The Flame Crested Gecko was considered extinct until 1994. Fortunately, a stable population was hidden away on a small group of islands known as New Caledonia, located between Fiji and Australia. Among the rare lizards that were once kept in captivity, some of these specimens were used to start breeding crested geckos in captivity. As a result, these lizards are now very common. The impressive flame morph is one of the amazing new morph and crested gecko varieties that have emerged through intensive breeding efforts. These scorpions are an excellent choice for beginners due to their exquisite beauty and relatively easy maintenance.
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Quick Facts about Flame Crested Gecko
| Species Name: | Correlophus Ciliatus |
| Common Name: | Flame Crested Gecko |
| Care Level: | Low-moderate |
| Lifespan: | 10-20 years |
| Adult Size: | 5-8 inches |
| Diet: | Omnivore |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 20 gallons |
| Temperature & Humidity: | 70-80 degrees and 60%-80% humidity |
Do Flame Crested Geckos Make Good Pets?
Crested geckos have recently skyrocketed in popularity as pets. The reason for this is due to various factors, including its breathtaking and unique appearance. The relative ease of maintaining these scorpions is another important issue. Crested gecko breeders don’t need to be too involved. Flame-crested geckos are much easier to care for once their habitat is established. Even better, crested geckos are often very gentle and easy to handle. They rarely bite, and if they do, their lips are small, so the bite is not very painful. Overall, flame-crested geckos are great companions, even for those who have never owned a reptile before.
Appearance
Crested gecko species also include flame forms. This particular mutation resulted from a deliberate breeding effort. Not automatically generated. Flame-crowned jackals come in two colors. Most of the colors consist of two contrasting colors, one his second color and the base color, which is much lighter than the base color. Scorpions often have no markings on their sides or limbs, but they may have markings on their tops. Yellow and cream, black and cream, and red and yellow are common flame color combinations. When talking about flame morph colors, the base color is always mentioned first.
Flame Crested Gecko Care
Providing a breeding environment for a Flame Crested Gecko is the most difficult aspect of breeding. All of the following should be kept in mind before purchasing a gecko. Once everything is set up, caring for your gecko will be easy.
Tank
Flame-crested geckos require a tank that holds at least 20 gallons of water. Crested geckos are arboreal, so a towering cage filled with branches and other climbing equipment is ideal. Make sure everything is cleaned and disinfected before putting it in the tank to prevent contamination. Additionally, you should clean and disinfect the tank using bleach once a week. To clean it, you need to move the gecko to another tank.
Lighting
The gecko’s cage should mimic the cycles of the sun. If you want to give your lizard a vitamin D3 supplement in addition to its food, you can use a fluorescent light. Otherwise, we recommend using a UVB-only reptile bulb, even if your crested gecko is nocturnal.
Heating (Temperature & Humidity)
The best way to keep your gecko tank warm is to use heat emitter light bulbs. To monitor the temperature of the enclosure, a thermometer must be installed. You need to create a temperature gradient within the aquarium so that your poikilothermic gecko can regulate its body temperature. The hot side of the tank should be about 80 degrees and the cold side should be about 72 degrees. Temperatures can drop to 65 degrees at night.
Crested geckos require high humidity to survive. At least 50% humidity is required, but most crested geckos will also grow in higher humidity levels of around 70%.
Substrate
For crested geckos, a variety of substrates are suitable, including sphagnum moss, paper towels, newspaper, and coconut fiber. Paper towels and newspapers are easy to clean and replace, but they are unappealing. Sphagnum moss is the preferred substrate for crested geckos. Coconut fiber is fine, but some geckos can accidentally eat it while grazing.
Tank Recommendations
| Tank Type | 20-gallon glass vivarium |
| Lighting | Fluorescent or reptile bulb |
| Heating | Ceramic heat emitter bulb |
| Best Substrate | Sphagnum moss |
Feeding Your Flame Crested Gecko
Omnivores and flame-crowned geckos consume both fruit and insects as food. Nevertheless, the best approach for most crested geckos is to use commercially available crested gecko food. Although commercially available diet solutions can provide all the nutrients your crested geckos need, you can give them fruit and insects in addition to their food.
Feeding insects 2-3 times a week is recommended. Use small insects, about the size between the eyes of a gecko. The most common insect prey of crested jackals are crickets and cockroaches.
In addition, geckos should be fed fruit two to three times a week. Fruits like apricots, bananas, pears, peaches, and mangoes are acceptable.
Diet Summary
| Fruits | 50% of diet |
| Insects | 50% of the diet |
| Meat | 0% of diet |
| Supplements Required | 0% of the diet |
Keeping Your Flame Crested Gecko Healthy
A gecko’s environment is the most important factor determining its health. Your gecko cannot reproduce in substandard conditions and will be prone to many diseases. Make sure the humidity and temperature in your gecko enclosure is appropriate. Additionally, maintain your enclosure by cleaning and disinfecting it at least once a week.
Common Health Issues
- Lack of humidity in gecko cages is the main cause of respiratory illness. Symptoms include wheezing and drooling.
- Mouth rot, also known as stomatitis, is a relatively common disease that occurs when a reptile’s immune system is unable to fight bacteria in its mouth. The main reasons are improper humidity and temperature. Symptoms include loss of appetite, pus, discharge from the mouth and nose, and red tissue around the mouth and nose.
Lifespan
In captivity, reptiles typically live very long lives. With the proper environment and care, Flame Crested Geckos should last more than 10 years. The average life span of most crested geckos in captivity is 10 to 20 years, but it varies greatly depending on the level of care the lizard receives.
Breeding
When a flame-crowned gecko weighs about 40 grams, it is old enough to breed at two years of age. Females lay two eggs per month throughout the breeding season, which runs from spring to late fall, and can produce up to 16 offspring in a season.
Male and female Flamstead Geckos must be kept in the same enclosure for breeding. When the male starts courting the female, you can see him shaking his head and making audible calls. Then it all comes together for some time (probably less than a minute).
Females lay eggs about a month after mating. They must be incubated at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for 70 to 100 days before hatching.
Also Read: Blizzard Leopard Gecko Breed Complete Guide In 2024
Flame Crested Gecko Price
The flame-crested gecko is an affordable exotic reptile form. Flame morphs are a popular choice for amateurs because they are only slightly more expensive than crested geckos. A simple Flame Morph costs between $75 and $100, but if you want a unique and colorful version, you may have to pay a little more.
