Feeding baby crested gecko


How to Care for a Baby Gecko | Baby Lizard Care

By Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice)

Geckos are one of the most popular lizard species kept as pets. Baby geckos can make adorable additions to any family and when housed and fed properly can grow up to be hardy adults that live many years. The key is to educate yourself before you get them so that you can set them up right from the start.

More than 2,000 species of gecko, varying in color and skin markings/patterns, are recognized around the world. Among the most common pet lizard species are leopard geckos and crested geckos. Less commonly kept geckos include day geckos and Tokay geckos.

When they are born, hatchling geckos are typically 3 to 4 inches long. Adult female leopard geckos grow to 7 to 8 inches, while males grow to 8 to 10 inches. Adult crested geckos of both sexes typically are 4.5-5 inches long.

Many pet stores and breeders sell baby geckos so that owners can bond with their pets at a young age and watch them grow. Baby geckos, however, do not have fully developed skeletal and immune systems and are therefore more susceptible than their older counterparts to developing certain diseases. Thus, they must be fed and housed appropriately when they are first purchased to try to prevent the development of common juvenile diseases.

Once their enclosures are set up properly and a feeding regimen has been established, baby geckos can be relatively easy to care for.

Making a Home for Your Baby Gecko

Geckos are typically housed in 10- to 20-gallon glass aquariums. Plastic storage boxes, such as those for storing sweaters, also may be used, as long as the box is at least one-foot high to prevent the lizard from jumping out. Twenty-gallon tanks are better for larger adults or if more than one gecko is being housed in the same tank.

Tanks larger than 20 gallons may be harder to keep warm and humid enough and may enable the gecko to avoid sitting under heat and ultraviolet (UV) lights. All enclosures must have a secure mesh top to prevent escape and to promote good ventilation. A small, upside down, plastic box with a cut-out door, filled with moist moss or vermiculite, can be used within the enclosure as a hide box to help maintain the humidity high enough to enable the gecko to shed its skin properly. Live or artificial plants can be added to the enclosure, as well, to help maintain humidity and to satisfy the gecko’s desire to climb.

Baby Geckos Need Warmth and Humidity

All types of gecko, regardless of species, need supplemental heat in their enclosures. Heat may be provided with an over-the-tank heat bulb or an under-the-tank heat mat placed at one end of the tank. Hot rocks are not recommended, as they can get very hot, and reptiles often don’t move off them before they get burned.

Gecko tanks should have a temperature range with a warm end and a cool end. The ideal temperature range for a gecko depends on the species. Leopard geckos should have a warm zone (containing the hide box) that is about 90°F and a cool zone that is no lower than the low 70s°F. Crested geckos do better at slightly lower temperatures, with the warm zone in the upper 70s to low 80s°F and the cool zone no lower than about 70°F.

Tank temperatures should be monitored daily with “point and shoot” temperature guns, available in most pet stores, or with traditional temperature strips or thermometers that stick on the inner walls of the tank. The amount of heat provided may need to be varied seasonally depending on the ambient temperature of the room in which the lizard is housed.

Humidity must be monitored, as well, with gauges called hygrometers. Ideally, humidity should be maintained between 50-70 percent to ensure that lizards are hydrated and shed their skin properly. Daily misting of the tank helps to keep humidity adequate.

Most gecko species are nocturnal in the wild, being active at night, so they are not exposed to a great deal of sunlight. Consequently, some reptile breeders and veterinarians feel that geckos do not require UV light. Provision of UV light to geckos is, however, controversial, and certain veterinarians (including this author) feel that geckos do better and are less likely to develop common skeletal diseases, such as metabolic bone disease, when they are exposed daily to a few hours of UV light from a full-spectrum UV bulb, particularly if they are housed completely indoors.  

While geckos in the wild may live on sand or soil, these substrates are generally not recommended in a pet gecko’s enclosure, as the animal may inadvertently ingest them and develop gastrointestinal impactions or obstructions. Paper-based bedding, such as recycled paper pellets typically used for guinea pigs and rabbits, or shredded newspaper, are better, since they are digestible if consumed.

For a more natural look, pieces of reptile carpet, sold in pet stores, may be used as bedding; however, reptile carpet must be changed frequently, as it gets soiled with food and feces quickly.

