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How Do Crested Geckos Drink Water? (2022 Review)

How Do Crested Geckos Drink Water? (2022 Review)

Crested geckos are considered one of the most unique and popular pets for beginners. Due to their docile temperament and small size, caring for these little reptiles is super easy. However, it is necessary to know how do crested geckos drink water. We will also discuss how much & how often crested geckos drink water and do crested geckos drink water from the bowl itself.

In this article, I will give you every insight into what kind of water crested geckos drink. Although they don’t drink water very often, it is essential to know the right time to mist their enclosure. 

In the period when crested geckos avoid eating, they need plenty of water to drink. This is why you should be readily available with fresh water whenever they need it. Let’s l first learn: do crested geckos drink water?

Do Crested Geckos Drink Water?

Crested Geckos do drink water but not too much. As they originate from a very humid region, they will need water for their survival. Being a responsible crested gecko owner, you should place a bowl of fresh water available all the time inside their enclosure. 

After knowing that they do need water and don’t drink often raises a fundamental question: Can crested geckos survive without water. 

People think that keeping these geckos is a daunting task, but it’s not. Well, the crested gecko can survive for as long as five days without water as adults. Juvenile and baby crested geckos need water every day for fulfilling their water requirement. 

Taking care of these cute little crested geckos is not at all challenging but fun to many. However, they do require caring, especially when it comes to their diet and nutritional needs. 

Let’s learn how often do crested geckos drink water. Read on to know to find out about the water requirements of crested geckos.

How Often Do Crested Geckos Drink Water?

how often do crested geckos drink water
how often do crested geckos drink water?


Crested geckos drink water once in 2-3 days or even a week. Although they don’t drink water very often, there are lots of moisture requirements for their body. Plus, they can survive without water for as long as 3-5 days. 

It is best to always keep a water bowl inside their enclosure available to fulfill its water requirement. A bowl filled with fresh water readily available inside the section will keep your cresties get the opportunity to drink whenever they wish for.

How Do Crested Geckos Drink Water?

When you mist them, crested geckos lap up water droplets. In the case of drinking, they commonly lap water from a bowl, just like cats do. You should provide them with fresh water in the very shallow water bowl.

In most cases, crested geckos use this kind of bowl for soaking themselves. Some house geckos prefer drinking condensed water droplets, but it’s not recommended for crested geckos because we will discuss what type of water they need.

 

What Do Geckos Drink Out Of?

Crested geckos can drink water out of shallow dishes or bowls inside their tank. They don’t drink water because their water requirements get fulfilled from the body portion of the insects they eat. 

Crested gecko may want to drink water once a week or even months, depending upon its varying activity, personality, and habit. During shedding, they drink water often but and tend to eat less. Here’s Why Crested Geckos Not Eating

What Kind Of Water Do Crested Geckos Drink?

Crested geckos drink freshwater that is chlorine-free. Due to their tiny size, these reptiles are not made for swimming or surviving in water so, consider providing them water in a very shallow dish or bowl that is not too deep.

Do Crested Geckos Need A Water Bowl?

It is best to give water in a shallow bowl to your crested geckos as they are not meant for swimming or surviving in water. It is recommended to place a rock inside the bowl so that it stays in place. Plus, the rock inside the bowl will help wind up insects getting out quickly without drowning in the water and fouling it. 

Crested geckos intend to climb into the water bowl to soak or sit to regulate their body temperature. This is why the water bowl should be shallow to keep your gecko from drowning.

A shallow bowl will allow your gecko to get in and out very quickly. If you don’t know where to place a water bowl, it is recommended to put it on the cooler end of the crested gecko tank. 

This is the best place because it will ensure the bowl water does not evaporate quickly. After knowing that we should give them water in a shallow bowl, can crested geckos drink water from a bowl? 

Can Crested Geckos Drink From A Bowl?

Yes, being small reptiles, crested geckos can drink from a bowl itself. It is hard to spot them drinking directly from a water bowl itself because they tend to hide and sleep all day long and play around at night. 

Do you know they tend to sleep without closing their eyes? Here you can find out how do crested geckos sleep without eyelids? 

