Crested Gecko Investment Guide: Market Trends & Analysis [3rd Qtr of 2021]

We have scraped the internet looking for crested gecko sales for July, August, and September of 2021. Below is the results of a 100 hours of work and statistical analysis of the data. With this data we have been able to estimate what it costs to buy or sell your favorite crested gecko morph in the 3rd quarter of 2021. This data can be used to help you decide on where to invest your reptile dollars or what to charge 

for a crested gecko for sale. We take a deep dive into present and upcoming trends for many specific morphs or traits. What I found most surprising was the difference in sales prices for selling unsexed crested geckos as compared to sexed males or females. Holding an unsexed crested gecko a few extra months until you can determine its sex could result on average in a 29% increase in the sales price. 

Encouraging Financial Report Released About Crested Geckos

Jose W. Valdez just released in 2021 a great study using Google Trends keywords to identify reptiles that are tending up and those trending down. They looked at peoples search patterns on Google to determine which reptiles were being searched the most. By far, the crested gecko is the fastest trending reptile since 2004. The speculation in that the discovery of genetic mutations like the Lilly White and the Axanthic genes are what catapulted the already loveable Crestie to investable reptile status. 

Popularity Increasing

‘Looking towards the future of the trade, survey participants believed that blue tongued skinks, tegus, uromastyx lizards, crested geckos, and ball pythons will increase in popularity within the next five to ten years.’ Mr. Valdez went on to say, ‘...compared to the other increasingly popular reptiles, by far the most popular of these was the crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus), which has increased in popularity three-fold in the last two decades and was by far the most popular of this group, besides the ball python.’

Estimated Reptile & Exotics Industry Revenues (2018 - 2021)

2018 - 1.37 billion

2019 - 1.47 billion

2020 - 1.55 billion

2021* - 1.66 billion

*Estimated From An Estimate

Estimated Annual Revenue

Estimated Crested Gecko Annual Revenue (2018-2021)

2018 - 32.3 million

2019 - 34.7 million

2020 -  37.1 million

*2021 - 39.2 million

*Estimated From An Estimate From An Estimate

Extrapolation and Methology Used To Estimate Prices

We collected data from top reptile classifieds, forums, social media groups & posts, and directly from crested gecko breeders for sale pages on their websites in July, August and September. We took these data points and extrapolated the below estimates for the prices of crested geckos sold in the 3rd quarter of 2021. While these numbers are self-reported, there was thousands of data points available for comparison. 

3rd Qtr Crested Gecko Pricing

Harlequin Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of harlequin crested geckos represented 36.12% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $359 and a price range as low as $50 and as much as $1,150.

Harlequins

The harlequin crested gecko is a staple of breeders around the world. This price list includes all crested geckos sold as 'harlequins'. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description extreme harlequin, lilly white, axanthic, or het axanthic. Keep in mind that these harlequin crested geckos may also express a pinstripe or color morph, like a tricolor or red. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced Harlequins on this list. 

Price of Unsexed Harlequin Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Price of Male Harlequin Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Price of Female Harlequin Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Extreme Harlequin Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of extreme harlequin crested geckos represented 6.45% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $501 and a price range as low as $80 and as much as $1,350.

Extreme Harlequins

The extreme harlequin crested gecko is rapidly becoming a favorite of hobbyists and breeders alike. The ability to add colors to a high expression crested gecko has skyrocketed the prices for the ones with 'the look'. This price list includes all crested geckos sold as 'extreme harlequins'. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any

cresties that included in their description lilly white, axanthic, or het axanthic. Keep in mind that these extreme harlequin crested geckos may also express a pinstripe or color morph, like a tricolor or red. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced extreme harlequins on this list. 

Price of Unsexed Extreme Harlequin Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Price of Male Extreme Harlequin Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Price of Female Extreme Harlequin Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Pinstripe Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of pinstripe crested geckos represented 9.03% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $347 and a price range as low as $70 and as much as $1,200.

Pinstripes

Who doesn't love a perfect pinstripe with every scale 'OCD'ly' following the next outlining the back of your crestie. Full pinstripes are striking and many people breed specifically for pinstripes. Although, after seeing the price of pins in the 3rd quarter as compared to other morphs, you may think again. Only Dalmatians and Harlequins are a worse investment than pinstripes according to the numbers.  This price list includes all crested geckos sold as 'pinstripes'. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description lilly white, axanthic, or het axanthic. Keep in mind that these pinstripe crested geckos may also express a pattern morph, like harlequin or color morph, like a tricolor or red. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced pinstripes on this list. 

