Humidity

Crested geckos need a daily cycle: mist in the evening so humidity rises to about 70 to 80 percent, then let the enclosure dry back to about 50 to 60 percent during the day. A constantly wet enclosure is as harmful as a constantly dry one.

Mist the foliage and walls once a day, in the evening, until you see droplets. Your gecko will lick water from the leaves, which is a main way it drinks. Keep a shallow water dish available at all times as well.

Use a digital hygrometer placed at mid-height to check the cycle. The reading should climb after misting and fall over the next several hours. If it never drops, increase ventilation or mist less. If it never rises, mist more heavily or add more foliage and a moisture-holding substrate.

Too dry shows up as stuck shed on the toes and tail tip, sunken eyes, wrinkled skin and a thick, sticky feel to the mouth.

Too wet shows up as mold, a sour smell, soggy substrate, and over time, skin and respiratory infections.

Substrate should be damp underneath but never soaking. Clean tap water is fine for most homes; use filtered water if yours is heavily treated or very hard.

If a gecko has trouble shedding, raise the humidity for a few days. Do not pull stuck shed. If it remains on toes or the tail tip for more than a few days, ask an exotic vet for help.