Meet Velcro, my first and definitely not last Crestie! :)

Meadowknight

New Member
Messages
18
Location
United States
I just got my first one a few days ago at a reptile show...and I am TOTALLY in love. He seems healthy, though I have a concern about the tip of his tail 9which looks a little black like it's had a bad shed maybe?). Seems okay otherwise though, and is currently 3 inches long not including his tail length :). I think he's a "lavender harlequin" ...if anyone has any information on what morph he is or if there's anything I can do for his tail, please let me know :). I DO know if they drop their tails they don't grow back...but this seems to just be the tip, and him being my first I didn't notice at first when buying him!

I am very attached to him and only got him a few days ago...last night he literally fell asleep on my hand while I was petting him watching a movie! I want to learn everything I can about crested geckos now, totally blown away by these awesome lizards!

Kinda a funny "hey look I'm a MALE!" photo, lol...I cracked up when I looked into the tank and saw this pose XD!

Yes you have big balls Velcro, lol.jpg

And here's some more cuteness :)...

Cute Velcro face.jpg

Little gift from God!.jpg

Karate Crestie!.jpg

Thank you for the pose!.jpg
 

Matt_pole

New Member
Messages
89
Location
North Dakota
Great pics! I am trying to decide weather I should get a crested, Leo, or bearded dragon as my first reptile. I was under the impression that crested's didn't tolerate handling well, so I will definitely take this post into consideration when I decide. Sadly I cannot help with the black tail.
 

Meadowknight

New Member
Messages
18
Location
United States
Hey, thanks :)! Well I haven't owned him long but I'll give you what feedback I can compared to a Leopard gecko, which may help your decision :). Both are awesome lizards so it's going to depend on your preferences, but if I had to pick between the two (as much as I love my leopard gecko), I would choose to keep a crestie if it was the only lizard I had the means to keep. So here's my personal review/opinion on the two, just keep in mind I am a new crestie owner, so my experience is very limited for this kind..BUT I have owned lizards for years, and velcro DOES seem healthy so I feel he will do well over the years. I'll try to just do 6 pros or cons tops to keep it simple, and I am no expert..this is just my opinion/observations/what I HAVE learned so far at least :p.

Leopard Gecko!

PROS:
1. Low maintenance!
2. Does not need lighting/lamps (just a heat pad on one side of the tank so he can choose a cool or warm spot)
3. Extremely docile once tamed (it only took me 3 days to tame mine, but each lizard varies)
4. Slow moving for the most part (if this is a pro to you)
5. They get to a nice size but not too huge to need a giant tank (10 gallon is enough for one adult)
6. Beatiful with adorable faces :).

CONS:
1. They hide almost constantly, I rarely see Jude unless I lift up his cave and take him out to handle, lol. (I am not sure if this is true for every Leo though)
2. They need to be kept off of any substrate if you want no chance of their digestive system having blockage, which can be a shame if you like to set up a pretty looking tank. I'm going to be replacing Jude's paper towels now that he's bigger with some fake stoney looking linoleum for an attempt at something more natural in feel for him, and better looking for me.
3. They are strict insectivores, so you will need to buy many crickets over the years (mealworms are not supposed to be as healthy, and too many super worms can cause unwanted weight gain). Crickets smell awful and are a pain to deal with, so I may switch to mostly roaches but feed both for variety.
4. Lazy, lol. Every pet store I have been to the leos are always laying around...then again they are nocturnal, some are probably more active than others.

Crested Gecko!

PROS:
1. Low maintenance!
2. Does not need lighting/lamps. Does not need a heat pad unless the room he's kept in gets very cold...I keep reading temps need to be between 65 and 75 degrees F. They do NOT take heat well, which I have read on every care sheet.
3. Extremely docile, Velcro fell asleep on my hand, that says a lot, lol. They ARE jumpy and can be fast, but if that doesn't freak you out, go for it :). I have arboreal (tree dwelling) tarantulas that move faster and jump...so I'm already used to it. Mainly just take precautions until it's tame if you get one, things like only holding one sitting on a bed so if it goes flying it doesn't land on a hard floor...and I think tame for these guys just means less jumpy though. I have never heard of one biting, and read even if one did if it was really scared, it doesn't really hurt. Mine walks or jumps from hand to hand, and will let me pet him. After holding him for a couple days for 15 minutes at least...he was less jumpy. After a couple days I feel fully comfortable handling him, and when he does jump off my hand I just place it in front of him and he'll crawl back on, or I nudge my hand under his chin until he does.
4. LOADS of personality...the way their tiny hands grip your fingers, along with the cute jumping, and licking their eyeballs, lol...it feels like owning a Pokemon or something more than a lizard.
5. Since they spend most of their time off the ground (they're not going to accidentally eat substrate getting blockages), their tank can have coco fiber and moss substrate which looks pretty (you would need a arboreal tank that's more vertical than horizontal).
6. It may just be mine, but as soon as the sun sets Velcro is active most nights, roaming his vivarium so I get to see him on a nightly basis!
7.*** I was only going to give 6..but wanted to say Cresties are just as beautiful as leos, just in a different way :).

