Leopard Gecko vs Crested Gecko: Which Is Right for You?

The leopard gecko and crested gecko are the two most popular pet geckos in the world — and for good reason. Both are beginner-friendly, long-lived, and come in stunning color morphs. But they have fundamentally different care requirements, personalities, and lifestyles.

This side-by-side comparison will help you decide which gecko is the better match for your living situation, experience level, and what you want from a pet reptile.

Quick Comparison

Habitat and Enclosure

Leopard Gecko

Leopard geckos are ground-dwelling lizards that need horizontal floor space. A 20-gallon long tank (30" x 12" x 12") is the minimum for one adult, though many keepers now recommend 40-gallon tanks (36" x 18" x 18") for better enrichment.

The enclosure needs:

• Under-tank heater or overhead heat source to create a warm zone (88-92°F)
• Three hides minimum: warm hide, cool hide, humid hide (for shedding)
• Low humidity (30-40%) — they're from the deserts of Pakistan and Afghanistan
• Optional but beneficial UVB lighting

The key advantage: leopard gecko setups are simple. No misting systems, no live plants required, and the heating is straightforward.

For full details, check our leopard gecko care guide.

Crested Gecko

Crested geckos are arboreal — they live in trees and need vertical climbing space. An 18" x 18" x 24" tall enclosure is standard for one adult. Front-opening terrariums (like Exo Terra or Zoo Med) work best.

The enclosure needs:

• Lots of vertical climbing surfaces — branches, vines, cork bark, live or artificial plants
• Daily misting (morning and evening) to maintain 60-80% humidity
• No supplemental heating in most homes — they thrive at 72-78°F and overheat above 82°F
• Optional but beneficial low-level UVB

The key advantage: no heat lamps, no thermostats, no electricity cost for heating. The key disadvantage: you need to mist twice daily (or install an automatic misting system).

For full details, check our crested gecko care guide.

Verdict: Habitat

Leopard gecko wins for simplicity. Crested gecko wins for lower ongoing costs (no heating). It depends on whether you'd rather manage heat or humidity.

Diet and Feeding

Leopard Gecko

Leopard geckos are strict insectivores. Their diet consists entirely of live feeder insects:

• Staple feeders: Dubia roaches, crickets, black soldier fly larvae
• Treats: Mealworms, waxworms, hornworms
• Supplements: Calcium powder (every feeding) + D3 and multivitamin (weekly)
• Gut-loading required: Feed insects nutritious food 24-48 hours before offering

You'll need to maintain a colony or regularly purchase live feeder insects. For many people, this is the biggest drawback of leopard gecko ownership — not everyone is comfortable keeping bins of roaches or crickets.

For a complete feeding guide, see our leopard gecko diet guide.

Crested Gecko

Crested geckos eat commercial crested gecko diet (CGD) as their primary food:

• Staple: Pangea, Repashy, or Lugarti CGD — powder mixed with water into a paste
• Supplements: Occasional live insects (crickets, dubia roaches) 1-2x per week
• No gut-loading needed for the CGD portion
• No calcium dusting needed — CGD is nutritionally complete

This is a massive convenience advantage. You mix a teaspoon of powder with water, put it in a small cup, and replace it every 48 hours. No cricket bins, no roach colonies, no gut-loading schedule.

Verdict: Diet

Crested gecko wins decisively. CGD is the easiest feeding system in reptile keeping. If you don't want to deal with live insects, the crested gecko is your lizard.

Handling and Temperament

Leopard Gecko

Leopard geckos are the calmer, more predictable handler. After a brief taming period (1-2 weeks of gradual interaction), most leopard geckos become docile and relaxed in your hands. They walk slowly, rarely jump, and seem to tolerate (some say enjoy) sitting on a warm hand.

Key traits:

• Calm, slow-moving, predictable
• Rarely bite (and when they do, it's gentle)
• Easy for kids to handle with supervision
• Will sit on your hand or arm for extended periods
• Communicate through tail wagging (excited/hunting) and vocalizations

Crested Gecko

Crested geckos are handleable but require more patience. Juveniles are notoriously jumpy — they can leap surprising distances and are fast when startled. Adults calm down considerably but remain more active and unpredictable than leopard geckos during handling.

