Correlophus ciliatus
Crested gecko
0 active listings · Reptiles · Lizards
Category
Reptiles
Origin
New Caledonia
Lifestyle
Terrestrial
Difficulty
Beginner
About the species
The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is an arboreal gecko endemic to New Caledonia. The native range covers southern Grande Terre and Île des Pins; it is not a broad “Pacific gecko” in the sense of an oceanic wash of islands. In the field it lives in humid forest, moves on trunks and canopy, and is mainly nocturnal. Adults usually reach about 18–25 cm including the tail. In captivity prepared fruit-and-insect diets are common, but the enclosure must still be tall, ventilated, and cycled for humidity — not a sealed, stale box.
Origin and distribution
New Caledonia
The species is endemic to New Caledonia.
Current listings
No active listings.
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Care at a glance
Size
Adults usually approx. 18–25 cm including the tail
Enclosure type
Tall and arboreal, balancing humidity with ventilation
Temperature
Day usually approx. 22–26°C; avoid constant heat above about 28–29°C
Humidity
A cycle: mist to high humidity, then a dry-down; not a permanent swamp
Furnishings
Vertical trunks, cork, plants, a shallow water dish, and shed sites
Characteristics
Nocturnal and arboreal, usually gentle; the tail can be dropped
Care and behaviour
Correlophus ciliatus needs height more than floor. A typical minimum for one adult is about 45×45×60 cm, preferably 45×45×90 cm. Screen sides or strong ventilation stop stale air after evening misting. Furnishings are vertical trunks, cork, and plants; the gecko spends the day clinging to décor, not on the floor. Substrate should hold moisture without rotting — soil, coconut fibre, or forest mixes, with drainage in a tall tank.
In captivity a complete powdered fruit-and-insect diet is often the base, with insects offered periodically. Juveniles eat more often; adults usually every 1–2 days. Clean water in a shallow dish plus droplets after misting. Temperatures stay moderate: this is not a bearded dragon. Constant 30°C shortens life. A modest night drop is natural.
The gecko is nocturnal and usually calm, but the tail drops if grabbed. Males are not housed together. Terra Market’s calculator for this species links back to this page when the page is in the controlled cohort. Wash hands after contact.
Good to know
Correlophus ciliatus is not currently listed on the CITES Appendices. National keeping and trade rules still apply. The species is non-venomous; the practical risks are overheating, constant wet air without ventilation, and tail injury, not venom. The map shows New Caledonia, not an arbitrary Pacific band.