Real husbandry depth for adult keepers — the "why" behind the care, not just a checklist.
A basking surface of 38–42°C under a cool end of 24–26°C creates the temperature gradient they thermoregulate across. They are diurnal baskers and require UVB (a good T5 10–12% tube spanning ~⅔ of the enclosure) to synthesise vitamin D3 and use calcium. Night-time can drop to low 20s°C.
Omnivorous and age-dependent: juveniles eat proportionally more insects (gut-loaded, dusted with calcium/D3), adults shift toward mostly leafy greens and vegetables with fewer insects. Avoid over-reliance on fatty feeders like waxworms.
Provide basking platforms, hides, and a substrate that allows natural digging; some adults brumate (a natural winter slow-down) which is normal when temps and health are right.
No or expired UVB, or a too-cold enclosure, leads to metabolic bone disease — weak, trembling limbs. UVB tubes lose output long before they stop glowing; replace on schedule.
Crepuscular and ground-dwelling: they take heat through their bellies, so a warm end of 28–32°C (via a thermostat-controlled heat source over a warm hide) and a cooler end around 22–24°C. Low-level UVB is increasingly recommended as beneficial, alongside careful D3 supplementation.
Strict insectivore — appropriately sized gut-loaded insects, dusted with calcium and a D3/multivitamin per a sensible schedule. A shallow calcium dish is common practice.
Three hides minimum (warm, cool, and a humid/moist hide to aid shedding). They can drop and regrow their tail if severely stressed or grabbed by it — never handle by the tail.
Loose particulate substrate (e.g. sand) plus a hungry gecko can cause impaction. A poor shed around the toes can also cause constriction — the humid hide matters.
One of the few pet reptiles that often needs no supplemental heat — they do best at normal room temperature (~22–26°C) and can be harmed by heat above ~28°C. Arboreal, so height and climbing cover matter more than floor space. Low-level UVB is beneficial.
Largely met by a complete commercial crested gecko diet (CGD) powder mixed with water, with occasional insects as enrichment. This makes them one of the simplest reptiles to feed well.
Dense foliage, branches and a humidity cycle (mist to ~60–80% then allow drying) support natural behaviour and clean sheds. Like leopard geckos they can drop their tail — but crested geckos do not regrow it.
Overheating. Keepers used to "reptiles need a hot lamp" can cook a crested gecko. Persistent high temperature is a genuine welfare risk for this species.
A thermostat-controlled warm end of 28–30°C and a cool end of ~21–24°C. Often kept without UVB, though low-level UVB is increasingly considered beneficial. Excellent, determined escape artists — a secure, well-fitted enclosure is essential.
Whole prey — appropriately sized (roughly the width of the snake's body) defrosted rodents. Feeding frequency reduces with age. Handle 24–48h after a meal to avoid regurgitation.
Secure hides at both the warm and cool ends, climbing branches, and a water bowl large enough to soak in. A humid microclimate helps a clean, single-piece shed.
Escapes from an insecure lid, and refusing food during a shed cycle (cloudy "blue" eyes) being mistaken for illness — that fast is usually normal.
Warm end 30–32°C, cool end ~24–26°C, always thermostat-controlled. Humidity around 55–60%, raised during shedding. A long-lived species — this is a multi-decade commitment.
Appropriately sized defrosted rodents. Royals are famous for going off food for weeks or months, especially with seasonal or breeding cues; a healthy-weight snake refusing food is common and rarely an emergency.
As an ambush species that shelters in burrows, they value snug hides at both ends and cover; an over-exposed enclosure causes chronic stress. Add clutter, branches and tactile enrichment.
Panicking over a normal feeding fast and force-feeding, or low humidity causing stuck/incomplete sheds (retained eye caps). Correct humidity prevents most shed problems.
Warm and humid: roughly 20–25°C with high humidity, maintained by misting and a deep, moist (not waterlogged) substrate they can burrow into. Legal to keep in the UK; illegal in some countries (e.g. the USA) — always check local law.
Herbivorous — a variety of washed leafy greens, vegetables and fruit, plus a constant source of calcium (cuttlefish bone) essential for shell growth and repair. Avoid citrus and anything salty.
Deep substrate for burrowing and egg-laying, gentle handling over soft surfaces, and stable humidity. They are hermaphrodites and breed prolifically — plan for eggs.
Too little calcium (thin, pitted shell), substrate that's too dry (retreat into the shell, sealing off), or letting them breed unchecked. Never release them — they're an invasive risk.