Are nightlights and essential oils safe for my crested gecko?

Hi there! We have a Crested Gecko and have so much fun with him! Don’t worry, they are a great starter reptile and are pretty easy to keep. In the winter we use a red light to keep the tank warmer, but not a specific heat lamp. This keeps the tank warm enough without getting too hot. Also very important is the humidity of the tank. Keeping it spritzed several times a day is necessary. We started with a tank your size and it probably would have been just fine long term, but we ended up purchasing a larger tank because we wanted a different look. Best of luck and have fun with your crestie! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

As long as you use high quality oils and they are heavily diluted, he *should* be fine. That said, there are some EOs that are toxic to reptiles and should not be used. Most "tree oils", such as eucalyptus, are highly toxic and never recommended.

A heat lamp isn't necessary unless the room where the cage is located is cold. Cresties do just fine at room temperature. A UVB light source isn't necessary either as long as you feed a diet containing adequate levels of Vitamon D3. That said, either won't harm him and it is a matter of personal preference. Be sure to monitor cage temps to make sure they don't go too high. There was no image attached to this question. Age can be difficult to determine if you don't have a hatch date. The reason being that growth can be dramatically affected by diet and environment. Contact the PetSmart where he was purchased. They should have records from the source/breeder which should include a hatch date or age.

Thanks for reaching out about Dwight. Do you know how cold it is getting at night? If dropping below 70, probably needs a red heat lamp or ceramic heater, neither of which should affect his diurnal cycle. Good luck.

Hello. While 75-80F is a good range for the warm end of the cage, it would be ideal to have temps from 68-75 at the cooler end so he can self regulate his temperature. If the enclosure is too small to allow such a temperature gradient, then you may find your gecko will become stressed from being either too hot or too cold, and then susceptible to infection. Look through the enclosure and over his body for signs of infection or illness. Count food items offered so you can be sure how much he eats. Also consider a red or blue bulb for night viewing. This may help you observe his nocturnal activity better. Regardless, a new pet exam by a veterinarian is always a good idea to ensure good health and proper husbandry. Good luck!

Thanks for reaching out regarding Night Hawk and including photos. The pictures appear good and seems a lot of thought went into your set up. You haven't mentioned UVB radiation or diet, but everything else appears good. Even though geckos are noctunal, they are often inactive during the day but receiving radiation. Insect species need to be varied and gut loaded with a variation of fresh vegetables. Good luck.

Yes, crested geckos are an excellent choice if you have never kept reptiles. An enclosure is easy to set up and the proper diet is easy to purchase. Follow the link for a caresheet. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Crested-Gecko/