Key Takeaway:
- Gargoyle geckos are semi-arboreal reptiles.
- Gargoyle geckos cannot climb glass and walls.
- Gargoyle geckos need ample hiding places in their enclosures to be able to rest and relax.
Gargoyle geckos spend a lot of time on trees – but they have also been known to spend a lot of time on the ground.
In such a case, it does raise the curious question: are gargoyle geckos arboreal?
Knowing whether your gargoyle geckos are arboreal is necessary to decide how to set up the tank for your pet.
In this article, we look at the habitat, behavior, and required setup for the comfort and safety of your pet gargoyle gecko.
Are Gargoyle Geckos Arboreal?
Yes, gargoyle geckos are arboreal. Gargoyle geckos spend a lot of time on trees. In the wild, gargoyle geckos prefer to rest on and travel through the branches of trees.
They spend a lot more time spanning vertical distances than horizontal ones hunting and escaping from predators.
Are Gargoyle Geckos Arboreal Or Semi-Arboreal?
When it comes to pet gargoyle geckos who spend their lives in captivity, classifying them as completely arboreal is incorrect.
In captivity, a pet gargoyle gecko will spend just as much time relaxing on the floor of the enclosure as it does in the twigs and branches provided in the cage.
So, in captivity, a pet gargoyle gecko is more accurately described as being semi-arboreal rather than arboreal.
This means you need to provide ample vertical and horizontal space for your gargoyle gecko.
Do Gargoyle Geckos Like To Climb?
Yes, gargoyle geckos like to climb. They are, by nature, semi-arboreal. In the wild, gargoyle geckos spend most of their time in the trees and shrubs of the New Caledonian rainforests.
That’s why when in captivity, it is crucial that gargoyle geckos have plenty of vertical space and support for climbing.
Can Gargoyle Geckos Climb Glass And Walls?
Surprisingly enough, gargoyle geckos cannot climb glass and walls. What is strange is the fact that even gargoyle geckos have the same anatomical mechanism for climbing as the other geckos.
But unlike the other species of geckos, gargoyle geckos cannot climb up on glass and walls. Their feet don’t give them enough grip for such surfaces.
How Are Gargoyle Geckos Able To Climb?
Much like other geckos, even gargoyle geckos are able to climb because of very tiny hair-like structures on their feet called setae.
These hair-like microfibers allow gargoyle geckos to grip onto the surfaces of tree barks, twigs, ropes, etc. pretty easily.
What makes gargoyle geckos different from most other geckos, however, is that their setae do not have enough grip and strength to be able to climb glass, walls, and other smooth structures.
Arboreal Tank-Set Up For Gargoyle Geckos
As the pet owner of a gargoyle gecko, one of the most crucial aspects that needs to be taken care of is the arrangement of the tank for your pet.
Like any other pet gecko, even gargoyle geckos have a set of specifications for their tank setup.
These specifications need to be maintained as consistently and accurately as possible to ensure the good health and comfort of your pet gargoyle gecko.
When it comes to discussing the ideal tank setup for your pet gargoyle gecko, there are a number of things that you need to take into consideration, such as lighting, heating, habitat, ventilation, size, etc.
However, in this article, we will focus completely on only two aspects: the size of the tank and the habitat setup within the tank.
Size
The purpose of ensuring the appropriate size of tank for a pet gargoyle gecko is to ensure comfort and safety.
Having an appropriately sized tank is crucial to ensure that your semi-arboreal pet gargoyle gecko gets ample horizontal and vertical space to move around.
Talking about the ideal size of a vertical tank for an adult gargoyle gecko, for a single pet, you need a minimum of 20 gallons.
If you plan on cohabiting having your pet gargoyle gecko with multiple gargoyle geckos together, then a good rule of thumb to follow is to add 20 gallons to the tank per adult gargoyle gecko.
This means that if you’re housing 2 adult gargoyle geckos together, you will need a huge tank of 40 gallons.
Habitat
Once the size of the tank is out of the way, the next step is to create a great environment within the appropriately spacious tank.
Having a tank habitat that’s as close as possible to the natural habitat of gargoyle geckos can help stimulate natural behaviors and instincts in your pets. This is crucial for their physical and mental well-being.
You can divide the habitat setup into two basic steps to make it easier:
- Setting up the proper decoration and plants that make the enclosure look and feel natural.
- Setting up proper hiding places to make the enclosure homely and relaxing for your gargoyle gecko.
Decoration And Plants
There are plenty of non-toxic, safe, and natural options available for decorating the tanks of gargoyle geckos specifically.
It is always recommended that you go for the items that were specifically made for your gargoyle gecko’s enclosure.
Trying out DIY options, especially if you are a complete beginner in reptile petkeeping, can lead to potentially toxic or unsafe objects being housed in the enclosure.
You should also avoid choosing items that are too sharp or have small parts that could be a choking hazard.
Here are some ideas for safe and non-toxic decorations and plants that you can add to your gargoyle gecko’s tank:
- Branches
- Logs
- Cork bark
- Driftwood
- Live plants (such as pothos, spider plants, and philodendrons)
- Vines
- Rope ladders
- Hammocks
When choosing live plants for your gargoyle gecko’s tank, be sure to choose plants that are non-toxic to reptiles. It is also important to choose plants that are relatively low-maintenance, as you will need to be able to mist the tank regularly to maintain the humidity.
Hiding Places
Lastly, we look at hiding places for a gargoyle gecko.
Why do gargoyle geckos need a hiding place in their tanks?
These reptiles come from the rainforests of New Caledonia, where they have ample shrubbery, branches, roots, and bushes to hide in.
Such hiding places provide a safe space for gargoyle geckos to rest and relax away from the dangers of predators.
Over time, having a hiding place has become the norm for gargoyle geckos. So, even in captivity, where there are no predators, your gargoyle gecko will still look for a hiding place when it wants to rest and relax.
This is a habitual behavior. Thus, providing ample hiding places will ensure that your gargoyle gecko has ample safe space to unwind. It will keep your pet gargoyle gecko comfortable, relaxed, and stress-free, which is crucial for its long-term health.
How to properly provide hiding places for your gargoyle gecko in its tank?
Firstly, you can arrange your décor properly in a way that the branches, twigs, rope ladders, etc. that you put in the tank form small, covered resting places naturally.
Another way to provide hiding places for your gargoyle gecko is to purchase commercially available reptile hides.
You can easily get a variety of creative options for reptile hides in most local pet stores. Once you get whichever you like, you can simply install it in your gargoyle gecko’s tank with all the other décor.
Summary
Gargoyle geckos are semi-arboreal reptiles. They need ample vertical and horizontal space in their enclosures because they spend almost equal amounts of time in the trees and on the ground.
To make their enclosures as close to natural as possible, you can add non-toxic décor and plants. It is important to provide reptile hides in the tank of your pet gargoyle gecko to ensure that the tank is comfortable and relaxing.
