Note that it is very important to provide this range of temperatures! Consistent temperatures above 85°F (29°C) can cause stress and heat stroke, and consistent temperatures at or below 72°F (22°C) can cause lethargy, poor appetite, and illness.
Many people claim that it’s perfectly fine to keep a crested gecko at room temperature without a heat source, but it’s important to remember that crested geckos are ectotherms, which means that they can’t produce their own body heat and rely on natural heat sources (ie: sunlight) in their environment to help them regulate their metabolism and digest food. In my experience, the most common cause of lethargy, poor appetite, and illness in crested geckos is lack of access to a heat source.
The best heat source for a crested gecko is a heat lamp. White or clear low-wattage incandescent/halogen bulbs work very nicely.
If you are using a small terrarium hood like the Zoo Med Naturalistic Terrarium Hood to house your lights, I recommend the Exo Terra Daytime Heat Lamp. The exact wattage you need will depend on enclosure size, design, room temperature, and other factors, but start with the 25w and go up or down from there depending on your needs.
If you are using a small 5.5″ dome lamp like Zoo Med’s for your heat bulb, then I recommend starting with the 25w Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp. Dome lamps are also compatible with dimmers, which can be a very handy feature for controlling the basking temperature in your gecko’s enclosure.
Keep in mind that a basking area may not be safe in enclosures that are too small to accommodate an appropriate thermal gradient (ex: Kritter Keepers)!
You can make sure you’re providing an appropriate temperature gradient with a temperature gun like the Etekcity Lasergrip 774. This will give you instant readings on temps anywhere in the terrarium, which is great for peace of mind — I can’t live without mine!
Keep tabs on your crestie’s air temperatures with a quality digital probe thermometer, like the Zoo Med Digital Thermometer and Humidity Gauge, with the temperature probe placed in the basking area. Don’t use anything cheaper, like the ribbon thermometers commonly found in pet stores. You’ll save a bit of money, but it won’t be accurate and you risk accidentally cooking your gecko.
Hatchling crested geckos (under 13g) are often housed in small “grow-out” enclosures to keep track of their health during this vulnerable phase of life. If you have or are planning to get a hatchling crested gecko, there are some special accommodations you will need to make in terms of heating.
There is not enough room on top of a hatchling terrarium to accommodate a heat bulb. To make sure that your gecko still gets a supplementary heat source, stick a small heat pad to one side of the enclosure, and connect that heat pad to a proportional thermostat. Place the thermostat probe between the heat pad and the glass/plastic of the enclosure to make sure that the temperatures your gecko is exposed to don’t go higher than 85°F/29°C. Turn off the heat pad at night.
Specific products I recommend for hatchling heating: