Hailing all the way from New Caledonia

[AquaApprentice]

Just took my first step into the world of herps; got two Crested Geckos, one male and one female, a pair...and should be getting a Ball Python within the next week or two. I have researched their care, but would like to ask some of the expert hobbiests on here for any tricks, tips, or advice on care.

Most specifically on the Crested Geckos, as I am dealing with them right now. Specifically, their dietary needs...right now I have been feeding them baby food, and will probably do the dusted and gutloaded crickets within the week until I can secure a more complete food for them. Which brand of food for the Crested Geckos do you recommend to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease?

And also, I am using Reptile Carpet as substrate...how often would you recommend me cleaning this and how often should I replace it? And how do I go about cleaning it...just rinsing it?

 

[Wiggles92]

Just took my first step into the world of herps; got two Crested Geckos, one male and one female, a pair...and should be getting a Ball Python within the next week or two. I have researched their care, but would like to ask some of the expert hobbiests on here for any tricks, tips, or advice on care.

Most specifically on the Crested Geckos, as I am dealing with them right now. Specifically, their dietary needs...right now I have been feeding them baby food, and will probably do the dusted and gutloaded crickets within the week until I can secure a more complete food for them. Which brand of food for the Crested Geckos do you recommend to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease?

Get some of the Repashy Crested Gecko diet. It's a powdered food that gets mixed with water then is fed to the geckos; it can be used as the sole food if I remember correctly.

And also, I am using Reptile Carpet as substrate...how often would you recommend me cleaning this and how often should I replace it? And how do I go about cleaning it...just rinsing it?

Cleaning it once a week should be fine. As for how to clean it, rinsing it in order to remove the poo should be fine; the package that it came in may have more detailed instructions.

 

[black_sun]

Most specifically on the Crested Geckos, as I am dealing with them right now. Specifically, their dietary needs...right now I have been feeding them baby food, and will probably do the dusted and gutloaded crickets within the week until I can secure a more complete food for them. Which brand of food for the Crested Geckos do you recommend to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease?

I'd pick up Repashy Crested Gecko diet as soon as you can. You can buy small containers of it at Petco, (Petsmart discontinued it, so if you need a chain store... Petco), most small reptile shops and online directly from any number of forums and websites. Though, if you have any reptile shows near you coming up, I'd recommend stopping there and seeing if anyone has it. I pick up the 1lb bags of it really cheap every time a show comes into my area.

 

[snakeguy101]

Repashy x3. mix it up into little containers (I use disposable sauce cups from the grocery store) and freeze it. Then each evening, place a cup in with the cresteds. That is all you need to do. No crickets, no gut loading anything, etc. As for repticarpet, I would recommend you switch over to something that holds humidity better. Eco earth or reptibark works well. Cypress mulch is also good for adults.

 

[AquaApprentice]

Repashy x3. mix it up into little containers (I use disposable sauce cups from the grocery store) and freeze it. Then each evening, place a cup in with the cresteds. That is all you need to do. No crickets, no gut loading anything, etc. As for repticarpet, I would recommend you switch over to something that holds humidity better. Eco earth or reptibark works well. Cypress mulch is also good for adults.

Okay. I have some Eco Earth I was going to make for a humid hide I was going to build for them, should I use that for the substrate instead and use something else for the humid hide or ditch that idea all together? Also, how difficult is the Eco Earth as a substrate to clean? Sorry for all the silly questions, I just care a lot about my animals and as I am new to reptiles want to make sure that I am fully equipped to take care of my animals as best as possible!

 

[Sylvias]

If you care a lot about your animals then you will separate the male and female (if they are not already) Keeping a pair together means that you will be up to eyeballs in babies before you even know what hit you and without a break here and there your female is likely to die from the stress of constantly laying as well as the vitamin deficiencies that will inevitably come with it. Females need a break from breeding.
Everyone else has covered the crested gecko diet and i will stress it more. I have 3 cresties that are all raised and maintained on CGD with only the occasional fresh fruit or wax worm, nothing else. It is a complete diet and does not need to supplemented and is certainly MUCH healthier than baby food....
I also use eco earth with my cresties that are not currently in a vivarium. It's easy to spot clean every other day or so (just pick out the poop) and replace the bedding entirely once a month. Keep it moist but not wet and you shouldn't need a humid hide, but you will still need plenty of hides in the form of foliage as they are much happier sleeping in the leaves of fake plants rather than on the ground under a log.... actually even if you give them a hide on the ground they are very unlikely to use it at all.

 

[Natalie]

^ I second everything that's been said, especially the recommendation to separate the male and female. Keeping a pair together constantly puts the female under a lot of stress... egg laying can deplete her calcium stores and a 1/1 pair means the female will be receiving a ton of attention from the amorous male, which can also be stressful. Most professional crested breeding is done in trios because it gives each female a break from receiving constant attention from the male.

For a hobbyist, I wouldn't suggest breeding at all. The market is currently saturated with crested babies, and even geckos with great bloodlines are having trouble selling.

 

[Amelie]

I would change substrate. You can use Eco-earth, or coco bark for your cresties, as well as for your ball python. Reptile carpet can't be washed properly, you'll have to throw it away after a couple of weeks. It's less expensive if you get the eco-earth, you can buy huge bags in any plant store, or the zoo med/exo-terra brands.

For your crested, in Canada we have something called Crested Gecko Diet. It's a powder you mix with warm water but fresh fruit puree is the best. You can even add a bit of honey if your crested are picky eaters. They usually eat crickets voraciously though, they don't often fuss over that. Crickets with vitamin D3 and calcium 2-3 times a week, and give them lots of fresh fruit like peaches, mangos, strawberries etc. the other days. Try to avoid baby food as it contains too much sugar. Home made purees are the best.