How Often Should I Hold My Crested Gecko?

Crested geckos can be very affectionate and will love to be held, but it’s important to know how often they like to be handled before you start. It’s best to offer your hand a few times a week until both you and your lizard are comfortable with this kind of interaction.

During the handling process, your crestie might nip, squirm, or try to run away from you, so it’s important that you handle them carefully and only at times when they are feeling relaxed and happy in their environment. It’s also helpful to familiarize yourself with their body language so that you can understand when it’s time to stop handling them and let them get some much-needed alone time!

What to Watch for When Holding Your Pet

One of the first things to look out for when you are holding your crestie is their tails. If they are frightened, they will drop their tails to protect themselves from predators. It’s very common for cresties to do this in their natural habitat, and you may find this behavior during your handling sessions as well.

Another sign to look out for when you are holding your pet is a gaping mouth, which means that they are afraid of being touched and want to hide or escape. This can also indicate that you need to remove your hand, as a crestie will not always be friendly towards people who do not have the proper handling techniques for them.

The last warning sign to be aware of when handling your crestie is that they might poop or pee on you! This is actually a very normal part of their behavior and will allow them to relieve themselves without having to go back into their cage.

If you are worried about a potential accident, you can remove the crestie from their habitat or terrarium right away. This will help to avoid any accidents that might result from your crestie trying to escape or being hurt by the enclosure.

How to Handle Baby Crownies

If your crestie is a baby, it is not safe to handle them until they reach a certain weight. Once your crestie has reached 8-15 grams in weight, they are usually safe to be held.

You can then begin to offer your crestie their favorite fruit and insects. It’s important to gut load and dust your crestie’s food with calcium and vitamin D3 before you feed them so that they receive all of the nutrients they need. The best fruit options for a crested gecko are mangoes, strawberries, papayas, bananas, watermelons, and figs.

Other foods you can provide your crestie include crickets, calcium worms, and Dubia roaches. These should be offered rarely, as these types of insects can cause digestive problems if not properly processed.

If you do choose to feed your crestie a variety of insects, make sure to select ones that are not too big for them to swallow and to keep the number of different types of prey low. These insects will be easier for your crestie to catch in their small habitat, and they will also require less of your time to consume.