# Crested Gecko On The Ground???



## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

Hi,

I have had my crested gecko now since end of December and he/she was bought as a baby (hatched 2011) he was 2grams when I got him and now is 5grams and although I am still not convinced he is eating much for his CGD or fruit purees I have made I know the dubia roaches barely step in the tank before being eaten!! Is it a bad thing if he is not eating his CGD but eating live (always dusted with calcium)?? As he is so small it is very hard to tell but I never see any tell tell signs that he has had any CGD out of his dish!

I have attached a piccy of his set up and of Gurgle, he gets misted twice a day which I always see him lick the water so know he is drinking ok? Temp tends to be between 22 - 24c and falls to about 19 - 21 at night.

Anyway my main worry at the moment is that he seems to spend all of his time on the ground of the viv, is this normal?? When he was very little I had him in a faunarium and he spent 50% on the floor & 50% on the vines / bamboo.

In his viv he has plently of plants to climb on (mixture of live and fake), twisted willow branches, 2 pieces of mopani wood to climb on, 2 x magnatural ledges, some bamboo canes, 1 x vine and a coconut hut all of which he can get to! He seems to favour during the day and evening hiding in his coconut house or under the mopani wood, again IS THIS NORMAL??

I thought geckos prefered sitting in their vines or on branches (climbing around), maybe he is doing this when lights are out and we all go to bed so might be worrying over nothing BUT this is my first reptile, my experience lies within newts and axolotls lol!

Anyway if anyone can help, would greatly appreciate it! Thanks! :2thumb:


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## sue59 (Oct 31, 2010)

He looks well and cute. What substrate have you got it on? Have you checked that he can climb the sides of the glass. Sometimes they retain shed on their feet and can't get up. I would try firstly. If it can't put it in a cricket box with some crumpled up kitchen roll and a small amount of warm water , leave it for ten mins and try using a cotton bud to remove the shed. If this isn't the problem do you think it may be too hot at the top for it. What size viv is it in and what bulbs/ heating . Sorry for all the questions but I think they may help :2thumb:


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

sue59 said:


> He looks well and cute. What substrate have you got it on? Have you checked that he can climb the sides of the glass. Sometimes they retain shed on their feet and can't get up. I would try firstly. If it can't put it in a cricket box with some crumpled up kitchen roll and a small amount of warm water , leave it for ten mins and try using a cotton bud to remove the shed. If this isn't the problem do you think it may be too hot at the top for it. What size viv is it in and what bulbs/ heating . Sorry for all the questions but I think they may help :2thumb:


Thanks  He has a bare bottomed viv due to him being small and the risk of impaction 

He can climb the glass so its not that 

Its a Ferplast Explora 50 - dimensions 52cm wide x 27 depth x 41 height.

I dont use any heating as we have a very warm house! his viv sits between 22 - 24c in the day and drops to 20 - 21 at night.

I dont use the light during the day only for a few hours in the evening and its an Exo Terra Repti Glo 2.0 Compact Fluorescent Bulbs UVB-Exo.

Thanks for replying appreciate any help!!!


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## imitebmike (Jun 22, 2008)

some cresties just seem to just prefer the ground  as long as he is pooping and seems well in himself, it is fine i think

also, they can spend more time on the floor cause they prefer the temps, or if they have retained shed on their feet, but if he can climb the class i wouldnt say it was that


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## jasont21 (Aug 25, 2010)

we have a couple of babies that curl up at the bases of their vines on the floor, and had our now adults do it every noe and again when they were yougner too. 
Seems to be something they grow out of and one of those things that even in perfect conditions, they will still sleep where you don't want them to. 
Like the abve, if they are gaining weight, shedding and pooing fine, try not to worry. 
He/she looks healthy and a baby putting on a gram a month is a pretty decent increase. Keep offering CGD, they do eat it, but its very hard to notice, you will most likely notice it more in time. 
You could also try other flavours or mix it with some of your fruit mixtures. (assuming its not citrus etc)
Lastly, if the cgd side of things worrys you enough, just put some on a spoon, and later in the evening when there about, try putting some on a spon infront of his nose (do it a day or two after his last big feed) and fingers crossed he will lick the cgd off whatever it is - proving he will and prob does eat it. 

