Reptiles · Geckos
Gargoyle Gecko
Rhacodactylus auriculatus
Bumpy-headed gecko that regrows its tailBeginner
- Lifespan
- 15-20 years
- Size
- 20-25 cm (incl. tail)
- Social needs
- Solitary; house singly
- Time
- Low; evening feed, regular mist
- Cost
- Low-Medium
- Diet
- Omnivore (complete diet + insects)
Overview
What is this animal?
- The gargoyle gecko, from southern New Caledonia, is named for the cranial bumps above its eyes that resemble small horns.
- It is a hardy, arboreal, nocturnal species with care almost identical to the crested gecko, which makes it a good and slightly less common beginner gecko.
- Unlike crested geckos, gargoyles can regrow a dropped tail, and they are noted for a bolder, more predatory streak.
- They tolerate normal room temperatures well, so they are inexpensive to run, but they still need height, cover and steady moderate humidity to do well.
Temperament
- Gargoyle geckos are generally calm and become tame with gentle, regular handling, though they can be quick and are capable jumpers, so handle low over a soft surface.
- They are nocturnal, so expect them to be most active and confident in the evening.
- They must be housed singly.
- Adults, particularly males, are territorial and will bite and fight, and their predatory nature means they may injure smaller cage mates.
- Solo housing is the responsible standard and avoids stress and injury.
A good fit for
- Beginners wanting an easy arboreal gecko
- Keepers without room for heat lamps
- People who like a complete powdered diet
- Those wanting a slightly less common gecko
Common mistakes to avoid
- Overheating above 28-29C
- Housing two together (territorial bites)
- Skipping calcium and UVB
- Feeding only fruit or baby food
Enclosure
Minimum 2,030 cm² of floor (315 sq in) · 45 × 45 × 60 cm
Must be housed alone. Solitary; house singly
- Provide a tall, well-ventilated vivarium of at least 45x45x60cm for one adult, well planted with branches, cork bark and foliage for climbing and security.
- As an arboreal species it values vertical space over floor area, and a bioactive setup helps maintain humidity naturally.
- Keep temperatures around 22-26C, avoiding sustained heat above 28-29C, which is stressful, so a strong basking lamp is rarely needed indoors.
- A low-output UVB tube is beneficial.
- Mist once or twice daily to hold humidity around 50-70%, letting the enclosure dry partly between mistings to prevent mould and respiratory disease.
Supplies
Setup
- Enclosure
- Heating and thermostat
- Low-output UVB fixture and bulb
- Thermometers and hygrometer
- Substrate, hides including a humid hide, decor
Ongoing
- Complete powdered fruit-gecko diet (for cresteds, gargoyles, chahouas, mourning geckos)
- Live crickets, dubia roaches or black soldier fly larvae
- Plain calcium powder without D3
- Calcium with D3 plus a reptile multivitamin
- Feeder gut-load and a ventilated feeder tub
- Shallow ledge-mounted feeding cups
- Blunt-tipped feeding tongs
- Shallow water dish
Safe substrate: Topsoil and play sand mix for arid geckos · Coco fibre and orchid bark for tropical geckos · Paper towel
Care routine
Daily
- Check temperatures and humidity
- Fresh water bowl
- Look the animal over
- Mist the enclosure
- Spot-clean waste and uneaten food
Weekly
- Feed insects or prepared dietevery 2 days
- Check toes, tail tip and eyes after a shedevery 3 days
- Short handling session, species permittingevery 3 days
- Re-damp the humid hide
Monthly
- Weigh-inevery 2 weeks
- Deep-clean the enclosure
- Test thermostats, lamps and guards
Less often
- Refresh the substrateevery 3 months
- Replace the UVB lampevery 6 months
Vet: Annual exam and faecal check — every 12 months (every 6 months from 10 years old)
Top resources for more info
Independent creators and organisations we would send a friend to. We have no affiliation with any of them, and nothing here is sponsored. Links checked 2026-09-19.
YouTubers
Leopard GeckoLeopard and crested gecko care, setups and healthReptiles and ResearchEvidence-led husbandry: enclosure size, UVB, thermal gradients, enrichmentClint's ReptilesWhich reptile suits you, with honest care and handling verdicts
Sites
Go deeper
Diet
- Gargoyle geckos do well on a commercial complete crested/gargoyle gecko diet, a powdered fruit-and-insect mix prepared with water and offered in a shallow dish several times a week.
- This balanced food can form the bulk of their nutrition and simplifies feeding considerably.
- They are more carnivorous than crested geckos and readily take gut-loaded, calcium-dusted live insects such as crickets and dubia roaches once or twice weekly.
- Avoid relying on plain fruit or baby food, which is unbalanced.
- Provide fresh water in a dish, though they also lap droplets from misted surfaces.
Health
- Healthy gargoyles have clear eyes, full toe pads, a good appetite and steady weight.
- The main risks are metabolic bone disease from inadequate calcium or UVB, retained shed on the toes that can constrict them, and overheating, which can be rapidly fatal in this cool-tolerant species.
- A dropped tail will regenerate, though imperfectly, and is not an emergency.
