Gargoyle geckos are arboreal animals and should be kept in a 20 gallon tall tank, with males separated so as to prevent fights between them.
Provide your gargoyle gecko with quality reptile food daily in small bio-degradable feeder cups; supplement this diet with dusted or gut loaded insects 2-3 times every week for added enrichment.
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Discoid Roaches
Discoid roaches are soft-bodied feeder insects rich in proteins, calcium and moisture; available at most pet stores as a staple food source for gargoyle geckos. Nymphs range in size from 1/4″ up to 2″, with females easily identifiable by having dark patterns on their underside abdomens; wider than males.
Gargoyle geckos can eat other feeder insects such as crickets, waxworms and dubia roaches but tend to prefer larger prey items. All insects should first be gut loaded (dusted with vitamin D3) before feeding them to your gecko, to ensure adequate nutrition is being received by them.
Your gecko should receive a diet consisting of 50% animal prey and 50% fruit/veggie. Examples of animal prey might include insects like cockroaches, mealworms and/or dubia roaches while the latter should be supplemented by an commercially available, balanced fruit powder you mix similar to making smoothies.
Crickets
Gargoyle geckos are crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk), tree-dwelling lizards native to New Caledonia that feed on both plant material and insects.
Feeder insects are vitally important to the health and welfare of gargoyle geckos. A daily supply of live insect food should be offered, in addition to pre-prepared diet powders.
Be sure to choose a quality prepared diet from a brand that has been developed through decades of testing, precise nutrient ratios and premium ingredients for reptiles. Baby food or other diets designed for humans should be avoided since they could contain extra preservatives and artificial flavors/flavors that may harm reptiles.
A 5% UVB lamp is also essential to providing your gargoyle gecko with the optimal environment, helping regulate their day/night cycle and stimulating appetite and vitamin D synthesis. An easy way to get them used to the light is gradually introduce it by placing it in their tank for 5 minutes every few days – you should see results within weeks!
Mealworms
Gargoyle geckos can also be fed other feeder insects such as black soldier fly larvae and hornworms as occasional treats, but should not be fed daily due to being low in calcium and high in phosphorous; over time this may result in nutritional issues.
Food should make up no more than 20% of your gargoyle gecko’s diet, and should include no more than 20% in terms of calcium supplements. Fruit can also form part of their diet; just be sure that any fruits offered fit with their species such as hornworm, fig, mango or date. Oxalate-rich or persin-containing fruits such as strawberries should be avoided as these could prove fatal for reptiles.
Young hatchlings and juveniles should be housed in separate “grow-out” enclosures to better track their feeding, make them easier to handle and maintain in sight, and maintain a consistent temperature gradient that might otherwise not be possible within standard terrariums. These “grow-out” containers may be made out of Sterilite bins or tubs lined with moss or leaf litter to help retain humidity in an environment conducive to their health and survival.
Fruits
Gargoyle geckos are omnivorous creatures in their natural environment, feeding on an assortment of fruits, nectars and insects (and occasionally small mammals). Some pet stores sell pre-made fruit mixes that can be fed to your gecko alongside live feeder insects; typically these consist of powders you mix with water into paste form that should be fed daily to young geckos or every 2-3 days for adult ones – however regular offering of live feeder insects will ensure your gecko gets all of its essential vitamins and minerals.
As treats, fresh and washed fruits should also be offered occasionally as treats to your gecko. Be sure to chop up and remove seeds or pits prior to offering, while avocados contain persin which is toxic to reptiles and birds (and possibly humans) alike. Additionally, it’s a good idea to keep a feeding journal so you can monitor their daily food intake.