Again, try not to worry about the sleeping ararngements. You could add a hide? I have used a toilet roll tube, with a hole cut in the side and fit in the top corner of babies faunariums before. That worked well. You could post a pic of your set up as well, but i would say don't worry. Looks healthy and sounds pretty normal!


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

jasont21 said:


> we have a couple of babies that curl up at the bases of their vines on the floor, and had our now adults do it every noe and again when they were yougner too.
> Seems to be something they grow out of and one of those things that even in perfect conditions, they will still sleep where you don't want them to.
> Like the abve, if they are gaining weight, shedding and pooing fine, try not to worry.
> He/she looks healthy and a baby putting on a gram a month is a pretty decent increase. Keep offering CGD, they do eat it, but its very hard to notice, you will most likely notice it more in time.
> ...


Lovely thanks so much!! As I say reptiles are new to me so although I have done lots of research before I bought him as just a bit concerned that he now favours the floor but as you say sure it will change when he gets older! As for pooing, drinking, eating etc all happy with that and yes when I first got him I used to feed him off a spoon and my fingers to make sure he was eating  He is on Clarkes so has all 4 flavours for variety and the puree I have done him is a mix of strawberries, pear, melon & kiwi with some CGD mixed in  As you say they are so tiny its hard to know if they have licked some!

He does have a few hides, there us the coconut hide bottom left of viv, the mopani wood which he can hide under and and another piece of mopani which he also likes hiding under :2thumb:

As for piccy of set up it is on the thread already so let me know what you think!

Again thanks for the help and comments!


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## CrestieGeckoGirl (Jan 5, 2012)

I have 3 babies at the mo and 1 of them (Pumpkin) always sleeps on the ground curled up with a leaf on her head, it melts my heart when I see her! Sooo cute :flrt:

Pumpkin is the one always climbing the viv and making death dives off the bamboo at night though!! 

She also runs over and jumps onto my hand for cuddles, she is special! Healthy but special:flrt::flrt:

Don't worry everything sounds fine, so long she/he is eating, pooping, gaining weight and active you have a perfectly normal (just extra cute) crestie.:2thumb:


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## UKCrestie (Sep 9, 2011)

I found one of my youngsters asleep under the kitchen towel this week. 'She' was upside-down with her belly facing upwards and arms sprawled out and just a sleepy head poking out of the paper.
They are odd little animals I wouldnt worry at all about him/her - they really do have very differing personalities.
Ive never seen her do this before this week and nothing has changed housing wise, guessing she is just trying something new - no matter how odd it looks, wish my camera was charged at the time!
It could just be a phase or he/she could just prefer the temperature/security of the floor area : victory:


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

UKCrestie said:


> I found one of my youngsters asleep under the kitchen towel this week. 'She' was upside-down with her belly facing upwards and arms sprawled out and just a sleepy head poking out of the paper.
> They are odd little animals I wouldnt worry at all about him/her - they really do have very differing personalities.
> Ive never seen her do this before this week and nothing has changed housing wise, guessing she is just trying something new - no matter how odd it looks, wish my camera was charged at the time!
> It could just be a phase or he/she could just prefer the temperature/security of the floor area : victory:


:lol2:I would have had a mini heart attack if I had of found Gurgle like that, bless her!!! I think after all the kids replies I have had I am beginning to understand that it is all normal gecko behaviour which is great!! I know he is eating, pooing, drinking etc and putting on weight so mind is at rest now thanks!!

I took him out yesterday to have a little cuddle and run around on me and my daughter and son lol and he was fine, weighed him again and all good! When I popped him back in his viv he jumped up on the vine and has been there since apart from taking a walk along his bamboo, down the glass a bit and this morning he is back in his vine so all good!

Thanks again everyone for your help :2thumb:


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## LuLu (Aug 13, 2011)

*A few of my guys love the floor too tbh! Plenty of room to leap and swing about above them, but they would rather shuffle about on the ground  *

*As previously stated by others, they all have different personalities, likes and also dislikes. What works for one, might not work for another  *

*Gurgle is also very cute! :flrt:*


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