How Much Do Crested Geckos Cost?

Crested Geckos are adorable and fascinating pets. They’re suitable for adults and children alike. You’ll also be surprised to learn that this unique, exotic pet is quite budget-friendly.

Geckos come with a wide range of price tags for all budgets.

You can find luxury breeds, as well as regular, accessible Crested Geckos. If this sounds intriguing, stick around to find out more! In this article, I’m going to cover all the figures and expenses related to Crested Gecko care.

We’ll talk about the cost of the average Gecko, as well as the setup, food, and vet expenses. Let’s get started!

What is the Average Price of Crested Geckos?

The price of a Crested Gecko runs between $40-$500, with $40-$60 being the lowest average. But this is just the most common price bracket. In exceptional cases, some Crestie specimens have even sold for upwards of $20,000!

Why such a wide range of prices, you ask? That’s because some Geckos are rarer and more sought-after.

The price of a Crested Gecko depends on a variety of factors such as age, gender, morph colors, and availability. Geckos with rare color morphs, such as harlequins, axanthic, or moonglow are very expensive and hard to find.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have patternless or bicolor Crested Geckos. These are the cheapest and easiest to find and should cost roughly $50 on average.

As you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to purchase a lizard pet. But you could also find very expensive Geckos if you wanted.

How Much Does a Crested Gecko Setup Cost?

Besides the Gecko itself, you’ll also have to set some money aside for additional expenses.

Your pet Gecko needs a place to live in. You’ll also need additional gadgets and supplies to make your pet feel at home in its enclosure.

Here’s a quick rundown of the most important things (average prices included):

These are the basic setup components you’ll need. You want to get the setup ready before purchasing the Crested Gecko itself.

If you don’t know what to look for, consider the following tips:

Enclosure

An enclosure with glass walls is best. These enclosures are the most durable and they help maintain a stable temperature. The enclosure should be taller than it is wide.

For one Crested Gecko, the bare minimum measurements should be 18’’ wide by 24’’ tall. Since Crested Geckos are arboreal, they need a lot of vertical space to jump and climb around.

Substrate

The best substrate for Crested Geckos would maintain humidity well, without becoming compacted. Crested Geckos need a high humidity environment (60-80% humidity). The best way to maintain stable, high levels of humidity is by using a highly absorbent substrate.

The most popular and effective options include coconut fiber and sphagnum moss. These substrates are all-natural and they absorb and maintain humidity efficiently. They’re also lightweight and unlikely to become compacted. This is crucial to avoid the formation of mold and anaerobic bacteria.

UVB Lights

Crested Geckos are nocturnal creatures. This means they rest throughout the day and they’re most active at night. Considering this, Geckos don’t need much visible light exposure. However, they do require UVB light to maintain healthy bones.

A UVB light bulb with a 3-5% output is all you need to meet your Gecko’s UVB exposure needs. You’ll find plenty of options in virtually any reptile pet store, as well as online. Also, remember to buy a fixture. The lightbulbs usually come separately.

Heat Bulb

Crested Geckos need a constant high temperature around 72-75°F. Your home might not be warm enough to maintain these levels year-round. That’s why a heat bulb is a good idea. Any small wattage heat bulb (roughly 25 watts) is good enough to maintain these levels.

The heat bulb can also double as a basking spot during the day. There are also no-light heat bulbs you can use at night time. These bulbs emit infrared light and usually come in either black or red colors.

Dual thermometer/hygrometer

You’ll need to maintain stable enclosure parameters. The humidity and temperature should not fluctuate or fall outside the ideal range. Again, the ideal values for a Crested Gecko enclosure are 60-80% humidity, and 72-75°F temperature.

You’ll need a thermometer and a hygrometer to watch these values every day. This way, if anything goes wrong, you’ll notice it right in time to take action. You can find dual thermometer-hygrometers for reptiles in most pet stores, as well as online.

You don’t need anything fancy. Any device that doesn’t take a lot of room is good enough. Most reptile thermo-hygrometers are 2.55 by 0.01 inches. They come with a suction cup for easy installation in the enclosure.

Decorations

Decorations such as branches, vines, and hides are non-negotiable. These elements contribute a lot to the enrichment of your Gecko’s habitat. They closely simulate your pet’s natural living conditions. They also provide your Crestie with opportunities to exercise their natural climbing and jumping skills.

You can include both fake and natural plants in the enclosure. Most of the decorations you’ll find are fake but completely safe for your pet. The material doesn’t matter, as long as the plants and hides look natural. You can go wild here, decorating your vivarium however you like.

