Why Is My Crested Gecko Glass Surfing?
| Common cause | Undersized enclosure or bright lighting |
Check that the enclosure is appropriately sized and densely furnished with climbing routes and hides, dim ambient lighting during the day since this species is most active at dusk and night, and consider relocating the enclosure away from high-disturbance areas if surfing persists.
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A single adult crested gecko needs a minimum 18"x18"x24" front-opening, well-ventilated enclosure — taller matters more than wider since this species is highly arboreal — furnished with cork bark, branches, and dense foliage for climbing.
A complete crested gecko setup needs a tall 18"+ front-opening enclosure, cork bark and branches for climbing, coco fibre/moss substrate, a misting routine to hold 50–80% humidity, and complete CGD powder — no heat lamp is required in most homes.
Hatchlings can start in a small (roughly 8"x8"x12") enclosure to make food easier to find, juveniles move up around a few months old, and adults need a minimum 18"x18"x24" vertical enclosure.
Crested geckos generally do best at normal room temperature, roughly 72–78°F, and can suffer heat stress above about 82°F. Most homes need no basking bulb or heat mat at all — just monitoring during hot weather.
Low-level UVB (roughly 5–6% output) is increasingly recommended as good practice, though it isn't strictly mandatory for crested geckos the way it is for a strongly basking desert species — their diet's built-in D3 from CGD covers much of the gap.
Crested geckos need roughly 50–80% humidity, achieved through misting once or twice daily, with good ventilation to prevent the dampness from turning stagnant.