Price of Unsexed Pinstripe Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Price of Male Pinstripe Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Price of Female Pinstripe Crested Geckos (3rd Quarter - 2021)

Dalmatian Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of Dalmatian crested geckos represented 7.74% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $261 and a price range as low as $50 and as much as $1,100.

Dalmatians

The Dalmatian market is tough because many breeders are breeding for Super Dalmatians but when you miss you lose 50% of the value. That's right, Dalmatians averaged $261 per sale in the third quarter where as Super Dalmatians averaged $516 each, a whopping $255 difference. And don't get me started with how to determine if you have a Dalmatian or Super Dalmatian, aye caramba! This price list includes all crested geckos sold as 'Dalmatians'. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description super Dalmatian, pinstripe, or harlequin. Keep in mind that these Dalmatian crested geckos may also express, larger or smaller spots and different spot color morphs like the confetti line. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced Dalmatians on this list. 

Super Dalmatian Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of Super Dalmatian crested geckos represented 5.16% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $515 and a price range as low as $85 and as much as $2,200.

Super Dalmatians

Super Dalmatians have exploded on the market in price and popularity. It seems like a few years ago you couldn't give a Dalmatian or Super Dalmatian away, now people can't meet the demand. In addition to the standard super Dalmatian covered in black spots we have started to see more and more of the confetti line and ink spot super Dalmatians. These are Dalmatians with red or white spots instead of black ones or spots that are huge that are referred to as inkspots. There is always some questionable super Dalmatians for sale but it seems like the market pays the fair price based on the spots not the listing title. This price list includes all crested geckos sold as 'Super Dalmatians'. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description Dalmatian, pinstripe, or harlequin. Keep in mind that these Super Dalmatian crested geckos may also express, larger or smaller spots and different spot color morphs like the confetti line. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced Super Dalmatians on this list. 

Red Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of red crested geckos represented 10.32% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $253 and a price range as low as $70 and as much as $2,000.

Reds

Red crested geckos have been popular for many years, they are impressive, whether you are drawn to red harlequins, phantoms, pinstripes, extreme harlequins or red lilly whites. Keep in mind that the prices of red crested geckos often are as much related to the pattern of the crestie as the color. You may get a little bit more for a red harlequin but you'll get a tremendous bit more for an extreme red harlequin. Also the richness of the red determines the price, as pinks and darker brick reds don't garner as big of a price as the 'true' red crested geckos. This price list includes all crested geckos sold as 'Reds'. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description lilly white, axanthic, or het axanthic. Keep in mind that these Red crested geckos may also express, varying degrees of harlequin, extreme harlequin or pinstripes. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced Reds on this list. 

Tricolor Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of tricolors crested geckos represented 5.16% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $449 and a price range as low as $80 and as much as $2,200.

Tricolors

Tricolors seem to be trending up in popularity, it will be interesting to track this trend over the next couple of years to see if we can quantify the observation with numbers. The tricolor crested gecko has the same challenges as the reds and other color traits, they take a long time to develop their color. This means a breeder must hold onto them much longer than some of the other crested gecko morphs if they want to maximize their investment return. As more breeders produce better looking tricolors I expect the market for these beauties to heat up. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description lilly white, axanthic, or het axanthic. Keep in mind that these tricolor crested geckos may also express, varying degrees of harlequin, extreme harlequin or pinstripes. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced tricolors on this list. 

Lilly White Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of lilly white crested geckos represented 7.74% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $1,402 and a price range as low as $400 and as much as $4,000.

Lilly Whites

The lilly white crested gecko is striking with its paper white base color contrasted by whatever crazy colors today's breeders can think up. Some of these lilly whites truly are living art, with the high expression reds, blacks, and tricolors plastered all over Instagram. Arguably, they are the most attractive of all the crested geckos, definitely a must have for any crested gecko lover. The nice thing about this crested gecko is that Lilly Whites are genetic and reproducible as it is a dominant gene. What this means is that statistically every time you breed a lilly white to any normal crested gecko you have a 50/50 chance of getting a lilly white. Which is why lilly whites cost 5K a few years ago and now are averaging under $1,500 each. It seems like the smart advice is to buy breeder lilly whites that are high expression like an extreme harlequin pattern and combo them with your favorite color morph. You can never go wrong with a red or tricolor high expression lilly whites. Males are going to run much more expensive as they can breed those traits into your existing collection. The combination of lilly white to lilly white is fatal to those unfortunate few geckos that actually hatch. No super lilly white has lived more than a few days after birth. The super lilly white looks leucistic but has been found to be 100% lethal. I have to believe that 100's of breeders have tried to produce a viable super lilly but none have succeeded and I'm sure 1000's of super lilly white babies have suffered a horrible death because of it. I understand that at first people may have believed their outcrossed lilly whites may be the ones to produce a super lilly but ALL have failed. The numbers that have tried and failed are staggering, please, don't join that statistic this breeding season. To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description axanthic, or het axanthic. Keep in mind that these lilly white crested geckos may also express, varying degrees of harlequin, extreme harlequin, and/or color traits. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced lilly whites on this list. 

