Identifying Crested Gecko Problems

"The last thing I want to touch on -- and I like to touch on this with any reptile -- is listening to your reptile. I know -- he's not talking to me. I can't hear him. He doesn't speak, but he does talk to me in other ways. He talks to me in his behavior. He talks to me in how he moves, what he does on a daily basis. You want to make sure that you're spending the time to watch this animal in his enclosure, as well as outside of the enclosure in your hand on a daily basis. And just kind of check out to see what he's doing. If he's doing any one thing particular that seems out of the ordinary, make sure you look into that. These behavioral cues can be important in identifying problems in husbandry before they become life threatening for the animal. So, if he's acting a little bit listless, or if he's not necessarily as active as he should be, or if he's spending too much time in one area of the enclosure, we need to take a critical eye to why that this is happening. It's very important that we very carefully observe him in his captive environment, because you are essentially his God. You have control over everything and you have to make sure that you're doing the right thing for him. He is your responsibility. It is just like having a child. So, make sure you're listening to your reptile, as it is part of the fun of keeping a reptile, as well as important for his overall health and care."