What Do I Do First If My Crested Gecko Stops Eating?

By: Jason

Last Updated: March 12, 2023

Your crested gecko won’t eat. That can be stressful. When this happens, we all ask ourselves the same questions as we try and understand what’s going on. Is my pet dehydrated? Am I not feeding it correctly? Is this something that will resolve itself, or do I need to take immediate steps to fix it? So, what to do if your crested gecko is not eating?

If your crested gecko isn’t eating, there are several easy steps you can take that might fix the problem. Check the state of their tank, adjust their food, and make life less stressful for your pet. In most cases, one or more of these things will help them start eating again.

Let’s walk through each of these tasks to learn what to do.

Check the Habitat Conditions

A baby crested gecko sits on the side of a stone bowl with a dab of untouched CGD in the center. He looks at the camera with a smile. It is hard to know what to do if your crested gecko is not eating and they are this cute!

Several things in the tank might be to blame for their decreased appetite.

First, crested geckos need the proper temperature to eat. Their ideal daytime temp should range from 71-79 degrees Fahrenheit.

If it is too warm, they might be stressed or dehydrated. If it is too cold, they might struggle to digest their food.

Humidity also plays a factor in hunger. The ideal humidity for a crested gecko is 60% during the day and 80% at night. Your crested gecko might not be hungry because the humidity is too low.

Finally, the size of the enclosure might be the culprit.

A baby crestie needs a smaller space to feel safe. A larger enclosure can be stressful and make finding food difficult. A 5-gallon tank is ideal until it weighs 10 grams.

The reverse is true for adults. Mature crested geckos need a larger space to move about to regulate their body temperature. A 20-30 gallon tank is ideal for a single adult crested gecko.

Review the temp, humidity, and tank size and adjust as needed.

Change Up the Food

The next category to change is the food itself.

First, try switching up what you are feeding them. They might be bored or craving a nutrient they aren’t getting. Change the brand or flavor and see if that gets them to start eating again.

You might also try varying the consistency of the prepared gecko diet. Like humans, pets have preferences for how they like their food. Some cresties like their CGD thicker, while others prefer their dinner watery.

A crested gecko stares intently at a black soldier fly larvae in front of it.

If you aren’t using live feeder insects, consider it. There are many benefits to feeding your crested gecko live insects, both dietarily and with quality of life. Engaging their hunting instinct might be just what they need.

If you’ve been feeding your crestie a lot of sweet fruit, they might be addicted to it and reluctant to eat anything less sugary. You’ll need to gradually decrease their intake of high sugars by mixing their fruit of choice with CGD. The goal is to get them to eat the powdered paste without adding additional fruit. 

You’ll need to be very careful with fruit treats with them in the future!

Reduce the Stress Around Eating

After changing the food, make eating less stressful.

Crested geckos prefer to live in trees with plenty of foliage where they can hide. If that isn’t part of their enclosure, add a lot. Branches, bark, and live plants are all great. Then, put their bowl somewhere with a lot of coverage.

Feeding ledges are excellent, too. They simulate how crested geckos eat in the wild and may make your pet feel safer.

Finally, remove loud noises, curious people and pets, or anything else that might amplify the stress.

Looking down on an enclosure with live plants and a crested gecko. A feeding ledge is mounted to the wall above the plants.

Keep a Consistent Dinner Time

The last easy adjustment is to make feeding times consistent.

As a nocturnal animal, the best time to feed a crested gecko is in the early evening, shortly after they have woken up.

Your crestie will learn the schedule and come out to eat.

Conclusion

There are many reasons your pet may stop eating. 

Sometimes, that behavior change is related to something within your control. Making simple, healthy changes is a great place to start.

Still, there is a limit to how many days a crested gecko can go without eating. 

If they still aren’t eating after two weeks, the situation might be more serious. If that is the case, consult with your vet.

Further Reading: How can you tell if your crested gecko ate?