Hoping to be a new Crested Gecko owner - Help :)

I use regular peat moss. If you get it from a hardware store, just make sure it doesn't have fertilizer added. Eco-earth is okay; what you want to avoid is the coco fiber stuff (it's too stringy). If you don't intend to feed insects, you shouldn't have impaction issues. Even with insects, I've never had issues with peat. It tends to happen the most with fibrous substrate and coarse sand.
Having a gecko may cure your OCD . You do realize it's going to poop all over the glass, right?
As far as food, yes, you can freeze it. I make one bottle at a time and freeze the rest. I've only tried watermelon-mango, but all of my cresteds like it.
Please don't make it your last question! We love to hear from people wanting to do this right!

Noelle

HA! Deal. I have a million questions.

Regular peat moss huh.. Yeah I really don't like this substrate part. Most of my shopping list is getting complete, but this substrate is tricky.
Preferably, I would like to ONLY use GCD. I've got Gutload & Calcium on my shopping list (and they both are so cheap I may end up getting them just to have just in case) but I would really like to avoid any insects at all.

For hanging plants - http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/z...g-plants2.html Any recommendations on the type? If it doesn't matter at all that would be great I'll just pick. Wasn't sure if some were sharp or pokier than others (Probably a stupid question but I wouldn't like it if I was put in a cage with thorns. )

As for poop. My roommates have a little lab mutt and an Irish Wolf Hound. I'll take lil Gecko poo all day, any day vs Fay's monstrous turds that she occasionally leaves for us in the house. Sorry >.< lol

Both of the phyllos are great plants.

Don't sweat the substrate. Organic peat. If your hardware stores have frozen stock like ours, you can get Eco-earth in the mean time.

Noelle

Awesome. Phyllos it is. You guys are so welcoming here it's refreshing. This is kind of a sporadic/impulse buy (though I don't actually get her until most likely March,April ish) so the questions are flowing. I really really appreciate each of you =D

Do you guys have any brands/stores that you trust to get this stuff from? Perhaps even a picture of the packaging so I know what I am looking at?

I walk into a hardware store and I'm lost. I go to Best Buy and I'm home.

Not sure what hardware stores you have up there. You could also go to plant nurseries. Just ask for peat without fertilizer (aka organic). Any brand will do. Plastic plants are cheaper at any home/garden store, or garage sale, if you can find them. Most places are going with silk or other materials, which don't hold water droplets for drinking. Your most expensive choice, for everything, will be Petco or Petsmart. Enormous markup, and, with few exceptions, they're clueless.
Are you near any non-chain pet stores? They're often pretty good.
Powdered gecko diets are price regulated by their manufacturer, and should be roughly the same everywhere (within brand) online and at expos. There are plenty online retailers for supplies: Pangea, LLLReptile, Big Apple Herp, Underground Reptiles. I have found the good deals at Big Apple and LLL, but shop around.

Noelle

Will do, cheers.

As for local pet stores, I imagine there are but I'm not from here so I will have to do some searching around. So far I have ordered the tank from Amazon but I believe I will get the rest from Pangea. Money isn't such a problem. Single 25 year old with no pets/dependents and a big boy job = money to spare I've heard great things about Pangea so I'd like to support them with my business.

I'll check on the substrate, otherwise I think most of my questions have been answered.

You're all the best =D

I'm getting a crested too, my first reptile actually. So I'll just keep lurking and learn some things. :U

Haha it's my first as well. I've been doing the same. You came to the right place, the people here are great!

Yeah, everyone here seems so relaxed and cool. It's great to find an online community this... Well, helpful.

Random update for anyone that cares

The last of my supplies get in tomorrow from Pangea and then I just need it to warm up a bit for my lil raptor to get here

So stoked!!