One of my personal favourite pet lizards are crested geckos and I know that many other people love them too.
One question that I hear quite a lot from potential new owners is “Are crested geckos noisy?” And also from people who already own one is “Why is my crested gecko making this noise?”
Well in this article I am going to be telling you everything I have learnt about crested gecko noises and sounds and what each of them mean!
Hopefully by the end of it you will have a better understanding of your pet and what it is trying to say.
Do crested geckos make noises?
Ok so first off let’s answer this question as some may have come here just to know if crested geckos make noises.
So do crested geckos make noises and sounds? The quick answer to this is yes, crested geckos do make quite a bit of noise and are very vocal. Just like other species of gecko, cresties are known to be one of the most noisy types of lizard. However the noises are not really that loud.
One of the best ways to stop Crested Geckos from making stressed noises is to have the correct tank setup, I recommend having a look at this setup available on Amazon.
So there you go crested geckos do make noises and sounds. That was the quick answer, but if you have come here to find out what each of the noises mean then carry on reading.
What do crested gecko noises mean?
What do the crested gecko noises mean?
What do crested gecko noises mean? Below I am going to place a quick reference table which will give you the basics what each noise means. It will also tell you if crested geckos make that noise.
Below that I will go into more detail into each of the noises so that you can cross reference with the table.
Crested gecko noises and sounds.
This table will tell you all of the noises that crested geckos make and what they actually mean.| Noise | Do crested geckos make this noise? | Why do they make this noise? |
|---|---|---|
| Chirping | Yes | An indication that the crested gecko is uncomfortable |
| Barking | Yes | Females usually make this noise to ward of a males advances |
| Whistling | Yes | A way that crested geckos communicate with each other |
| Squeaking | Yes | The noise females make when they are interested in a males attention |
Chirping.
Crested gecko noises, do they chirp? You will usually find that your crested gecko makes a chirping noise when it feels uncomfortable.
This can be because of any number of situations but being handled tends to be the most common. If your crested gecko makes to many chirping noises when it is being handled it is probably time to give it some alone time.
It has also been noted that sometimes crested geckos will make chirping sounds when they are happy as well. This usually happens when it is exploring and being inquisitive and is nothing to worry about.
Because of this it is very important to make sure that you have lots of furniture in your crested geckos tank to keep it occupied.
Below is a quick video of a crested gecko that is chirping whilst exploring and being inquisitive.
Squeaking.
This is quite an interesting sound and is very rare unless you own both a male and female crested gecko in the same tank.
The whistling noise is usually created by the female crested gecko and is believed to mean that she is interested in the male. She is letting the male know that she is interested in breeding with him.
If you are thinking about mixing crested geckos in the same tank I highly recommend that you read my detailed guide first. It can sometimes be very dangerous to your pets health if not done right.
Another point to note is that male crested geckos can be quite feisty when it comes to breeding season especially if a female is around. You may be on the receipt end of a few bites if you try to handle it around this time.
Barking.
This is again another strange noise to hear. It sounds kind of like chirping but a little more throaty if that makes sense!
Usually it will be a female crested gecko that makes a barking noise. It is though to be used to tell a male crested gecko to back off as she is not interested in his advances.
You as the pet owner may also find yourself on the receiving end of a barking noise if the female mistakes you and thinks your harassing her.
Whistling.
If you hear whistling noises then you are basically hearing a crested gecko communicating. It is strongly believed that crested geckos use whistling noises for general communication with each other.
Personally I think that is a pretty awesome fact and it is such a shame that we will never know what they are saying.
Could your crested gecko be sick if it is making noises?
Sometimes our pet crested geckos can make noises that are not so welcome.
If you find your pet making a wheezing noise there is a chance that it has a lung or respiratory infection. If you hear any noises like this combined with a lack of eating or being lethargic, you should get your gecko to the vet as soon as you possibly can.
Do crested geckos make noise at night?
Unlike some other lizards, crested geckos are actually nocturnal. This means that they sleep during the day and are awake at night.
Because of this you will find that your crestie is at its noisiest at a night. If you are not a heavy sleeper I would highly recommend that you keep your crested geckos tank well away from your bedroom. This way you will not be disturbed by all the sounds and noises.
Crested geckos like to make noise digging!
That right, crested geckos love to dig! So much so that I wrote a whole article about my experiences of owning a crested gecko that spends so much time digging. If you would like to read the article have a look at this link.
It can be pretty noisy hearing them scratching about if you are trying to get to sleep, so again do not keep their tank near your bedroom.
Their food can be pretty noisy too.
One of my biggest tips that I can give you is to keep your crested geckos food (crickets and other insects) somewhere out of the way. You can also feed them dried crickets and mealworms.
They can be pretty noisy as anyone who has had them will tell you. I find it best to keep them in the garage or other outside building if the environment is right to keep them alive.
If you are interested in reading my ultimate guide to feeding crested geckos have a look at this article.
Conclusion.
What do crested gecko noises mean? Crested geckos can be a noisy little pet to own. They are sometimes vocal and other times can be digging and scratching around in their tanks.
However it is all part of the fun of owning one and if the noise does bother you it is fine to keep them in a room that is out of the way.
