Gargoyle Gecko care?

[manda615]

We recently aquired a gargoyle Gecko (like... yesterday... lol). I've heard some really contradictory information on care between keepers and other species-gecko owner's. Does anybody have any great advice or tips?

I currently have chameleons who get repashy calcium plus & supercal noD, is this a good supplement for them also?

Lights? UVB? Food/diet?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Blink]

I don't have a gargoyle right now, but I am in the process of researching their care. I'm very interested to see what other people say. From what I've read and understood, the ideal temperature for a gargoyle is between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Much higher can be detrimental. It seems that most of the time additional heating is not required, but unlike created geckos, they will utilize a basking spot if provided. I don't believe that UVB is mandatory, as long as proper supplemwnation is given, since they are nocturnal, but it cannot hurt and will sometimes be beneficial. The majority of their diet should be crested gecko food with additional gutloaded and dusted insects. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to ascertain exactly what supplements are required. The crested gecko food has vitamins in it, I think, but I would also think that additional supplementation would be required. Hopefully someone else more knowlegable than I will post. I hope this helps for now!

 

[manda615]

?

I've received some pretty conflicting information on all of it. The breeder who gave him to us told us no heat sources, uvbs, or misting is required. Can eat crickets/worms just fine or crested gecko diet if we don't wanna touch the bugs. (I have 2 Chams so I don't mind the bugs).

But we also got some leopard-ish family geckos, and that guy told us a heat source under the tank is okay, but not necessary. UVB is not required, they are currently eating large crickets, nothing else. But I did receive advice from another hobby-keeper of geckos and he said they need vitamins, but didn't specify what.

The only thing I know for certain is a clean water source like a waterfall or dish because they won't always drink a mist off the plants/ glass/etc.

Every time I think I found a good resource, I read another one to check the information and its different. So I'm a bit lost to say the least.

 

[kinyonga]

Had a gargoyle gecko for quite a few years. She was very interesting!

They are not ground dwellers so you do not need under the tank heat.

You have leopard geckoish lizards??? What species if they are "ish"??
Will post more on the care of the gargoyles in a while.

 

[manda615]

I have a super snow gecko and a patternless gecko. I presume they are within the leopard family, but someone at the reptile show said I was wrong, but didn't tell me the right answer sooo..... I seem to have more questions than answers currently lol

I just want to provide them the best care and it's hard sorting out the right information on the Internet. I've seen a lot of support & helpful advice here in the cham forums so hoping I'll get some on my geckos.

 

[Blink]

I believe that a combination a of both th CGD and insects is recommended for best nutrition. I also know that misting is definitely required because they need fairly high humidity. From what I have read, one misting at night is usually sufficient as long as a bowl of water is provided. I bet your little garg is a cutie. I would love to see a picture!

 

[kinyonga]

Snow and patternless are both types of leopard gecko.

I kept Leopard geckos for many years...they all lived for over 20 years with me. I kept them in glass cages with screen lids. Some had UVB lights and some didn't. I kept a heating pad under one end of the cage. The cages had a specific type of sand on the floors and I used rocks and curved pieces of bark to decorate the cages. There was a hide at the warm end of the cage and another at the cool end. I kept two females and one male in each cage. I had a water dish in the cage and a small lid of calcium powder in the cages too. I misted one end of the cage lightly in the early evening. I dusted and fed and gutloaded the insects just like I do for the chameleons. I never had any health issues or MBD or egglaying issues with any of them.

For the gargoyle, I kept her in a glass chameleon cage with a screen lid and ventilation in the door. It was about a two foot cube. I had a UVB light on the cage and a forty watt household incandescent light on the cage in one corner. Temperature was usually in the mid 70's F. I had a container of sand in the corner of the cage and lots of strips of bark and wide branches in the cage and a pothos plant. I fed her insects and yogurt and fruits such as berries, melon, once in a while a little applesauce or babyfood fruit. I ran a dropper into a dish on the floor of the cage once a day and misted the cage. I used the same sand on the floor of the cage. I supplemented, fed and gutloaded the insects just like I do for the chameleons.

The sand I used for both geckos and the egglaying bins was produced by Kings and came in a white bag with red, yellow and blue sand box toys on the front. I use this sand for the chameleon's too because it has never caused an impaction.

Hope I didn't miss anything.

 

[manda615]

Thank you for all that info kinyonga!!

And can I also just say THANKS for saying they are leopard gecko because I swore I was right and that man at the expo was so rude telling me I was wrong. Some people just can't play nice.

The cage my geckos are in now have moss on the floor to hold moisture and humidity. My temps are mid to high 70's day time for the leopards and the Garg has a low-watt light so he gets up to probably about 80 but I need a new gauge because I really think the one I have is off. Humidity was low the first day but I gave a good misting this morning and at last check was around 50% at the bottom of the cage for both cages.

I'll have to find this sand you mentioned for me leopards. I do not have a female gargoyle (yet! but i am looking!!) so he should be okay with the Moss for now? He has TONS of climbing/hiding places so I think he is pretty set.

I'm just nervous about the egg laying part but I think I have time. The leopards are about 3-5 months old. Is their egg laying as complicated as the chameleons? Any special bins or anything like that? I see a lot of people mention the leopards are hiders, not climbers, so I think I'm going to switch to a longer cage than a taller one. I have an 18 x 18 x 18 right now. They are about 4-5 inches long tip of nose to base of tail.


Blink I'll see if I can get a picture attached for you. He is very gorgeous!

 

[manda615]

Hopefully this works...

Gargoyle, Patternless & Super Snow. The cage is the gargoyle's

 

[Blink]

Aww! He's so cute! I just love the gargoyles and hope to own one one day! The leos are also cute.

 

[manda615]

Yeah, he is quite adorable. Didn't care for his price tag too much though. haha.

My boyfriend instantly loved him, he couldn't stop thinking about him all day Sunday so we finally went back and got him after a few hours of walking around. I only splurged for the leopards because they are adorable and my chameleons are more of a "look at me being pretty but don't touch me" pet.