[crestiezoo]

Hi,

There seems to be quite alot of crested gecko owners who dont really know to much about what they are doing. Now dont feel bad for not knowing everything, everyone has to start somewhere!

If you want some advice on crested gecko's feel free to let me know. Or failing that check my website

www.crestiezoo.co.nr

There is a full care guide available on there as well including:

-Lighting (or lack of)
-Heating
-Set up
-Sizes
-Substrates
-Food
-health

and much more. Hope it helps atleast 1 person.

Many thanks!! And good luck with your Gecko's

Hi, I would like some advise on cresties, i am going to get one in a few months,at the moment i am reading all i can about them but sometimes i think it can be a bit confusing, like the substrate some say use this, no use that! i was thinking about the cage carpet if i use this do i need to put something under it, i was also going to put moss on top of carpet. if you can tell me anything id be grateful. THANKS.

[Olivine]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Personally, I'd be wary of reptile carpet: it has a reputation for beginning to smell quite rapidly once soiled and, given the high level of humidity required for crestie vivs, that's likely to make the situation worse (you'll therefore end up having to wash it constantly). I use kitchen towel for young cresties and for newly acquired geckos when they're in quarantine (it makes maintaining hygiene levels easier as it can be replaced when required, plus monitoring eating / pooping is also much easier). Once I'm sure that there are no problems, I transfer them onto eco earth, as this helps maintain humidity.

The best two care sheets I've come across are, without doubt, those on the Rhac Shack and Treasure Crest websites. Both have been written by very experienced and reputable keepers / breeders and contain excellent care advice, plus information vivarium design, common illnesses etc.

And, of course, if you have any questions, just ask!

[crestiezoo]

If you re-read my enitail post on this thread I have explained there is a full care guide on my website. The care guide talks all about substrates among everything else.

Hope this all helps

[Olivine]

Originally Posted by crestiezoo

If you re-read my enitail post on this thread I have explained there is a full care guide on my website. The care guide talks all about substrates among everything else.

Hope this all helps

I've just read your care sheet. Generally, the 'normal' range for Rhacs is considered to be about 70F - 80F (21C - 26C). Personally, I'd have reservations about keeping my lot at temperatures as low as those you suggest in your care sheet, especially if it involves prolonged exposure to temperatures as low as 60F during the day. Can I ask what experience you have of keeping cresties at that temperature range?

PS Just a suggestion on the care sheet: it might be worth mentioning humidity levels too.

[crestiezoo]

I have been keeping reptiles all my life. I took a strong interest in crested geckos and have been keeping them for 5 years now.

And over the last 3 years I have been carrying out independant studies into crested gecko diet, lighting, heating and humidity.

I would never advise anyone to keep a crested gecko at temperatures any lower than 70'F during the day for a prolonged period (mine sit at around 72'F over winter during the day). Low temperatures can be just as detremental as high temperatures. Prehaps you have missread my care sheet. I would have preferred you raised this issues via a PM because you have made rather detramental acusations with reguards to my knowledge of the specieis. I strongly urge you to re-read my care guide and you will see that I specify day temperatures in excess of 70'F.

As for Humidity levels, I have found that spraying once a day is more than sufficient. I would recomend trying to keep them at 80% if using an automated system, however it will need to dry out during the day. However spraying once a day, at night, keeps the relative humidty at about 80% until the next day.

I will look into my care guide again, with reguards to humidity. It is slightly outdated with reguards to the techniques and methods I use now.

All the best

[Olivine]

I wasn't doubting your experience with cresties: I was just curious as to whether you had any experience of keeping them at the temperature range you initially recommended in your care sheet. And no, I certainly did not "misread" your care sheet, as it clearly stated that the "optimum air temperature should be kept between 60'F and 75'F", though I note that it has since been edited (the comment in quotes was copied directly from your site immediately before the edit by the way).

My initial comment was not intended to be critical; if you read it again, I was actually attempting to clarify whether you had experience of keeping cresties at temperatures that are lower than those generally recommended. If you had, I would then have asked how successful that husbandry technique had been.

I made no "detramental acusations" (sic) regarding your knowledge of cresties; I simply wanted clarification on what, at face value, appeared a different husbandry technique. As it turned out, it was merely an error in your care guide. It would have been nice if you'd actually had the integrity to hold you hand up to that initial error, rather than making false allegations about 'misreading' care sheets and then duplicitously re-editing the said sheet.

[crestiezoo]

The care was changed after reading your comments. However the optimum air temperatures being between 60'F and 75'F are totally safe. Providing there are warm pockets reaching around 80'F.

I understand that you might not have intentionally made detramental comments, nonetheless it did result in questioning my knowledge which could in turn leave potentail buyers also questioning my knowledge.

I apologies if I came across in an unpleasent manner, I simply would have preferred you contacted me via PM.

Upon reading your comment a second time, it could be taken two ways and it would appear I took the wrong option. Reguardless of this thank you for pointing out the errors within my care guide, they were noted and as you are already aware some have been changed.

All the best

[Olivine]

But at no point did I question your knowledge of cresties; that was certainly not my intention. In my opinion, care sheets only provide guidelines for husbandry, they should never be considered to be set in stone. Not all keepers employ the same husbandry techniques; just because someone does something differently, does not mean that they are 'wrong' (unless, of course, the technique in question is clearly detrimental to the health of their animals).

My original question was "Can I ask what experience you have of keeping cresties at that temperature range?" Just to clarify, the reason for the question was that I am aware that some keepers do keep their cresties at temperatures outside the 'normal' recommended range; I was attempting to ascertain whether this was a husbandry technique that you practised, as this seemed to be indicated upon initial reading of your care sheet. If this had been the case, I would have then gone on to ask what advantages / disadvantages you'd found in using this technique, which would after all, have made an interesting discussion. I was simply trying to learn something from someone who appeared to be doing things differently, not to question your expertise.

Let's just put it down to a miscommunication problem