Crested geckos are the species of the geckos which are usually found in New Caledonia. These are usually populated in the areas of Blue River, south of the Grande Terre, and the isle of the pines.
To know about the humidity and the various conditions that the users need to maintain in the terrarium of their pet they need to go through the article. We see that the areas where these are found usually have the humidity of 76 per cent and in the peak season about 80 per cent.
It is important for the users to know that humidity is one of the basic conditions for the geckos and for these ones as well. If the owners maintain the proper humidity levels then they can keep their crested geckos hydrated as well as maintain their shedding cycles.
In case the humidity is low then the crested gecko will have trouble in shedding. So in order to know that the humidity is appropriate, the users should use a hygrometer and keep the humidity around 70%. This percentage of humidity is recommended because they usually live in areas that have this much level and range of humidity.
Contents
Heating and lighting conditions for the crested geckos
One of the most important things regarding the crested geckos is that they do not need the UVB rays. So it is not necessary that you provide them with the lights that provide UVB rays. These species do not actually need the UVB but still, some owners prefer to provide their pets with the UVB.
Using the UVB lights is optional for the crested geckos, but make sure that it provides only 3-5 Percent of the UVB. Also, in case you do not have the room temperature conditions only then you are required to use the heat lamps. The crested gecko needs 72-75 degrees temperature. And if you do not have such temperature then you should provide heat lamps in the cage. Also, more than 80 degrees is too high.
The humidity conditions in the area where they actually live are up to 50 per cent in the day and when the night approaches it reaches 90 per cent. There are a lot of factors which affect the conditions.
Importance of humidity
These crested geckos are used to live in conditions of high humidity and therefore you need to provide them an enclosure which has similar conditions as like their habitat. Humidity is one of the most important conditions to keep your crested gecko happy as well as healthy.
The necessary points for why you need to provide the necessary humidity conditions is because:
- It helps them in shedding.
- It helps the crested gecko stay hydrated
In case the humidity is not maintained the shedding is not done properly and it leads to dehydration problems.
What is appropriate humidity levels for crested geckos?
The users must be aware of the appropriate humidity levels that they need to provide their pet. The average humidity level and the range should be about 70-80 per cent and the least should be 50 per cent.
Also, if the humidity is maintained fungal growth will be prevented and if it sometimes accidentally reaches 80 per cent then it will hurt your crested gecko and its health.
How to Measure humidity?
One of the best things that you can use to Know the humidity inside the enclosure is the hygrometer. This helps in measuring the humidity. It is like a thermometer but it measures humidity and tells the percentage of the relative humidity of the air. These are available in both analogue and digital setups. Also, some devices are available which have both hygrometer and thermometer.
But it is suggested that the users go for the digital and two in one piece. This is because it helps to know the accurate values.
How to make a humid terrarium?
There are a lot of factors that are to be considered while creating the perfect enclosure. Some might be even affected by knowledge.
Humidity will be determined through:
- Kind of enclosure
- The region where the owner and the crested gecko are living and the humidity that is there in the house
- Choice of plants to be used in the terrarium
- The type of substrate used
Apart from these factors, there is another way through which the users can easily increase the humidity of the terrarium. This is by misting. Also, if the crested gecko owners are not finding a way to increase the humidity so they need not buy the humidifier they just need to get a mister or simply do it by themselves.
Moisture
The crested geckos will live well in the places which have optimum humidity. These levels can be maintained through misting. If the humidity in the terrarium is very low, then the gecko is most likely to stay on the ground. This is because it would be finding the moisture.
Also, this might be the case when the humidity is very high. This would make the enclosure wet and the crested gecko will not be able to climb the surfaces.
Shedding is also a reason due to which the crested gecko is likely to spend a lot of time on the ground and find more moisture. So it is necessary for the owners to increase the humidity in the tank so that their pet gets the optimum conditions.
Shedding might be carried for 3-7 days and in that time the crested gecko will bot be able to stick on the surfaces. So, for this reason, as well it might stay on the ground for a long time.
Also, if your pet is burying itself in the substrate then you should check the temperature and the humidity conditions in the enclosure.
Conclusion:
Thus, we find that crested geckos require optimum levels of humidity to stay hydrated, healthy and for the shedding purposes as well. It is the duty of the pet owners to provide these conditions in the enclosure.
