# Before you buy

_Permalink: https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/before-you-buy_

A healthy crested gecko is a 15 to 20 year commitment. Before purchasing, confirm your setup works and that you can realistically provide daily misting, food replacement every 2 to 3 days, and travel coverage when you are away.

- Buy from a breeder who weighs and dates every animal. Hatchlings under 3 grams should generally stay with the breeder until they gain mass.
- Ask for the hatch date, current weight, last-fed date, last shed, and sire/dam morph details. Keep a copy with your records.
- Avoid "rescue" impulse buys unless you have an experienced reptile vet lined up, husbandry-damaged geckos are a hard first project.
- Expect 1 week of no handling after arrival. Acclimation is the single most common step new keepers skip.

**Red flags when buying**

- Sunken fat pads on the pelvis, visible hip bones, or a thin tail base, signs of underweight or illness.
- Kinked spine or tail, swollen jaw (possible MBD), stuck shed on toes or tail tip.
- A seller who cannot tell you the hatch date or current weight.
- Wild-caught imports, crested geckos are captive-bred only; any "wild-caught" claim is either false or illegal.

_Source: Geck Inspect Care Guide. Updated 2026-10-18. Cite https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/before-you-buy_