 

What to Feed to a Baby Gecko

Leopard geckos are carnivores; they don’t eat plants or other vegetable matter but rather live insects such as mealworms and crickets. Crested geckos eat small amounts of fruit in the wild in addition to insects.

Baby geckos can be offered small crickets and mealworms daily. Insects, in general, should be no bigger than the width of the gecko’s head. When lizards get closer to adult size, they can be fed insects every other day and be offered larger insects, such as waxworms, superworms, and Dubia roaches.

The insects you are feeding to your gecko should be fed a diet that has been fortified with calcium, vitamins, and minerals (a process called gut-loading) before being offered to the geckos so that the lizard is getting balanced nutrition. If you are raising your own insects for feed, the insects also should be lightly coated with calcium powder three times a week, calcium powder with additional vitamin D3 twice a week, and a mineral supplement once a week, before being fed to the gecko.

Insects can be provided to baby geckos in small shallow dishes into which geckos can climb to eat them. If a baby lizard is too small initially to climb into the dish, it can be hand-fed one insect at a time until it grows large enough to eat on its own. Only the number of insects a gecko will eat in one sitting should be offered at a time, or leftover insects may chew on the lizard’s skin. In addition, geckos should be fed fresh water daily from a shallow dish from which they can drink. The dish of water will also help to increase ambient humidity as the water evaporates.

Crested geckos, like leopard geckos, also eat insects, but they can be fed a product called Repashy Superfoods Crested Gecko Diet as their main diet to reduce the need for insects. This diet is mixed with two parts of water, and the gecko is offered as much of this mixture as it will eat out of a shallow dish in one sitting three times a week. The mixed diet can sit in the enclosure for up to 24 hours before it should be removed. Crested geckos eating Repashy may be offered insects once a week along with small amounts of fruit (such as banana or mango) or fruit baby food from a jar as a treat.

How to Hold a Baby Gecko

Baby geckos can be very skittish, so handling them when they are little can help acclimate them to touch and make them less afraid. However, until they are at least three inches long, they can be injured when they are handled, so it is better to let them grow a bit before picking them up regularly. Also, for the first two weeks after they are introduced into a new enclosure, it is best not to handle them so that they can adjust to their new home. After that, 5 to 15 minutes a day of handling should be enough to get them used to being held but not too much to stress them.

In addition, reptiles absorb bacteria, other germs, and toxic chemicals through their skin, so it is essential that anyone handling a gecko does so only with clean hands. Conversely, since reptiles carry disease-producing bacteria, such as Salmonella, on their skin that can be transmitted to people during handling, it’s also critical that individuals handling geckos wash their hands thoroughly after touching them.

Finally, since geckos naturally “drop” or release their tails to escape when their tails are grabbed by predators, geckos should never be handled by their tails, or they might break off. Many geckos will regrow their tails if they break off, but the area of the break is susceptible to developing infection, and the new tail may have a completely different color and shape than the original tail. Therefore, it is better to gently hold a baby gecko in the palm of a flat hand while using the other hand to prevent it from jumping or running away.

The "hand walking" method, in which the gecko, sitting on one extended upright palm, is offered the other extended palm directly in front of it to allow it to hop or jump to the second palm, over and over (think Slinky), also can be used to encourage baby geckos to get used to handling.

What Illnesses Do Baby Geckos Get?

Unfortunately, too many gecko owners do not educate themselves about what their lizards require in terms of housing or nutrition before they bring them home. For example, gecko owners are often not aware they have to gut-load insects or dust them with vitamin and mineral supplements before feeding them to their pets. As a result, baby geckos (particularly those that are housed indoors without access to any UV light that aids in making vitamin D3 in the skin to help absorb calcium from food) can develop metabolic bone disease. In this condition, the calcium to phosphorus ratio in the lizard’s body is typically less than the ideal 2 to 1 ratio. Consequently, their bones never ossify but remain soft and spongy and may fold or fracture. They become weak and stop moving and eating. When untreated, these animals often die.

Gecko owners who see any of these signs in their pets should bring them to the veterinarian as soon as possible to start treatment with calcium and vitamin D. With early therapy, these animals can make a full recovery.

