New Caledonian crested gecko
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| New Caledonian crested gecko | ||||||||||||||||
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| Rhacodactylus ciliatus Guichenot, 1866 |
The New Caledonian crested gecko or eyelash gecko ( Rhacodactylus ciliatus), is a type of gecko found only on the southern end of the island of New Caledonia. This species of gecko was thought extinct until it was rediscovered by a team of biologists in 1994. This gecko, along with several other Rhacodactylus species is being considered for protected status by CITES. Crested geckos were first described by Guichenot in 1866 and is sometimes also referred to as Guichenot's giant gecko.
The common name of R. ciliatus refers to eyelash-like projections found above the eyes in this gecko. Other physical features of this gecko include a prehensile tail, and a crest that runs from each eye to the tail. Like all Rhacodactylus geckos, R. ciliatus has webbing on the legs and long digits. Crested geckos are an arboreal species, preferring to make their home in the canopy of the New Caledonian rain forests. This is a nocturnal gecko.
Color Morphs
The crested gecko has many naturally occurring color groups, some of which include: gray, brown (including buckskin, chocolate, and olive), red (including salmon, and rust), orange (including peach), yellow (including cream and sulfur), and blue. Aside from the highly variable colors, they also have a variety of markings which include: dalmatian spotted (peppered), flame, harlequin, pinstripe, brindle, and tiger. The markings and coloration are not geographic indicators and young geckos from the same clutch may display differing coloration and markings. Breeders have likened this gecko to koi due to the high potential for creating "designer" lines.
Captive Care
Though the export of wild crested geckos is strictly prohibited, before these bans were put in place biologists exported several specimens for breeding and study. From these few specimens, many different breeding lines were established both in Europe and the United States. The Crested gecko is now one of the most widely kept and bred species of gecko in the herpetoculture world. In captivity, this gecko will eat a variety of live insects including crickets and mealworms. They also readily accept fruit mashes or fruit based baby foods. These geckos recognize standing water and will drink from a dish. It is recommended that misting of the cage occur at least once a day to keep humidity levels up.
Male geckos should be housed separately or as a part of a breeding pair or trio with females. Males housed together will often fight. Females are social and can be housed together. An adult pair or trio should be kept in a terrarium no smaller than a commercially available 20 gallon "high" tank. The crested gecko thrives at "room temperature". It is generally recommended that temperatures not go above 80 degrees Fahrenheit or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Breeding
Crested geckos breed readily, with the female laying two eggs which hatch 60-90 days after they are laid. Eggs are generally laid at four week intervals as long as the fat and calcium reserves of the female are still at healthy levels. During breeding season, female geckos should be provided with extra calcium and be offered either crickets or fruit once a day.
Most breeders suggest that male geckos be removed from the females after a three to six month breeding season to allow the females time to recover and rebuild depleted fat and calcium stores. At this time some breeders find it beneficial to reduce the number of daylight hours and slightly reduce the cage temperature (known as "wintering" your geckos).
Newly hatched crested geckos will generally not eat until after they shed their skin for the first time. Instead, they use the remains of their yolk sack for nutrition. They should be misted regularly and provided with food daily. R. ciliatus reaches sexual maturity at an age of 8-10 months.