But remember to include some tall ledges and climbing vines. These vines come with strong suction cups for easy installation and stability. Remember— Crested Geckos are arboreal. They’ll appreciate any opportunity to climb inside the enclosure.

Food and Water Dishes

You don’t need anything special here. Any small plastic cup is fine. The most common sizes you’ll find have a 0.5-1.0 oz capacity, which is just right for an adult Gecko. You’ll initially need just two cups— one for the food, and one for the water.

Ideally, you should also purchase a suspended ledge. There are many such feeding ledges specially designed for reptile pets. They are very easy to install in the enclosure. They usually come with either magnets or suction cups. Ledges are a great way to prevent your pet from spilling its food and water everywhere.

Spray Bottle

You’ll need a spray bottle to mist the enclosure every day. This helps bump up the humidity and also provides your Gecko with extra water droplets to drink. Any cheap plastic spray bottle will do. You can even find some in Walmart for under $3 apiece.

I recommend a shorter bottle with a wider neck. These are easier to clean. Yes, you should occasionally clean your misting bottle, especially if you let old water sit around in it. You can look for plastic spray bottles for hair styling or watering plants. These are usually just the right shape and size.

Digital Scale

Finally, you’ll need a digital scale to record your Crestie’s growth. You should weigh hatchlings and juveniles at least once a week to track their weight gain and development. The scale will become a godsend for monitoring your Gecko’s health.

The scale is also useful for monitoring adult Geckos. You want to be aware of any sharp changes in body weight, such as sudden weight gain or loss. These can signify disease, and you’ll want to catch such issues early on before they become worse.

As for what scale you’ll need, you can use any type of small digital scale. You don’t need anything special or expensive. A regular kitchen scale is highly effective, budget-friendly, and easy to find.

How Much do Crested Geckos Cost to Feed?

Crested Geckos don’t eat a lot. Juveniles will eat every other day, while adults require only 3 meals a week. Considering this, you can expect to spend $10-$20 a month on your Gecko’s food.

That’s not too bad. But keep in mind this is the average cost for feeding just one Gecko. If you have two Geckos, the price will also double.

You can spend more or less depending on the foods you offer your Gecko. Ideally, Cresties should consume most of their energy from live insects, and a little bit of fresh fruit. Some people start their own insect farms at home.

That’s a good way to keep a cheap and steady supply of food for your Gecko.

Commercial meal replacement powders are also widely available. These products are a bit pricier, depending on the brand. But you can spend less over the long run. You can buy in bulk because these MRPs store very well.

They’re also easy to prepare, so you save a lot of time. Additionally, if you find a nutritionally-complete MRP, you won’t have to spend additional money on supplement powders.

How Much Does a Crested Gecko Vet Cost?

Crested Geckos don’t need annual vaccinations, but it’s still a good idea to go for a yearly vet checkup. A specialized reptile veterinarian doctor will charge you $40-$80 on average per visit. In the best-case scenario, you’re looking at a minimum of $40 per year for vet bills.

Note that this is just the price for the check-up. If your Crested Gecko does become sick, there will be some additional treatment fees. If your reptile pet requires an intervention, expect to pay a good few hundred dollars.

Luckily, Cresties aren’t prone to disease. If their living conditions are good, they will maintain good health for years to come.

What is the Most Expensive Crested Gecko?

It’s believed that the most expensive Crested Gecko sold to date is a $30,000 Piebald Gecko. The specimen was purchased by Pangea Reptile.

His name is Patient Zero. You can find multiple recent pictures of him on Pangea’s official Facebook page!

A close second is an Axanthic Crested Gecko male sold by Altitude Exotics in 2021 for $20,000. In the case of the Piebald and Axanthic Geckos, the exorbitant price is due to the very rare genes these Geckos possess.

But various factors, other than rarity, can influence the price of even cheap Geckos. The age and sex can double or triple the price of a given Gecko.

As a general rule, adult Geckos are more expensive than juveniles. Females also tend to be more expensive than males.

Conclusion

Crested Geckos as a whole are very affordable. You can find some of the most common morphs of patternless or bicolor Cresties for roughly $40-$60. There are also rare and expensive Crested Gecko morphs out there.

But besides their unique appearance, they aren’t superior to regular Geckos. Trust me, any Crestie will be just as enjoyable as a pet.

Besides the Gecko itself, you’ll also have to make other one-time investments. You need to get your setup ready. This includes purchases such as the enclosure itself, the lights, the substrate, decorations, and so on.

This will cost you $197-$385 on average. Smaller but routine future expenses will include food (up to $20 per month) and vet visits ($40-$80 a year).