Another disease common in baby geckos is life-threatening gastrointestinal (GI) impaction and obstruction with sand bedding. These little lizards inadvertently consume bits of sand as they ingest insects, and sand gradually accumulates in the GI tract until an obstruction ensues. These pets stop eating, become weak, strain to pass stool, and eventually stop passing it altogether. Lizard owners who see these signs should have their pets treated by a veterinarian immediately. With subcutaneous fluids, enemas, and oral laxatives, many of these lizards can be saved.

A final disease that occurs commonly in baby geckos is retention of shedding skin from lack of humidity. Geckos that are kept at too low humidity get dehydrated and retain patches of skin around their toes (where it can constrict circulation, leading to loss of digits) and around their eyes (where it interferes with their vision and their ability to catch insects). As a result, they stop eating, lose weight, and often die. Early intervention by a veterinarian to extract shed skin stuck in eyes, to rehydrate the pet, and to start force-feeding until the animal eats on its own, can make the difference between life and death.

Related

7 Terrarium Dangers for Reptiles

Baby and Juvenile Crested Gecko Care (With Shopping List)

When you first get a crested gecko, you’ll probably get an older juvenile or even adult crested gecko as they are easier to handle. However, if you’re a more experienced owner you can get a baby crested gecko. Baby cresties are easier to bond with and you’ll get the opportunity to learn how to care for a crested gecko in almost every stage of its life: hatchling, juvenile, adult.

Baby crested geckos, also called hatchlings and juveniles, require special housing and require high humidity to shed their skin. They will need an appropriate diet to grow and become healthy adults. Baby crested gecko care isn’t difficult but you should be more delicate when handling them.

When talking about baby crested geckos in this article I mean both hatchlings and juveniles. Crested geckos are called juveniles in the stage up to their adulthood (around 18 months).

While older juvenile crested geckos (for example 6 months and older) aren’t really “baby crested geckos” anymore, I’ve included them here for convenience. You’ll notice that at certain points I’ll be making the distinction between younger and older juvenile crested geckos. Older juveniles can sometimes be compared to adult crested geckos in their needs and care.

If you want to learn more about the care for adult crested geckos you should definitely read the following article about crested gecko care.

Baby Crested Geckos

Baby crested geckos will hatch from their eggs after 2 to 3 months. The baby crested gecko will still be very little, measuring between 2.5 and 3 inches (6.5 to 7.5 centimeters) and weighing around 2 grams. The size and weight can depend on several factors such as genetics and incubation temperature.

You should weigh and measure your baby crested gecko each week. A kitchen scale can be used for this reason. The table below shows you the average growth rate of baby crested geckos.

AgeWeight
1 month2 grams
2 month3 grams
3 month4 grams
4 month5 grams
5 month7 grams
6 month9 grams

To learn more about the growth rate of crested geckos check out this article.

How to Handle a Baby Crested Gecko

Baby crested geckos are tiny and can be very fast which makes them less easy to handle, especially for a beginner. They also aren’t used to handling and will try to jump away which can be a bad thing when they don’t have something to jump on and fall on the ground. 

It’s advised not to start handling a baby crested gecko until it’s a bit older (six months and older). The exception to this is that you’ll need to handle them to weigh and measure them and to clean the container. When you do handle a baby crested gecko always be careful and don’t grab it by its tail. This can easily lead to stress and tail loss.

Housing a Baby Crested Gecko

Baby crested gecko care shares similarities with the housing of adult crested geckos. They both need a humidity between 50 and 80 percent. The temperature should also be between 72 and 78 ° F (22 to 26 °C) during the day and 69 and 74 °F (20 and 23 °C) during the night. Indirect sunlight or artificial light should be provided 12 to 14 hours a day. At night, no special lighting is needed.

The differences in housing a baby crested gecko are on three major points: the enclosure, the substrate, and the plants.

Enclosure for baby crested geckos

Baby crested geckos (up to 10 grams) can be kept in small containers and don’t need to be kept in a terrarium. It’s even better to keep them in smaller containers or tanks that have a minimum size between 1.5 and 5 gallons such as a faunarium or a very small terrarium (8″x 8″x 12″). Juveniles between 10 and 25 grams can be kept in the first small terrarium between 7 and 10 gallons.

Hatchlings and juveniles will need these smaller enclosures because they’ll often have trouble finding food in a larger cage. They only need a small environment that has a few plants or branches and don’t need an entire system with climbing possibilities. 

