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Housing

Minimum enclosure size: 45x45x60cm (1 adult gecko)

Recommended enclosure size: 45x45x90 (1 adult gecko)

Bigger enclosures are always better as they will make use of all of the space you give them. Being arboreal geckos, they favour vertical over horizontal space. A bioactive glass enclosure is recommended, including branches, cork tubes, a drainage layer (e.g clay balls), appropriate substrate (e.g ABG), live plants, clean up crew and leaf litter. Juvenile geckos can be started in a smaller enclosure before being moved to an adult enclosure to aid them in finding their food, however this is not a necessary step

Food and Supplementation

The staple diet of gargoyle geckos is powdered gecko diet such as Pangea which should be provided via a high up feeding ledge and replaced with fresh food every other day. Gargoyles will also eat live food including crickets, small dubia cockroaches and waxworms. Insects can be offered twice weekly and dusted with a powdered calcium supplement such as Repashy Calcium Plus. Not all geckos will eat insects so such individuals should be offered gecko diet with added insects as a substitute. Treats such as fresh fruit and waxworms can be offered every now and again.

Temperature and Humidity

Daytime ambient temperature: 22°C-25°C

Day time basking temperature: 27°C-29°C

Night time temperature: 18°C

Humidity: 50%-70%

Appropriate ambient daytime temperatures can usually be reached in the average household without any additional heating elements other than a strong LED light such as an Arcadia Jungle Dawn, although in some cases a heat mat attached to the side of the enclosure connected to a thermostat may be necessary. UVB light is not required for this species but is beneficial. A heat lamp will help to create a basking spot. Mist the enclosure 1-2 times daily using a hand mister or an automatic misting system. Gargoyle geckos will drink water droplets left on leaves and glass. Mist Kings are the best automatic misting systems available, however there are more budget friendly options better suited to a single enclosure such as the Exo Terra Monsoon Solo.

Appearance and Behaviour

Gargoyle geckos are a medium sized species of gecko that are best housed alone unless for breeding purposes. Being nocturnal, they will spend most of the day sleeping on a branch or in a cork hide and emerge in the evening to eat and explore. There are many morphs available, including striped, blotched and reticulated, with stunning colouration such as yellow, orange and red. They can vocalise in the form of squeaks and barks which are used in times of stress or to communicate with other geckos. They can fire up and down depending on their mood and environmental factors.

Handling

Gargoyle geckos can be handled. They are unlikely to bite and are large enough to be gently picked up with little risk of harm. It’s best to leave handling for the late hours of the evening when they are awake and alert. Their personalities are very variable with some individuals being more relaxed and tolerant to handling and others being more jumpy. Gargoyle geckos have the ability to drop and regenerate their tails.