The crested geckos are usually arboreal in nature which means that they love climbing. They are small in size so they easily crawl here and there and can easily cling to the vertical spaces. They are generally active during the day because of their nocturnal behaviour.
The crested geckos have the tendency of digging due to various reasons and yes they burrow and have reasons for doing that. In this article we will learn about do crested geckos burrow and if yes then why do they burrow because usually they are found climbing on to the various surface then why do they burrow.
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Do crested geckos burrow?
The answer is yes, the crested geckos do burrow but they have a different reason to do so. So do not get worried if your crested gecko starts digging, as it is a natural phenomenon or a natural instinct that they do so. You just need to understand that if your crested gecko is burrowing then why they are doing that and what is the reason behind it.
So that you can build a bond with crested geckos and also take care of them properly as burrowing will also help you understand your pet lizard properly.
You should know when the crested gecko is burrowing is it a natural instinct or they are having some problem or they are going through some sort of stress depending upon that you will able to take action and for that, you need to understand the reason that we will discuss regarding the burrowing of the crested gecko.
Reasons why the crested gecko is burrowing
There are many reasons behind the digging or burrowing done by your crested gecko and some of the main reasons behind this are as follows:
1. Laying of eggs
The main reason behind the digging or the burrowing is the laying of the eggs. This is done by the female crested gecko. You can observe that the female crested gecko will suddenly start digging through its substrate the reason behind this is that she wants a safe place for laying the eggs.
You may not notice that your female crested gecko is gravid (carrying eggs) as they do not bulge much but when they start digging you will get a clue that they are doing burrowing in order to lay eggs. They will not dig one hole they will dig several holes so that they can store their eggs separately. Do not worry in this case you just should know that your female crested gecko is gravid and want to lay her eggs and that is why she is burrowing and you need to take care of her at this time.
2. Thermoregulation
The crested gecko needs appropriate temperature inside their terrarium so that they can live a happy and healthy life. But when there are not proper temperatures and they are getting stressed inside their terrarium so you will notice they will start burrowing the substrate. The reason behind it is simple and that is they are not getting proper temperature inside their enclosure and they want to thermoregulate. In this, they will try to maintain the stable body temperature inside the dug hole so that they are comfortable and are not having any problems with the temperature.
3. Lack of Enrichment
When the crested gecko is lacking the enrichment then also you can notice that the crested gecko will start burrowing. They get the enrichment from plants, rocks, caves, etc. and when they do not get all these things they will start digging so that they can fulfil their enrichment. As digging is also an enriching activity. Also when they will lack enrichment they will be very lazy. So it is the responsibility of the owner of the crested gecko to provide them with everything they want and so that they do not lack the enrichment. Their basic needs should be taken care of and you should be able to understand them so that you can provide them with everything that they want.
4. Trying to hide
When your crested gecko is digging and the reason is quite different from the above one and you cannot resonate with the above-mentioned reasons that the crested gecko must be trying to hide something inside the holes that they are burrowing.
This is not a common reason but some crested geckos do burrow the holes in order to hide something. They are usually hiding food, pebbles, etc. and then they forget about it and do not revisit the place. They just hide things because they become habitual of hiding things. Also do check the holes and see what they are hiding because if they are hiding food it can get spoilt and which can lead to infections in your crested gecko. So do check these holes and see what they are hiding in them.
5. Crested gecko is sick
When the crested gecko is sick they will try to burrow the substrate and you can notice that they are too tired and will dig holes in order to hide inside it. Also the crested will try to dig again and again because it is not happy inside the captivity and is also too stressed which leads to their sickness. Even the crested gecko will not come out of the hole when you will bring food for them they still want to stay inside it. This clearly indicates that your crested gecko is not well and you need to take care of them.
6. Crested gecko is stressed
Also when the crested gecko is stressed then also they start burrowing the holes in the ground or the substrate and you can notice that they are doing not only during the day but also at night and also they are not having proper sleep. This clearly indicates that they are stressed and are not happy inside their enclosure. They want to hide inside the holes that they are digging and do not want to come out. So as a responsible owner you should be aware of this fact and help your crested gecko so that they do not stress further.
Note: if the crested gecko is doing a lot of digging activities then it is suggested that take them to the vet as they might need some medical help and they are having some problem inside their enclosures.
These are some of the reason that tells us why the crested gecko is burrowing and these reasons are all different from each other so you should be aware of the fact that why your crested gecko is burrowing. You should know whether the burrowing done by your crested gecko is a serious matter or not. As we know that for the crested gecko burrowing is a natural instinct also. So we should the difference between the two and take some actions if the matter is serious.
Conclusion
The crested gecko behaves in various ways and burrowing is one such behaviour which as a responsible owner of the crested gecko you should understand and know what it signifies. So that you are able to understand your pet lizard properly and also it will help you in building a bond with your crested gecko. You will also notice that when your crested gecko is happy you will also feel happy and will love to see them living a happy and satisfying life.
The burrowing done by the crested gecko is also a natural phenomenon and it even indicates various things about your crested gecko.
They are stressed or even sick if they are digging inside the captivity. You need to know the fact that if too much digging takes place so it is better that you should take your crested gecko to the vet to seek some medical help for them.
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