The admirer of reptiles often finds more than one pet attractive and alluring. There is a wide array of various reptiles that can be kept as pets. So keeping only one means depriving them of adding some more to their collection.
But as reptiles are sensitive creatures, one needs to be really cautious while choosing two different kinds of reptile pets. Not that you cannot keep a bearded dragon along with a crested gecko. But the problem will start when you try to keep them in the same cage.
Reptiles are territorial by nature and they do not prefer to stay even with their own species in the same area. For the captivated ones, the terrarium is the area and they cannot stand the presence of another male of their own species in the same area.
You can keep the female species in the time of mating, but that does not mean that both of the crested gecko or bearded dragon would love to live with their pair. They seek privacy and thus their terrariums should not be used by other reptiles.
Bearded dragons can never cohabit with crested gecko, as their needs are totally different and they would also not love each other’s company.
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Can crested gecko live with other reptiles?
The chances of living with other reptiles are very less for crested gecko. The crested gecko is by nature pretty solitary and they cannot be kept in a terrarium with other reptiles. Either they will act dominantly or they will become submissive and stressed.
Being stressed is not good for reptiles like a crested gecko or other reptile pets. You need to make sure that the pet you are keeping be that crested gecko or bearded dragon, should stay in the best condition. Their health should never be compromised. So their cohabitation is not a good idea for the betterment of both the reptiles.
Is a crested gecko better than a bearded dragon?
When it comes to handling and compatibility as pets, both bearded dragon and crested gecko are usually entertaining and fulfilling as pets. You can bond with both of them, though it takes time. They are fun to look at, as they consist of some weird habits and those actions make them more attractive.
Crested gecko:
When it comes to taming the creature, crested geckos are less manageable and also take longer to be tamed. They can rarely be trained, though they learn to interact with the owner only, after cohabiting for months.
They will not be much sociable in their life though. They kind of avoid the touches and contact with the guests and thus you cannot proudly hand it over to your guests.
Bearded dragon:
This reptile pet is not as difficult to be managed as the cresties. They act much normal and are accustomed to the handling of the owner within much less time. Also, you can play with them and take them on your shoulder within two weeks of your acquaintance.
Also bringing them to the guest is not an awkward moment. In fact, they sometimes act curiously as if they are also interested in meeting the guests.
Maintenance of crested gecko:
Environment:
Crested geckos are originally from the tropical region. They require an ample amount of humidity and thus you need to fix a humidifier in their terrarium to make sure that the gecko lives a healthy life. There should be heat sources too, and the coolest spot at the terrarium should be 68 to 70-degree temperature.
Heat source:
Heat bulbs will do fine for the crested geckos and they can use the hides effectively. So you need to add some heat source but that can be a regular heat bulb and you need not spend much on heat emitter bulb or something fancier.
Terrarium size:
The terrarium required for crested gecko is much smaller than the one needed for bearded dragon. You can keep the gecko is a 20-30 gallon tank and they will be healthy. They love to climb more than to crawl so you need to keep the vertical space where they will be free to climb the walls.
Food:
When it comes to diet, crested geckos can eat both vegetables and insects. Bugs and fruits can be fed to it. Feeding the gecko is not much of a hazard. They eat in a very little amount so that is not even expensive. At a young age, they eat bugs and when they grow up, they basically survive on vegetables.
Time of activity:
Crested geckos are crepuscular or nocturnal in nature. They do not get much energy during the day. But at night they stay mostly active. In the wilderness, they actually hunt at the night. They also stay active in the terrarium as they do have the habit of resting in the daytime.
Maintenance of bearded dragon:
Environment:
The need for humidity is less in bearded dragon’s habitation. But UVB radiation is required to keep the vitamin D source and calcium level intact in their body. So they need a UVB radiation source in their terrarium. The UVB radiating light should be covering the most area of the terrarium as that is an obvious element to keep the bearded dragons healthy.
Heat source:
Bearded dragons are from the desert region so low humidity is fine for them. But the temperature requirement is pretty high, they live in 90 -110 degree Fahrenheit. The cool corners of the terrarium could have 75 to 85 degree Fahrenheit, thus the temperature gradient should be present in their terrarium.
Terrarium size:
Bearded dragons need a larger space to live freely. You need to arrange for a 60-gallon tank to keep them well. Also, there should be many decorations to make the interior of the terrarium an exciting place.
Food:
Bearded dragons eat both bugs and vegetables. The only fascination that they have is, they will only eat live insects. They also eat in a larger amount than crested geckos. The baby bearded dragons eat more than the matured ones.
Time of activity:
Bearded dragons stay active during the day time, which makes them diurnal. They rest at night while they eat and prey during the daytime.
Which one needs higher maintenance?
Regarding the maintenance, crested geckos are easy to be handled as they are cheap on a budget. From their food to terrarium to lifestyle, everything can be fixed on a low budget. Whereas bearded dragons need more equipment and their diet is also pricey compared to the geckos.
But when it comes to managing the pet, and interacting, bearded dragons are more rewarding. They interact much more. If you are a first-timer, you can get the crested gecko, and later you can adopt a bearded dragon when experienced.
More:
Uromastyx Vs Bearded Dragon – What Is a Better Pet For You?