Some adult crested geckos will have trouble adjusting to larger terraria because they’re not used to the size of the terrarium. You can try to get your crested gecko adjusted to a larger sized terrarium by gradually switching to larger enclosures as the baby crested gecko grows up.

Substrates for baby crested geckos

Baby crested geckos are tiny and are miniature versions of adult crested geckos. Since they’re tiny you can’t use the same kind of substrate for baby crested geckos as you would for adults.

The substrate for baby crested gecko should have a low ingestions risk and should be able to be cleaned easily. This eliminates a lot of substrate types and only leaves you with two options since bark and soil can easily be ingested.

I would recommend that you use one of these substrates for your baby crested gecko:

  • no substrate: if you don’t use a substrate in a terrarium for a baby crested gecko there’s obviously no risk of ingestion. There’s however a risk associated with using no substrate. The high humidity that baby crested geckos need will lead to the buildup of water on the surface of the terrarium. There’s also an added risk that bacteria will build up without a substrate. So, daily cleaning will be necessary.
  • paper substrates: a more popular substrate for baby crested geckos is paper. It’s a cheap and safe way to provide a first substrate for the babies to walk on. You can use old newspapers or paper towels and can even continue to use them as your baby crested gecko grows older. It’s possible that your hatchling tears up the paper and will try to eat it. In such a case, you can opt for butcher paper, which is a lot sturdier and is less likely to tear.

Older juveniles can be kept in a terrarium with more naturalistic substrate but my recommendation is to be careful and wait until your crested gecko is adult before you get a substrate with an ingestion risk.

Terrarium plants and branches

Terrarium plants are useful to provide a hiding place and a way to climb around and explore the enclosure. Live terrarium plants are useful to increase the humidity and to give a more natural look to the terrarium. However, baby crested geckos benefit more from fake vines. A small container also isn’t a good place to fill with live plants.

Get one or two small branches and a small number of fake plants or vines to create hiding places. At least half of the container should be free of foliage just like the terrarium of an adult crested gecko.

When you house your older juvenile crested gecko in a terrarium, you can start with keeping live terrarium plants.

Baby Crested Gecko Diet

Dietary basics

The yolk sack of which hatchling comes has enough nutrients for a hatchling to last for the first days. It’s entirely possible that your baby crested gecko doesn’t eat the very first days. 

A baby crested gecko will usually eat after its first shedding, which happens within 2 to 3 days after hatching. To be certain that your crested gecko has food you should place food in the container 24 to 48 hours after hatching.

Since crested geckos are omnivores they feed on both animal and plant matter. Although baby crested geckos can be fed a self-made fruit diet it’s best to stay use commercial crested gecko food like meal replacement powders. These contain all nutrients your baby crested gecko needs.

Feeding insects to baby crested geckos

Insects can be introduced fairly quickly, about a month after hatching. These crickets shouldn’t be bigger than the width of your crested gecko’s head. Baby crested geckos usually are able to eat small crickets that measure between  ⅛ inch to ¼ inch depending on the size of your baby crested gecko.

The insects should be gut-loaded and dusted with calcium and D3 powder. A baby crested gecko can consume two crickets about every other day although this is not always recommended when feeding a commercial diet. 

Water

Baby crested geckos need water but will usually drink droplets of water that remain after misting. You should however also place a water bowl in the container. This bowl should contain only a shallow amount of water to prevent the accidental drowning of your crested gecko.

What Do You Need for Baby Crested Geckos?

You can find everything you’ll need for both baby, juvenile, and adult crested geckos in our shopping list.

Baby crested geckos will start with a few decorations and (fake) plants in their container or tank but will eventually need a larger terrarium that can be filled with all kinds of decorations, plants, vines, and branches.

If you don’t want to search to collect all essentials for caring for your baby crested gecko you might want to consider a starter kit. A good crested gecko starter kit contains almost everything to start (except for food and feeding ledges).

Do baby crested geckos eat every day?

Baby crested geckos don’t need to eat every day but can eat every other day just like adult crested geckos. Depending on the kind of diet you give you can feed them every day to promote growth.

Can baby crested geckos be housed together?

Baby crested geckos can be housed together in a large enough terrarium. You should however separate them when they grow larger and can’t fit in a normal terrarium. It’s recommended to separate them at six months.

Want to Learn More?

If you want to learn more about crested geckos as pets, please read the following articles.

