Can Day Geckos and Crested Geckos Live Together?

Geckos are interesting in so many ways. Each species has its special traits and behaviors. But virtually all species are non-social. That’s right, Geckos are loners, by choice. These lizards spend most of their time alone.

They only socialize with other Geckos when it’s time for mating. Some Gecko species don’t even need a mate to reproduce!

Knowing all this, you might be wondering, can my Geckos still live together? Could I keep my Day Gecko and Crested Gecko in the same vivarium?

What about other species? That’s what I’ll cover in today’s article! Stick around to find out the answer to these questions, and more!

Do Day Geckos and Crested Geckos Get Along?

Unfortunately, Day Geckos and Crested Geckos cannot be housed together. There are a few reasons for this, including temperament, specific needs, and size differences.

Let’s take a closer look at each one:

Temperament

Geckos are solitary and territorial creatures. It’s not uncommon for Geckos to fight, often to the death. Certain species make exceptions when mating. Some Giant Day Geckos, for example, will mate for life and they’ll remain peaceful towards one another.

But most Geckos are hostile to members of the same sex, and especially members of another species.

Unless you’re trying to establish a mating pair, you should never house two Geckos together, not even if they belong to the same species. You might see some people housing two or more females together.

Females are generally less aggressive than males. But this is still not a good idea because it can lead to increased stress levels.

Specific Needs

Each Gecko species requires different parameters to feel comfortable. The temperature, humidity, and light exposure needs don’t usually coincide between species.

This brings me to the most obvious problem— Day Geckos and Crested Geckos have different circadian rhythms.

Day Geckos are diurnal, which means they’re active during the day (hence the name). In contrast, Crested Geckos are nocturnal and crepuscular. They rest and hide during the day, and only come out during the late evening and night.

Crested Geckos only need up to 6 hours of light exposure per day. Day Geckos need up to 12 hours of light per day.

If this weren’t troublesome enough, you’ll also have to worry about temperature and humidity. For example, Giant Day Geckos thrive in temperatures ranging between 75-80°F. The ideal humidity for this species is 60-70%.

On the other hand, Cresties do best in temperatures around 72-75 °F. The ideal humidity for Crested Geckos is 70-80%.

Size Differences

If aggressive tendencies weren’t enough, then why not throw a considerable size difference into the mix? Depending on the Day Gecko species in question, you might be looking at a 1.5 times difference between Crested Geckos and Day Geckos.

For example, the average Giant Day Gecko can measure up to 12 inches long. The average Crested Gecko grows up to 8 inches long.

Other Day Geckos are a lot smaller. The Namib Day Gecko measures around 5 inches, if we include the tail.

You don’t want any of your Geckos to be that much larger than the other. Unlike fish, Geckos won’t eat one another. But the size difference does encourage more aggressive behavior.

Larger Geckos will also be stronger and faster. Smaller Geckos can’t defend themselves in this scenario. Whether we’re talking about Cresties or Day Geckos, one of the two is bound to get hurt at some point.

Can Day Geckos Live with Other Geckos?

Day Geckos shouldn’t be housed with other Geckos. They don’t get along with other species. Male Day Geckos will also fight one another.

The only suitable companion for your Day Gecko is another Day Gecko of the same species and the opposite sex.

But even this is not a guarantee. Not all Day Gecko species mate for life. Those that do mate for life will not accept another mate, should you need to replace a male or female lizard later on.

Fights and hostility can also occur between male and female Day Geckos. So, you’ll still have to keep an eye on your lizards and separate them when necessary.

Can Crested Geckos Live with Other Reptiles?

Crested Geckos aren’t ideal roommates because of their enclosure requirements, temperament, and size.

They can’t live with other Crested Geckos, other Gecko species in general, other lizards (bearded dragons, anoles, iguanas, etc.), turtles, tortoises, and snakes. Frogs aren’t technically reptiles, but they are also not a good roommate for your Crestie.

In most cases, other reptiles will be too large compared to your Gecko. Such is the case for iguanas, bearded dragons, and snakes.

The size difference can be intimidating and stressful for your Gecko. Other animals like snakes and frogs might represent a more direct threat to your Cresties. Certain species of frogs and snakes will eat small lizards.

Furthermore, all of these animals have quite different enclosure requirements. Snakes, anoles, iguanas, bearded dragons, turtles, tortoises, and frogs all require different light, temperature, and humidity levels.

Most of these species require lower humidity levels than what is ideal for Geckos.

Turtles require a complex enclosure setup that includes a swimming space. Such an enclosure might become too humid for your Gecko.

Tortoises are the closest match for Crested Geckos in terms of size, temperament, and enclosure parameters. But they need higher temperatures than your Crestie can tolerate.

Besides, all of these reptiles have different habits, most of them being diurnal. Cresties are nocturnal and thrive in low-light, high-humidity, and moderate-temperature settings.

It will be nearly impossible to properly accommodate Crested Geckos with any of these species.

What Types of Geckos Can Live Together?

Geckos are usually best kept separate. Females of the same species might get along without becoming aggressive.

But even then, because Geckos aren’t social creatures, the presence of other peaceful Geckos can still be stressful.

I advise you against keeping Geckos together. However, if you want to try, you’ll want to pick two species that come from the same natural habitat.

You want Geckos with compatible temperature, humidity, and light requirements. The Geckos should also be similar in size.

Can Day Geckos and Crested Geckos Kill Each Other?

Yes, Day and Crested Geckos can be extremely territorial and aggressive towards one another.

They often fight to the death. Crested Geckos, especially males, are hostile and it’s not unheard of them killing one another. Day Geckos are guilty of the same behavior.

These Geckos will kill other species as well as other members of their own species. It’s most likely for a Day Gecko to kill a Crested Gecko.

Day Geckos are usually larger and more powerful. But a Crested Gecko could also kill or severely injure a Day Gecko, especially if we’re talking about a similar-sized species.

Conclusion

Day Geckos and Crested Geckos are both solitary. They don’t like the company of their species, let alone other species.

The males are especially aggressive and very likely to injure one another. If you’re thinking about housing these Geckos together, I’d strongly advise against it.

Besides the temperament issues, there are also other reasons why different Gecko species can’t live together.

These include different temperature, humidity, and light requirements. The size difference between species is another important consideration.

Besides other Geckos, your favorite lizard cannot share a space with any other reptile including iguanas, bearded dragons, snakes, tortoises, or turtles.

The same issues apply here, including physical threat, stress, incompatible parameters, and size differences.