For $180 this kit gives you a bigger cage and far more than the older starter kits did. It still needs some work.
Video · 23 min watchWritten by Brian
This is the Thrive Tropical Essentials Kit, a 45 × 45 × 60 cm (18 × 18 × 24 in) glass cage that I bought at PetSmart for $180. A few years ago I compared the Zoo Med and Exo Terra crested gecko kits, which were both 30 × 30 × 45 cm (12 × 12 × 18 in). That size is the bare minimum for one adult, so a bigger cage is already better for your gecko. An empty Exo Terra cage of this size was $200 on Amazon, and this kit costs less with everything inside.
The cage
The screen lid has a pop-out port for a fogger hose or a misting line. Twist it and it leaves a smaller hole, the right size for a pump cord or a mister nozzle, so you are not spraying through a screen that will eventually rust. There is a ventilation panel at the top of the front, which helps against mold in cages that stay too wet.
The glass could be thicker. The door latches only at the top corner, so the bottom of the door can be flexed open. Overall the build is not quite Zoo Med or Exo Terra quality.
What comes in the box, graded
- Two 14 cm (5.5 in) dome lamps: A+. They have ceramic sockets that handle heat bulbs safely, and on/off switches. Put them on a timer. Bought on their own they are expensive.
- Two bulbs: A+. A 13 W UVB bulb and a 60 W daytime heat bulb. UVB is not required for crested geckos, but it benefits them and they will bask under it.
- Thrive coconut fiber bedding: A+. The same kind of compressed brick I use in my lay boxes.
- Cling background: B minus. It sticks on like a window decal and covers the whole back. I don't like the way it looks, but it works.
- Thermometer and hygrometer: B. It reads ambient temperature against the glass, not your hot spot. Get an infrared or probe thermometer as well.
- Feeding ledge: B. The suction mount is clever: you twist the handle to pull the plate back and it held two light bulbs without moving. The ledge itself is painted styrofoam. Crickets and mealworms will eat it, it is hard to clean, and the two plastic cups are flimsy.
- Vine: C minus. It has no wire inside, so no metal ends to poke your gecko, but it won't hold a shape and there is nothing to attach it to. You will need to buy suction cups or similar.
The kit also comes with PetSmart coupons, including free crickets and discounts on Thrive decor, bulbs and substrate.
My verdict
For the price, I don't think you can beat it. I would have liked a large climbing and hiding structure in the box, and food, though I don't think Thrive makes a crested gecko diet. I recommend this kit as a starting point: add about $100 of good accessories and you have a cage your gecko can live in for most of its life. Buy the gecko itself from a good, reputable breeder rather than the pet store.