If you’re interested in getting crested geckos as pets you should also definitely read our article about (adult) crested gecko care.

Kevin N.

Kevin is the owner of My Crested Gecko. He wrote this blog for many years and has been a geckos enthusiast his entire life, but only became an official "geckophile" five years ago when he acquired one as a pet! Kevin knows how to care for hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and degus in addition to crested geckos which are more than happy with him every day!

Can crested banana-eating geckos change color and why do they do it?

EYELASHED BANANA GECKO

Crested banana-eating geckos are beautiful lizards known for their patterns and colors, also called morphs. Some reptiles, such as chameleons, have the ability to change their color to blend in with their environment. So, do banana-eaters have the same ability to change color?

Can banana eaters change color?

Banana eaters can change their color. Color change can only be caused by aging. Cubs and juveniles usually have a different or different shade than when they are adults. Another color change process when they are exposed to certain environmental influences . This process depends on various factors.

Banana eaters are limited in their ability to change color and cannot do so of their own accord. They will change their color when they grow up or when they are exposed to certain environmental influences. There is also another way your gecko's color can change temporarily, the molting cycle.

In this article, you will learn why the banana eater changes color and what environmental conditions can cause the color change.

Why do crested geckos change color?

There are three reasons why your gecko may change color:

  • developmental (age-related) color change
  • environmental discoloration (ignition)
  • discoloration due to shedding

Age-related color change

  • Banana eaters are born with a bright orange or red color and it is not possible to determine the adult color in the first few months. Your toddler or teen won't change color overnight, it will take several months to see the final color.
  • At about 1 year old your banana eater, the adult color will be set. It may be a completely different color than the one the cub had. Like color, patterns are also associated with age. The hatchling will have few or no spots, but stripes and spots appear as they mature.

Environmental color change

Even adult banana eaters can still change their color, depending on many different factors. You may be influenced by some environmental conditions that may cause color change.

The most common causes for a gecko to change color are:

  • stress, fear, aggression : all of these moods can cause a gecko to change color. The stress and fear response can be triggered by a new environment, poor living conditions, overcrowding, or even reproduction.
  • high humidity : Higher humidity of about 70 percent may cause discolouration. These levels of humidity occur usually at night or in the morning.
  • High temperature : Temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit can cause a gecko to change color. Just don't expose them to high temperatures (above 85 degrees Fahrenheit) for long periods of time as this can cause overheating.
  • lighting (or lack of light) : Banana eaters often change color at night when there is little light. Perhaps this is a way to hide from predators by getting darker colors.
  • activity : sleeping gecko usually has a duller color. When your banana eater becomes active at night, it usually darkens.
  • Some of these causes are interrelated. High humidity often occurs at night when there is little light and when your banana eater is active. It is not always possible to attribute the color change to one specific environmental trigger.

Color change due to moulting

  • Banana eaters, like other reptiles, shed their old skin and replace it with new skin. A few days before the start of the molt, you will notice that your banana eater turns gray or even turns pale. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. Your banana eater will change its skin and return to its normal color in a few days.

How to make your banana eater show his color

  • If you want to know what color your banana-eater is, you should try to create ideal conditions for it. You don't need to scare him!
  • All you have to do is create good environmental conditions. You can do this by getting the temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and darkening the terrarium for 15 minutes.

Hazardous color changes

  • Hazardous when only the tail or toes turn black, which is a sign of necrosis. In this case, contact your veterinarian immediately for treatment. It's also possible that you've noticed black spots on your banana-eater's body that weren't there before. If you notice these black spots, your crested gecko may have a fungal or bacterial infection that should also be treated by a veterinarian.

Other related entries:

Eyelash Gecko Care - zootut.art

Natalia | May 16, 2021 | Veterinary | 1 comment

Crested geckos were once thought to be extinct, but were "rediscovered" around 1994. Since then, their popularity as pets has steadily grown.

This is a low maintenance pet, well suited for children or first-time lizard owners who have little time for daily care. One of their distinguishing features is their eyelashes, which is why they are sometimes referred to as eyelash geckos.

How big do crested geckos grow?

15-25 cm.

How long do crested geckos live?

10-20 years old

COMMON NAMES: crested gecko, New Caledonian crested gecko, eyelash gecko.

