Help! Need more detailed questions answered for beginner

[Caffee]

Hello! Im currently trying to decide whether a crested gecko is right for me and i need help on answering more specific questions.

1.) if i do get a crested gecko, i plan on keeping them in my room. My room is on the second level of my house and heat rises making the tempature stay usually in 70’s with the obvious fluctuations from day/night and seasonal changing. I would say it can fluctuate from 68-79 degrees all together. But, at night during the summer since it does get decently hot, i like to turn my ceiling fan on to keep myself cool. Would the breeze cause any sort of issue for a crested gecko even if its not right above them? It would really only be on at night but i still am concerned. Also i have 3 large windows that basically fill my room with light since i keep the blinds open and i was wondering if that natural light would do any harm.

2.) handling. I was wondering if once ive tamed and bonded with my gecko over some time, if handling them only 2-3 times a week would suffice. I planned once i first start handling them it would be every 2 days so i could hopefully gain their trust more but then as time goes one move to only 2-3 times a week. I would do more but im currently in school and do have occasional medical circumstances that would lead me to do less handling then what i would like for some time frame.

3.) i was hoping on getting a more older crested gecko. Hopefully even a few years old. I dont doubt at all owning a more “teen” gecko is fun and more challenging but due to certain circumstances i would like to get one on the older side. Would this be a bad idea for a first time?

4.) would a diet of pangea and crickets 1-2 times a month suffice? Also how many crickets do you give a crested gecko when they are given?

Thank you to whoever reads through this and is able to answer these for me! Much appreciated!

[Mechanical8Dragon]

1.) Temps should be fine. Enclosures are usually a degree or 2 colder than the outside air (if they're glass) and don't possess any extra lighting. The fan may dry the air out a bit, but I wouldn't worry about it too much if it's just on at night. I'd just mist a little more heavily and call it good. Maybe even provide your gecko with a lump of moist moss. Natural sunlight won't harm him so long as it's not shining directly into the tank. If it's indirect, no worries.

2.) Remember to let your new gecko settle in for a couple weeks before stressing it out with handling. After that period of time, handling a couple times a week isn't an issue, and longer periods between handling down the road won't bother them either. Remember... they're reptiles, not dogs, and could really care less about us and the interactions heh. They don't LIKE being handled, they tolerate it.

3.) Getting an adult gecko as a first time owner is usually always recommended. They're bigger, less flighty, and more hardy than the youngsters. They'll better your experience <3

4.) Pangea is a great food. Repashy as well. You could feed them just that for their lives if you want, as they are complete diets and provide them with all the nutrients. Bugs are optional, but many people who have geckos who actually take to bugs, seem to notice a 'faster' growth in their youngsters. Since you're getting an adult, no worries there. I personally hate crickets, they jump, they're noisy, super smelly, and can bite your animals if left alone with them. I'd do dubia roaches if they're legal where you are (discoid roaches are legal where dubia's aren't, and are pretty much the same thing) Roaches are like the puppy dogs of the bug world. No noise, aren't smelly, can't climb, fly or jump, and most importantly, won't bite.

My youngest geckos get about 10 nymphs (baby roaches) in a deli cup and by morning most if not all are gone. My big female cleans 10+ easily within minutes of adding them. So for an adult I'd say about 10 bugs. I wouldn't do bugs more than once every other week for an adult gecko. Their diet should be 90% pangea/repashy -nodnod-

[TAD]

Ditto to all of M8D's post.

I feed mine roaches, for all of the reasons listed, but my adult gargoyle gecko will eat 3 adult roaches twice a week. My 8-year-old crested gecko shows no interest in bugs, but loves his Pangea.