100% Het Axanthic Crested Gecko Prices - 3rd Quarter - 2021 

The sale of unsexed 100% het axanthic crested geckos represented 57.14% of all crested geckos sold in the third quarter of 2021. Collectively they had an average sales price of $1,469 and a price range as low as $750 and as much as $2,400.

Het Axanthics / Axanthics

Everyone wants an axanthic crested gecko. At this time axanthics are the only universally accepted simple recessive mutation in crested geckos. There are some promising others that we hope prove out over the next few years but right now, axanthic crested geckos are king. They are also super expensive and very little data about how much they have sold for is available. However, unsexed 100% het axanthics are regularly popping up for sale across the internet. Just to be clear, 100% het axanthics are NON-VISUAL normal looking crested geckos. They carry the simple recessive gene of axanthic which then can be passed down to their offspring. We've put together some numbers that will give us a good baseline to start.  To make sure the prices were accurate we excluded any cresties that included in their description lilly white, axanthic, or possible het axanthic. Keep in mind that these 100% het axanthic crested geckos may also express, varying degrees of harlequin, extreme harlequin or pinstripes along with darker colors or lighter colors. Those traits would also increase the price and explain the highest priced het axanthics on this list. 

Male and Female 100% Het Axanthics & All Visual Axanthics

Intent, Purpose and Disclaimer

Crested Geckos are one of the top five most popular reptiles in the United States. Due to the large number of professional and hobbyist breeders, there are multiple data points that can be gathered to help determine the value of crested geckos by morph or mutation. This report gathers data from publicly available information on websites, social media, forums and private sales to compile these analyses. This report in no way should be considered an accurate depiction of the crested gecko market nor should be relied upon to make any investment, financial, or purchasing decisions. The data points we rely upon are all self-reported valuations and could easily be manipulated to reflect higher selling points than actually sold. We make no attempt to verify the reported sales prices. With that being said, we cannot think of a good reason that an entire industry would manipulate their sales prices as a collective. Our experience with the reptile industry leaves us doubting the industry could ever agree upon anything, let alone such a large and unreported manipulation of sales figures. But, who knows, you can agree or disagree with the numbers within, they are solely my opinion based on my research. Contact me with any constructive ideas to improve the report.

3rd Quarter (July, August, September) -  2021 Crested Gecko Industry Sales in the US

Many of these numbers are starting data points that will be tracked quarterly to help identify trends in the cost changes of different crested gecko morphs. The 2021 4th quarter crested gecko industry financial report will depict gains and losses plus the percentage changes between the quarters.  

Reports Relied Upon To Estimate Annual Revenue 

All reports hyperlinked in orange. It is difficult to find a group that tracks reptile industry estimated revenue by reptile. In fact, it is difficult to find many estimates for the reptile industry at all. When you compare the findings in this report to the reptile industry available numbers over the past 20 years, it feels like these numbers are accurate. We found a report estimating that the reptile industry spent 495 million on supplies, alone in 2019. It is also estimated that 33% of all purchases are for food. The Business Wire estimates that reptile products sales will increase to 650 million a year by 2024. However, multiple assumptions had to be made without much information to base them upon to estimate crested gecko revenues. 

Distribution - Copy Right - Legal

This report was produced for the benefit of all parties interested and involved in the reptile industry but its contents are for informational purposes only. The opinions expressed reflect our analysis as of September 30, 2021, unless noted otherwise, and are subject to change. The information is from sources that are self-reporting absent an audit so we make no warranty of its accuracy. I offer this report to anyone free of charge. However, its contents are property of Tenny’s Crested Geckos except where third party data has been cited. You may freely use this document so long as you credit this article with a link to this URL.