Crested gecko behavior and temperament

Crested geckos come in a wide variety of colors and patterns (morphs). They get their name from the fringed crest that starts above their eyes and runs down their neck and back, although the size of the crest varies.

Crested geckos have special toe pads that allow them to move easily on vertical surfaces, and prehensile tails add to their agility. They are also excellent jumpers.

Crested geckos generally have a relatively docile temperament, although they are a little shy and should be handled with care. They usually don't like manipulation, so avoid it if possible. They may try to jump away from you, which could injure them. Crested geckos may drop their tail if handled roughly or when trying to escape; unlike other geckos, they do not regenerate their tails.

They will only bite if they feel threatened. The bites are striking, although they do not cause pain and are not strong enough to cause bleeding.

Keeping a crested gecko

For an adult, a terrarium at least 75 liters high is sufficient, but a larger aquarium is better. Crested geckos are arboreal, active and need a lot of vertical climbing space, so a tall aquarium is preferable. Two to three crested geckos can be housed in a 110 liter tall terrarium. Males are territorial, so keep only one male per aquarium. You can use a glass terrarium with a shielded side for ventilation, but some keepers prefer shielded aviaries.

Crested geckos need room to climb, so provide them with a mix of branches, driftwood, cork, bamboo, and vines of varying heights and orientations. Add a variety of silk or durable live plants (pothos, philodendron, dracaena, ficus) as they will burrow into the plants for cover. Every day you need to remove all uneaten food and clean fecal stains. Clean the entire terrarium and its decorations at least once a month using reptile-safe disinfectants. Depending on the substrate, you will need to replace it weekly or monthly to prevent bacterial growth.

Crested gecko temperature regime

As cold-blooded creatures, all reptiles must regulate their body temperature. A daytime temperature gradient of 22 C to 26.5 C should be provided for crested geckos, dropping to 18 C to 24 C at night). Keep an eye on the temperature sensors to make sure the cage is not overheating. Crested geckos experience stress at higher temperatures. A low power red night light is a good source of heat and also allows you to observe the lizard at night when it is most active. Do not place a heat source on top of the tank as these climbing geckos can get too close and get burned.

Crested gecko lighting

Crested geckos are nocturnal; technically they don't need special UVB lighting. However, some experts suggest that low levels of UVB lighting (about 5 percent) are beneficial to the general health of reptiles. Any additional lighting will increase the temperature in the room, so keep an eye on it. Also, provide a gecko shelter so the geckos can run away from the light if they want to.

Humidity for crested gecko

Crested geckos require moderate to high humidity levels. Aim for 60% during the day and 80% at night. Purchase a hygrometer (humidity sensor) for daily level monitoring. Maintain moisture by misting regularly with warm, filtered water. Depending on your cage setup, you may need to mist it several times a day to keep it moist. Always make sure the cage is well misted at night when the geckos are most active. If you're not home during the day or can't physically mist up your aviary, get an automatic sprayer or fogger to add moisture to the cage at regular intervals.

Crested gecko food and water

Since they are nocturnal, feed crested geckos in the evening. Feed juveniles daily and adults three times a week.

The commercial crested gecko diet is generally well received and is the easiest way to provide a well balanced and nutritious diet. Supplement this food with crickets and other predatory insects (cockroaches, worms, silkworms). Avoid feeding mealworms as they have a hard, indigestible exoskeleton. For variety and for the gecko to show its hunting instincts, feed as many predatory insects at a time as the gecko willingly eats.

Insects to be fed should be slightly smaller than the space between the gecko's eyes and should be gut loaded or fed a nutritious meal before being fed to the lizard. To increase your reptile's vitamin and mineral intake, dust the insects with a powdered calcium/vitamin D3 supplement three times a week. Dust your prey with a multivitamin powder once a week.

Crested geckos will eat fruit several times a week. Try fruit puree or canned baby food. Favorites include bananas, peaches, nectarines, apricots, papaya, mangoes, pears and passion fruit.

If you are having trouble finding a commercial gecko diet, suggest a combination of insect food and fruit. This option is not the most balanced, but it will be enough in a pinch or for a short period. In this case, your best bet for insects is crickets, sometimes with other insects added for variety.

Give a small, shallow bowl of fresh water daily, although they are more likely to drink drops of leaf water in a humid environment.

General health problems

Geckos are prone to several health problems treated by an exotic veterinarian.