Newbie w/ Tons of Crested Gecko Questions!

Hi! I am brand new to the forum and new to reptiles as well. I know very, very little about them, so please forgive me if some of my questions seem silly XD I have been wanting to get a snake or gecko for years and have finally talked my Hubby into getting me one So I am trying to do as much research as possible before purchasing one so we don't walk into this blindly. From the research I have done so far, I think I have decided on starting out with a Crested Gecko, but I have several questions...

Maybe I should start out with what I am looking for in my first reptile, and then everyone can help me figure out if I have made the right choice in wanting a Crested Gecko for my first one I would like a relatively "easy" (for lack of a better word) reptile to take care of for a beginner. I want one that is pleasing to look at, has interesting genetics/color patterns that I can learn more about, and that will be decently small when full grown. I would like one that I can handle/hold without it being a "look but don't touch pet". I don't plan on taking it places with me, I would just like to be able to hold it some when I am at home Also, in the distant future after I am much more experienced with them, I would like to maybe give breeding them a try. Again, this would be much much further down the road

Ok, now for the questions...

First off, I went to a local chain pet store (we don't have any exotic pet stores here locally that I know of?) so I could look at some Crested Geckos in person. The employee that showed them to me told me a few things that contridicted what I had read, so I wanted to see what everyone on here's opinion is. She told me that they don't like to be handled. She also took one out and said that you had to sort of "squish" them in order to hold them, that you couldn't just let them walk all over your hands or anything because they would get away. She said that the Bearded Dragons and Leopard Geckos were better because you could let them crawl on your hands and all. Well all of this was the exact opposite of what I had read?? I read that Crested Geckos were really good for beginners and that you could handle them much more than the Leopard Geckos and Bearded Dragons. So which info is more accurate? I didn't really like the way she was having to hold the Crested, so that was one of the main parts that put me off.. it just looked to me like it really couldn't be comfortable for the little guy/girl, but I could be way off base here?

Now I will just list a few short questions for now, since this post is already turning into a novel XD So sorry about that! I will ask more questions as I think of them throughout the thread if that's ok?

Do they thrive better if you have two of them? Or is it ok to just have one to start off with?

Can more than one be housed together?

How big of a tank/terrarium do I need for one-two?

Is it ok to purchase a used terrarium? If so, is there anything special I need to use to clean it with?

Are there any really good Crested Gecko books or info websites that you would recommend reading?

How do I tell if they are Male or Female? And do they have to be a certain age before you can determine this?

Ok I will end the questions there for now Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions!

Okay so I am just about to run out the door for work so I do not have much time. I will quickly answer a few of your questions as best I can....here we go

*Leopard geckos and bearded dragons are NOT easier to handle nor are they any more docile. Cresteds ARE the way to go for a beginner pet. It is said generally that NO reptiles LIKE to be held.....some just put up with it better. With that being said, Cresteds seem to put up with it really well. (Some even do seem to like it Also Leopard geckos are known for being more flighty, it sounds to me like the pet store you went to just hired another Jane off the street to talk BS to people.
** You NEVER want to squeeze, pinch, hold tightly, ect ANY species of gecko!! NEVER! EVER! Lol. You want to do the hand over hand motion letting the crested freely walk from one hand to another. (They tend to calm down after just a few minutes of this)

***They do not seem to thrive better with a cage mate. Many people actually believe the opposite. When you see 2 cresties sleeping/hiding in the same spot in a cage they are NOT cuddling! They are essentially both wanting the same spot. If you put a male and female together they ARE going to breed. There is NO stopping it.
Some females can be housed together, just WATCH carefully for any sings of aggression, fighting, one of them not eating, ect. Watch closely at ALL times.

A 10gallon tank is FINE for a juvie, (I say until about 10-15grams)
A 20 gallon should be just fine for an adult.

Used terrariums are USUALLY fine. You never really know what was in it before, and if it was a sick animal. I would clean ANY tank out before I use it. (Even a new tank, I am a clean freak though :0)......A LITTLE bleach/disinfectant in some water. I am sure someone else can give more accurate info on that part.

I would recommend reading here on Fauna, and maybe check out Pangea Forums too.
Both are GREAT reptile communities with great people, and ALOT of information.

Male's with have a nice bulge at the base of their tale. Once you see one, it is OBVIOUS!.....Many geckos are not sexed until they are mature though. There are methods us breeders use for doing this, but that is another conversation and isn't 100% accurate. It is not so much as AGE as it is SIZE to be able to tell.

Welcome to Fauna, and GOOD LUCK! Cresties are an AMAZING beginner reptile, and the best part is you will NOT grow out of them lol They are great for beginners AND VETERANS!

Hope this helps....I have to run!
--Amanda

Thank you very much for the reply! I thought that the pet store woman's information was wrong... I literally cringed when she was holding that Crestie the way she was. I even ended up asking her about a different reptile just so she would hurry and put it back in it's cage.

You info really helped and I am reading through more sites right now, so I am sure I will have more questions soon!

It also depends on the individual gecko, just like anything else. I have cresteds and leopards that seem to enjoy being handled, and I have some that run and hide the second I look at them.

Here's a good link to start

It may seem a little scary, but I'd say order one online. There are two reasons for this: Pet stores carry 'bottom of the barrel' basics. You don't know who produced it or how strung out the genetics are. the second reason is that , like you found out already, they may not know what they're doing. You may get a 'healthy' gecko, only to have it die in a month or two due to poor husbandry.

Luckily you have the BOI here to check potential breeders. You'd also be surprised at how many reptile expos/shows there are around. I found 2 expos in the Birmingham area: WARE and Dixie. you can also check out Here to get a list of most, if not all, the shows around.

Thanks for the links! I looked through them and I am hoping to be able to go to the Dixie show in Birmingham next month! Also the Memphis Repticon show is only a few hours from me, so I might try to make that one in October as well.