CONS:
1. If they drop their tail it won't grow back, and if more than one is kept together the chances of tail loss are pretty high (sometimes they mistake a tank-mate's tail as a bug , then it drops, lol)
2. Jumpy. I don't personally consider this a con but some might.
3. I am detecting the possibility of these being picky eaters, but I have seen him eat bugs and I'll be trying a fruity second food because he may just not like the brand I got, lol.
4. The tank needs misting twice a day if you live in a dry area like I do! But it's easy to tell, and easy to spritz the tank at morning and night routinely. Keeping moss and coco fiber at the bottom helps :).
5. A tank setup can cost a little bit more than a leopard gecko, you will most likely want substrate, branches (climbing stuff), and a magnetic food/water bowl...to me it's well worth the money, as these are kinda one time purchases and these lizards are very cheap to feed.
6. Someone on facebook shared that their crestie goes missing sometimes, but they let him loose in the house! Again just be careful :)..I don't let mine leave my hands if I can help it, but he's taming super fast!

I hope that helps and wasn't too long winded! It took me hours to hunt down this info/these conclusions..and also experience owning a Leo & crestie..so figured I could try to save you some footwork! I have also read that leos live to about 20-25..and cresties about 15-20 years. They feel different to the touch. Cresties are very soft, and fragile feeling but seem to be very hearty pets. Leos are a cross between bumpy and soft. I didn't mention much about the crestie's diet, but personally I prefer mixing up the special crestie food with water (it's powder that comes in a bottle than you mix water into). Cresties eat mostly this fruit mix diet, and one bottle seems like it will last for ages. I read something saying it only costs about $20 per year to feed them! And people seem to mostly give them 2 to 4 crickets every couple weeks or more for extra protein. To me, this is a major plus as cricket prices can really add up, and breeding feeder roaches (which I may do for my leos and alligator lizards) is just one more thing to care for. So that being said....I would suggest a crestie more, but it totally depends on what appeals to you most :). Some people prefer super slow moving animals. The crested gecko I held in a pet shop the other day (it was full grown or almost full grown), I could comfortably walk around the store with and I had never held that one before. It did gentle jumps from hand to hand, and my shirt..and I was able to pet it :). Anyways, I noveled you...lol.
 
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Matt_pole

New Member
Messages
89
Location
North Dakota
Wow! You went above and beyond what I would have ever imagined as a reply, thank you so much! I have been doing a lot of research, so I already knew the majority of the info, but you put it into an extremely readable form. Would you say a 15 gallon tall would be adequate for one crested?
 

Kiara1125

Beardie Tamer
Messages
136
Location
Arcadia, FL
Gorgeous boy! My female crestie has a black tipped tail and I've never thought about the possibility of a bad shed. She's just like that. I always thought it was just an odd coloration or possible damage due to shipping since I got her from a chain pet store.

See how she is?

Three months ago:
10300644_634865603266932_8413045253218431168_n.jpg

10346632_634865336600292_5055355863832334026_n.jpg


Now:
10615404_679654552121370_3587000941590076899_n.jpg


I know it's hard to see, but her tail has lightened considerably. Velcro may get lighter over time, but I see a kink in his tail. It does look like he had a bad shed. Rhy's tail was a bit flat at the time, but it filled out over time. Who knows how Velcro will improve. Good luck, though. :)
 

Meadowknight

New Member
Messages
18
Location
United States
Wow! You went above and beyond what I would have ever imagined as a reply, thank you so much! I have been doing a lot of research, so I already knew the majority of the info, but you put it into an extremely readable form. Would you say a 15 gallon tall would be adequate for one crested?


You're welcome! I enjoy talking about them :D! Especially right now because I'm so over the moon about my new little friend. I have read that it's best to get a 12" X 12" X 18" tall tank for these guys, and that that can house two adults comfortably. Some people use fresh air tanks, but since the climate is so dry here I prefer glass. That's the tank I have in the photo, and I may even go a size up just so he has more space when I can afford it....but they don't "need" more space than that. I do know full grown bearded dragons need a 40 gallon tank (because I was looking into it a bit!)! So that would be more expensive for you. If you look around you should be able to get a good deal. I got an AMAZING deal on mine at +++++ surprisingly. Maybe call +++++s near you and ask for those dimensions and a price, because I got a "frog kit" one that was on clearance marked from $75 down to $57, then without me saying anything the guy offered it to me for $40! The frog kit tank itself is the same one they use for their crested gecko kits, it just comes with a different fake plant, lol. So I got that size tank, with a free plastic plant, free coco fiber, and free sphagnum moss (since it was a frog kit)...for $40. . So if I were you I'd call +++++ and see if it's at least on clearance near you if you are going to get one of these lizards soon :).
 
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Meadowknight

New Member
Messages
18
Location
United States
Gorgeous boy! My female crestie has a black tipped tail and I've never thought about the possibility of a bad shed. She's just like that. I always thought it was just an odd coloration or possible damage due to shipping since I got her from a chain pet store.