- Any sudden change in weight, appetite or activity warrants attention from a vet experienced with exotics.
- Correct humidity and ventilation prevent most skin and respiratory problems.
Is your enclosure big enough?
Minimum floor area2,030 cm² (315 sq in) of continuous, unbroken floor
As dimensions45 x 45 x 60 cm
Height60 cm minimum. This species climbs, so height is not optional.
CompanyMust be housed alone. Solitary; house singly
Is this urgent?
Small geckos dehydrate and lose condition quickly, and the tail is the fuel gauge.
Go now
Tremors, weak grip, or a jaw that will not close properlyGo now. Calcium and D3 deficiency.
NowToday
Tail visibly thinning in a species that stores fat thereWeigh, then call with the trend. The fat store goes before the body condition does.
TodayStuck shed around the toes or over the eyesRaise humidity, offer a damp hide, and call if it is not clear within a day. Constricting shed rings cost toes. This is the most common avoidable injury in geckos.
TodayRefusing food with weight lossCheck the cool-end and warm-end temperatures, then call. A gecko that cannot reach its preferred temperature cannot digest.
TodayThis is general guidance for a healthy adult, not a diagnosis. An exotics vet who knows your animal always overrides it — and the time to find one is before you need one.
Can a gargoyle gecko eat that?
Geckos split into two diets that share almost nothing: insectivores like the leopard gecko, and the fruit-and-insect species like the crested gecko. Check which one you have.
The full list
Never (13)
AlcoholNo safe amount at any body weight on this site.
neverAvocadoPersin.
neverCaffeineCoffee, tea and energy drinks. Cardiac and neurological toxicity at tiny doses for an animal this size.
neverChocolateTheobromine and caffeine. Small mammals and reptiles cannot clear either.
neverCitrusAcidic, and it blocks calcium absorption.
neverFirefliesLucibufagins. Fatal to geckos.
neverGarlicSame allium toxicity as onion, and more concentrated by weight.
neverInsects larger than the gap between the eyesA recognised cause of impaction and neurological injury in small geckos. Size the feeder to the animal, every time.
neverLeekAllium family. Same mechanism as onion and garlic.
neverOnionOrganosulphur compounds damage red blood cells. The whole allium family is out.
neverRhubarbVery high in soluble oxalate, high enough to cause acute kidney injury. The leaves are worse than the stalks.
neverSalty or seasoned human foodSalt, oil and seasoning. Crisps, chips, seasoned leftovers and processed meat are all out.
neverWild-caught insectsPesticides and parasites.
neverRare treats (1)
WaxwormsVery fatty and habit-forming. Useful to get weight on a thin animal. One or two, rarely.
rare treatOccasional (4)
HornwormsHigh water content; useful for a dehydrated animal. One occasionally.
occasionalMashed fruitFor crested and gargoyle geckos only, and only as a supplement to a complete diet. Never for a leopard gecko. A small amount, alongside the complete diet.
occasionalMealwormsHard chitin and a poor calcium ratio. A leopard gecko fed only mealworms is a leopard gecko heading for calcium problems. A few alongside better feeders.
occasionalSuperwormsFatty. One or two.
occasionalEveryday foods (4)
Black soldier fly larvaeHigh in calcium, and readily taken. Several per feed.
everyday foodComplete crested gecko diet powderFor crested, gargoyle and chahoua geckos only, mixed with water. A complete food and the simplest way to feed those species correctly. Fresh, every other day, for fruit-eating species.
everyday foodCricketsStandard feeder. Gut-load for 24 hours before offering. Sized to the eye gap.
everyday foodDubia roachesThe best routine feeder for insectivorous geckos. Sized no wider than the space between the eyes.
everyday foodThat food is not on our list. Check which kind of gecko you have first — the two diets barely overlap — then ask an exotics vet.
Dust feeders with calcium to the schedule in the species guide, and keep a small dish of plain calcium available for insectivorous species.
What it really costs
Setup, monthly, first year and across a whole life, itemised and with the electricity worked out from the actual wattage. Published figures for the same animal disagree by a factor of four, so the calculator shows ranges rather than picking one.
Bedding and substrate
Match the substrate to the species' humidity, and never let a small gecko stand on anything it can swallow whole.
Safe
Topsoil and play sand mix for arid geckosPacks firm, holds a burrow, and is what a leopard gecko would actually stand on.
safeCoco fibre and orchid bark for tropical geckosHolds the humidity a crested or day gecko needs.
safePaper towelCorrect for quarantine, for hatchlings, and for any animal whose output you are watching.
safeWith a caveat
Sphagnum mossExcellent in a humid hide, poor as a whole-floor substrate — it stays wet.
with a caveatNever
Calcium sandSold as digestible, which is exactly why it gets eaten. Implicated in impaction.
neverCrushed walnut shellSharp and indigestible.
neverLoose play sand alone for hatchlingsToo easy to swallow at that size.
neverA humid hide is not optional for most geckos, whatever the main substrate is. Most stuck-shed problems trace back to its absence.
Compare with other animals
The same axes for every animal, side by side — the way the guides are written makes that a fair comparison rather than two articles.
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