Key traits:

• Jumpy when young, calmer as adults
• "Hand walking" — they want to keep moving, climbing from hand to hand
• Sticky toe pads mean they can climb walls and ceilings (watch out during handling!)
• Rarely bite, but may drop their tail if stressed (permanent loss)
• More fun to watch in their enclosure than to hold

Verdict: Handling

Leopard gecko wins. They're calmer, more predictable, and better suited for people who want a lizard they can hold and relax with. Crested geckos are handleable but require more attention and faster reflexes.

Appearance and Morphs

Leopard Gecko

Leopard geckos come in an enormous variety of color morphs — hundreds of combinations have been bred over decades:

• Normal/wild type: Yellow with dark spots
• Popular morphs: Tangerine, Mack Snow, Blizzard, Tremper Albino, RAPTOR, Black Night
• Price range: $30 for normals to $500+ for rare designer morphs

They have thick tails (fat storage), movable eyelids (unique among geckos), and a perpetual "smile" that makes them endlessly photogenic.

Crested Gecko

Crested geckos also have diverse morphs, though the market is younger:

• Common types: Flame, Harlequin, Dalmatian, Pinstripe, Lilly White
• Price range: $40 for pet-quality to $500+ for high-end morphs

Their distinctive features include crested ridges above the eyes (hence the name), prehensile tails, and sticky toe pads. They come in earth tones — reds, oranges, creams, browns — and their colors can shift slightly based on "fired up" vs. "fired down" states.

Verdict: Appearance

Tie — this is purely personal preference. Leopard geckos offer more color variety. Crested geckos have a more unique, dinosaur-like appearance.

Lifespan and Long-Term Commitment

Both species are long-lived pets:

• Leopard gecko: 15-20+ years (record: 28+ years)
• Crested gecko: 15-20 years (species rediscovered in 1994, so long-term data is still accumulating)

Either way, this is a significant commitment. A gecko purchased today could easily be with you through college, career changes, and moves. Make sure you're prepared for that timeline before committing.

Cost Comparison

Initial Setup

Monthly Ongoing

Verdict: Cost

Crested gecko is slightly cheaper overall, mainly due to zero heating costs and the CGD diet being less expensive than feeder insects. The difference isn't dramatic — maybe $10-15 per month.

Climate and Your Home

This is an underrated factor that can make the decision for you:

• If your home runs warm (75-80°F): Either species works. Crested geckos might even need cooling consideration.
• If your home runs cool (65-70°F): Leopard gecko needs supplemental heat (easy to provide). Crested gecko might be fine but will be less active at the lower end.
• If your home is dry (under 40% humidity): Leopard gecko is perfect. Crested gecko will need consistent misting.
• If your home is naturally humid (50%+): Crested gecko has a slight advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep a leopard gecko and crested gecko together?

Absolutely not. Never house different species together. They have completely different environmental needs (temperature, humidity, terrain), and the stress of cohabitation leads to aggression, disease, and death. Each species also should ideally be housed individually — neither is a social species.

Which gecko is better for kids?

Leopard geckos are better for kids because they're calmer, slower, and less likely to jump out of small hands. Crested geckos are faster, jumpier, and can drop their tails permanently if handled roughly. Either species is appropriate for kids 10+ with adult supervision.

Do either of these geckos need a friend?

No. Both leopard geckos and crested geckos are solitary animals that do not need or benefit from companionship. Housing them together creates stress and territorial aggression. One gecko per enclosure is the standard recommendation.

Which gecko is more active and fun to watch?

Crested geckos are more visually entertaining in their enclosure — they climb, jump, and explore their vertical space, especially in the evening. Leopard geckos are more active during handling. If you want an enclosure that's interesting to watch, crested gecko. If you want a lap pet, leopard gecko.

The Bottom Line

Choose a leopard gecko if you:

• Want a calm, easy-to-handle pet
• Prefer simple habitat maintenance
• Don't mind keeping live feeder insects
• Want the widest morph selection
• Live in a dry climate

Choose a crested gecko if you:

• Want the simplest possible diet (CGD)
• Don't want to deal with heat lamps or thermostats
• Enjoy watching an active, climbing lizard in a planted vivarium
• Are squeamish about live insects
• Live in a moderate, humid climate

Both are excellent beginner geckos. You genuinely can't go wrong with either one. The "best" gecko is the one whose care requirements best match your lifestyle.