See how she is?

Three months ago:
10300644_634865603266932_8413045253218431168_n.jpg

10346632_634865336600292_5055355863832334026_n.jpg


Now:
10615404_679654552121370_3587000941590076899_n.jpg


I know it's hard to see, but her tail has lightened considerably. Velcro may get lighter over time, but I see a kink in his tail. It does look like he had a bad shed. Rhy's tail was a bit flat at the time, but it filled out over time. Who knows how Velcro will improve. Good luck, though. :)


Thank you for sharing, nice photos :)! Your crestie is so pretty! Aren't they just amazing little guys?! Yeah I think his tail either had a bad shed...or maybe if he was kept with others, one of them may have bit the tip of his tail thinking it was a bug. I'm hoping it heals up after a couple more sheds, but it may not. I mainly just want him to be healthy and hope it doesn't hurt at all!
 

indyana

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,336
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Velcro appears to be a tricolor harlequin (brown, orange, and cream). Based on the last few pics, I wouldn't say lavender because he only looks lavender when fired down. The true colors are considered the fired up versions. :)

As for the tail, I would just keep an eye on it. It the black begins spreading or something, consider a trip to the vet.

He's beautiful!
 

Meadowknight

New Member
Messages
18
Location
United States
Velcro appears to be a tricolor harlequin (brown, orange, and cream). Based on the last few pics, I wouldn't say lavender because he only looks lavender when fired down. The true colors are considered the fired up versions. :)

As for the tail, I would just keep an eye on it. It the black begins spreading or something, consider a trip to the vet.

He's beautiful!


Thank you! Yeah he's a cutie pie :D! I am noticing the three colors a bit...he has some vivid creamish white colors mixed in there. I'm a little confused about the "fired up" thing...is that when his colors have a deeper contrast? And do they do that because they are scared? Or just excited? I'm so impatient for the book I ordered to arrive, lol...I'm really anxious to learn more! I'm sooo concerned about scaring him, lol..I always try to take things really slow so he doesn't get spooked....he seems mellow with me though, I think he knows he's safe.

Do you know anything/much about breeding them? I've been reading up some online, but still have a lot of questions...for example, should I try to buy the same morph female if I breed him? If anyone on here can point me to any good resources to learn more about these guys that'd be great :). Hopefully the book I ordered will help better flesh things out too.

And yeah I am keeping an eye on his tail...I need to call our vet and ask if he has any experience with these lizards. I want to make sure I have a vet ready to call in case I have ANY problems, he's so delicate feeling but seems healthy...he's pooping every day and it's not runny at all. I have two water bowls in the bottom of the tank (until the magnetic bowl holder arrives in the mail)..and he left me a present in each one, and has crapped on me a couple times on other days :p, lol.

One main concern I am, having is I'm not seeing him eat his fruity mix...he's eaten a few crickets, but I haven't caught him eating this Repashy stuff! I won't be feeding him anymore crickets for a couple weeks at least, I just hope he's at least nibbling this stuff. Do they eat all that much? (sorry for all the questions! I am actively reading each day but it's kinda the same junk over and over) There's some pangea watermelon mix on the way so I'll try that too.
 

indyana

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,336
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Yep, "fired up" is when they go all high contrast, and "fired down" is when they are more gray. As to why they fire up, it varies from gecko to gecko. Most fire up when they are excited, some do it when they are stressed, others do it when they are happy... most do not do it while they are sleeping though. :)

I know the basics of breeding, but I haven't researched it farther than that because I do not intend to breed her. I'm more interested in trying Leopard Gecko breeding in a couple years. For morphs though, you should pick out a female that has good traits that you want the babies to inherit. If you pick out a female of a similar morph, you'll have a good idea what the babies will look like. If you mix morphs, the babies will be more unpredictable.

For reference materials, it's good to do Google searches on topics to get various opinions. Here are some of the resources I've found really useful:
JB's Crested Gecko Info - Great site that covers all the basics.
Crested Geckos Breeders: Correlophus ciliatus | moonvalleyreptiles.com - Amazingly detailed and well-written articles! It will take you a while to read everything, but I've learned a lot from reading this site.
Crested Geckos group on Facebook - If you're on Facebook, I recommend joining this group and maybe the Gecko Nation group. You can find a lot of advice and opinions on pretty much anything.
...and, of course, GeckoForums is awesome. :)

For eating, if he's pooping that much, he's definitely eating! When they are little, it can be difficult to tell if they've licked up the mix, so as long as they are pooping and not looking thin, you just assume they are eating... lol


In other news, I just picked up our crestie yesterday! We've renamed her Luna, and I'm trying to leave her alone... but it's way too tempting to peek in the viv! She was very stressed out and fired down in the deli cup she was packed in, and once she got into her viv, her color got a bit better. This morning, she's hanging out near the top of the viv and her color is back to its fired up orange. I'm trying not to touch her at all for the first week or so, but her previous owner was kind enough to send me some nice photos, which you can see here (fired up colors):
iHerp : indyana : Luna (Crested Gecko [Correlophus ciliatus ])
 

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