These cute little cresties are most active at night, and even if they drink water, you will not be able to observe it frequently. After knowing that crested geckos can drink water from a bowl, will they drink it? 

Will Crested Geckos Drink Water From A Bowl?

If the water bowl is shallow enough for them to get in and out quickly without drowning, a crested gecko will also drink water from it. They can swim in the water, but they are not meant to survive in it, which is why a deep bowl will intimidate your cresties. 

How Do You Give Crested Geckos Water?

There is two way of giving water to your crested geckos. Misting and giving water directly in a bowl is the most common method to provide moisture and water to crested geckos. 

It is essential to maintain the humidity level inside the vivarium to help them during shedding and want to drink water. To fulfill their daily water needs, a few tiny water drops during misting is enough. 

If you don’t know what misting is, then know that misting is the process by which you spray water to maintain the humidity level inside the enclosure of lizards and reptiles. If there is no freshwater bowl available for them, daily misting will fulfill their water requirement and wellbeing.

Another method to give water to a crested gecko is by offering water in a shallow bowl directly. As I told you earlier, Just put a small shallow bowl filled with clean fresh water inside their tank to allow them to drink it anytime they want.

Let’s learn how to get your crested gecko to drink water if it’s not drinking.

How To Get Your Crested Gecko To Drink Water?

how to get your crested gecko to drink water
how to get your crested gecko to drink water



Compared to mammals, reptiles & lizards need lesser water. If your crested gecko has stopped drinking water, here is how you can get him to drink.

  1. Get a Shallow water bowl and fill it with a mix of equal pediatric electrolyte beverages and sterile lukewarm water.
  2. Put your crested gecko inside the bowl and let it sit. 
  3. If they feel like drinking water, otherwise, soaking it will be enough for their water requirement.

Why Is My Crested Gecko Not Drinking?

There is nothing to worry about if your crested gecko is not drinking. In most cases, they get water/moisture content from the insects they eat to fulfill their need. Plus, being active at night, it can be difficult for you to spot when they drink. 

Just mist their tank to give some extra moisture, and that’s enough. Misting alone can help your crested gecko fulfill its moisture needs. 

In most cases, your crest will lick off water drops from the rocks, plants, hides, and branches present in the enclosure. So, have faith in the water bowl you kept in the tank because they will drink when they feel thirsty. 

Placing a water bowl in your crested gecko’s enclosure also helps maintain the humidity level in their tank. 

FAQ

Can Crested Geckos Drink Bottled Water?

Yes, crested geckos can drink bottled water only when it’s just essential spring water. Enhanced water in some unique way is not drinkable for crested geckos. Make sure it is chlorine-free, at least.

Can Crested Geckos Drink Tap Water?

Yes, crested geckos can drink tap water as long as it is chlorine-free. However, it is essential to treat the tap water to make it perfectly safe for your pet crested gecko. Some crested geckos tend to be sensitive, so, in this case, you can use spring water.

Can Crested Geckos Drink Distilled Water?

Yes, distilled water is best for misting crested geckos enclosure and diet. Distilled water is also drinkable for reptiles like geckos. Reverse osmosis water is probably the best one for crested geckos wellbeing. 

Can Crested Geckos Drink Well Water?

As long as well water is treated and chlorine-free without any contaminants and deposits, it can be given to crested geckos for drinking purposes as well. 

Final Thought

Wrapping Up: Crested geckos have no water tolerance so, tap water or distilled water will be fine for them as long as it is chlorine-free. 

Cresties don’t drink water very often because misting is alone enough for them to fulfill its requirement. Adding to that, most of their moisture content comes from the insects they eat. It can be hard to spot crested geckos drinking water at night when they stay active. 

This could also be the reason why you have not noticed them drinking water often enough. A water bowl should be shallow and not deep because crested geckos like sitting in the water and soaking it whenever they feel too hot. 

Make sure to keep the water bowl in the cooler and of the tank to prevent evaporation. All the information on how do crested geckos drink water and how you should offer them is based on research only. If you have any concerns, you can ask me in the comment section.

I hope I will be able to give you another piece of information through my article next time as well, till then, take care and goodbye.