers and protects their eyes. Because they cannot blink, they instead clean their eyes by licking them. Often times, crested geckos will lick their eyes clean after being misted.
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As mentioned previously, crested geckos eat their own shed. They may stop eating for a short while before shedding their skin. This is completely normal. A healthy crested gecko will shed about once a month, but you may never notice it. This is because they shed all their skin at once. They will appear dull in color just before a shed. Do not worry unless your gecko does not eat for over a week, seems lethargic, has sunken eyes, or will not move from the bottom of the cage.
It may be difficult to tell whether or not your gecko is eating, as they will not always eat in front of you. To be sure your crested gecko is eating, check the tank for poo. If you have trouble keeping up with this, spot clean the cage to tell if the gecko is still pooing regularly.
It's not moving during the day! Crested geckos are nocturnal. So, they will be active at night. Although they spend their day sleeping, it may be hard to tell that they are not awake as their eyes are always open.
Like many gecko species, crested geckos have the ability to stick to smooth surfaces using 'sticky' toe pads. In order to 'unstick' their feet, crested geckos will curl their toes up!
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