Key Takeaway:
- The safest plants to use in gargoyle gecko tanks are Pothos, Spider plants, Snake Plants, Bromeliads, Ficus Benjamina, and Ferns.
- Live plants make the gargoyle gecko’s terrarium look natural and beautiful.
- Plants create ideal climbing and hiding spaces for geckos.
- Toxic and unsafe plants include Aloe vera, thorny plants, Poinsettia, Dieffenbachia, Jade plant, Philodendron, Peace lily, Dracunculus vulgaris, English Ivy, and others.
- Gargoyle geckos don’t eat live plants unless it happens by accident.
Having a gargoyle gecko as a pet comes with a lot of benefits. Apart from the gecko’s fascinating behavior, you get the chance to create a bioactive enclosure.
Gargoyle geckos enjoy having a naturalistic habitat. Therefore, you’ll need to have a bioactive substrate and live plants to create an enclosure that mimics the gecko’s natural habitat.
So, if you are interested in having a planted terrarium, you’ll need to know which plants are safe for gargoyle geckos. While at it, get to know the plants to avoid.
Here is a guide to help you know the best and safest plants for your gecko’s enclosure. We’ve also covered some of the toxic plants you should avoid.
6 Safe Plants for Gargoyle Geckos
If you wish to have live plants in your gargoyle gecko’s enclosure, the plants discussed below will not disappoint you.
Besides, these plants can’t harm your pet gargoyle gecko in any way.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos are the best plants to have in a planted vivarium. This popular houseplant sprawls with leafy vines, making it an ideal climbing plant.
Pothos grow pretty fast, adding lots of foliage in the gecko’s tank.
Gargoyle geckos need dense foliage for hiding and Pothos will provide exactly that. Moreover, Pothos should provide adequate wall cover.
Pothos should do well when you water them once a week. Ensure you plant them on a substrate with adequate drainage.
Amazingly, Pothos aren’t affected by UVB, LED, or fluorescent lighting. However, you shouldn’t expose this houseplant to direct sun.
You’ll also need to trim your pothos regularly to keep them in control.
Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Snake plants are common houseplants that would do well in gecko enclosures. Gecko keepers love snake plants due to their strong, broad leaves that grow vertically.
These leaves can support the weight of a gargoyle gecko and offer a good vertical space for climbing.
Snake plants provide a naturalistic hiding place due to their dense foliage. Besides, you don’t have to replace your snake plants often as they are durable.
Gargoyle geckos will rarely cause any damage to the leaves of your snake plant.
Snake plant is easy to care for since it doesn’t need any trimming. Moreover, Sanseviera does well in low to moderate light and has fairly low water requirements.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum)
The spider plant is a safe plant to use in enclosures housing New Caledonia geckos.
Spider plants are considered to be hardy and low-maintenance. They are small in size but will do great in smaller terrariums.
The spider plant can outgrow the enclosure if you fail to give it a mow every once in a while. This plant species has long, narrow leaves and produces white flowers.
Bromeliads
Bromeliads can be a great addition to your gargoyle gecko’s enclosure. However, you must choose a variety that doesn’t have sharp or serrated leaves.
Remember that spiky leaves can hurt your gargoyle gecko.
You can go for the Bromeliad variety that doesn’t exceed 8 inches after maturity. These plants are ideal for mounting.
You can use them if you have a gecko that weighs not more than 15 grams.
Amazingly, Bromeliads have leaves that collect water at the base. Therefore, your gargoyle gecko will gladly drink water from these leaves.
You can also use Bromeliads for decoration purposes as they are available in color green and red.
Maintaining Bromeliads isn’t that hard as you’ll only need to water or mist them often. These plants also require moderate to bright light.
Therefore, you can place them in a position where they can receive direct light from whatever lighting fixtures you use in the enclosure.
Ferns
Your gargoyle gecko enclosure may feel incomplete without ferns. Ferns thrive in a humid environment.
Besides, ferns have plenty of leaves that will make your vivarium look greener. Your gargoyle gecko should use the leaves as a hide.
In addition, small gargoyle geckos can climb on the leaves without breaking them. If you wish to have ferns in your enclosure, you can choose from multiple varieties.
Ferns will be fine as long as you maintain a humid enclosure. You’ll also need to ensure that the substrate is moist.
Ficus Benjamina
Ficus is an awesome shrub to have in your gargoyle gecko’s enclosure. This small shrub-like tree is best suited for tall enclosures.
So, if you have an adult gargoyle gecko that likes to climb, you can add the Ficus Benjamina to the enclosure.
The Ficus tree has woody branches that will support the weight of large gargoyle geckos. However, you may need to prune your Ficus tree to maintain a small size.
While shopping for a Ficus tree, you should avoid the Ficus elastica variety as it’s known to produce sap that can harm your gecko when ingested.
Ficus trees should thrive in well-draining soil mixtures and you only need to water them once per week. Moreover, Ficus trees should have no problem with direct light.
Other safe plants you should consider having in your garg’s enclosure include:
- Air plants
- Prayer plants
- Selaginella
- Tradescantia
- Anthurium
- Lucky bamboo
- Dwarf umbrella tree
- Peperomia (Radiator plant)
- Dracaena (Dragon plants)
6 Toxic Plants for Gargoyle Geckos
Now that you have a list of gargoyle gecko-safe plants to choose from, let’s shift our focus to the toxic plants you should avoid.
Philodendron
This plant is considered poisonous because it contains calcium oxalate crystals. Philodendron looks similar to Pothos.
So you must be careful not to pick Philodendron instead of Pothos.
Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia is a popular houseplant that’s considered toxic to geckos. This toxic plant contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause mouth and stomach irritation when ingested.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is known for its medicinal properties but you should never include it in your gargoyle gecko’s terrarium. This succulent isn’t safe for New Caledonian geckos
Poinsettia
This plant emits an irritating substance which can harm your gargoyle gecko
Thorny plants
Any plant with spikes or thorns is unsafe for gargoyle geckos. The thorns can easily prick or scratch your gargoyle gecko. So, never add rose bushes or cacti into your enclosure.
Jade Plant
This is yet another succulent plant that you shouldn’t have in your vivarium. Jade plants contain calcium oxalate crystals that are toxic to the gecko’s mouth and digestive system.
Other unsafe plants to have in a gargoyle gecko enclosure include:
- Sago palm
- Peace lily
- Drancunculus vulgaris
- English ivy
You shouldn’t risk having any toxic plants in a gargoyle gecko’s enclosure because you wouldn’t know what would happen if the gecko consumed an insect that had eaten the plant.
Are Live Plants Safe For Gargoyle Geckos?
Yes, some live plants are safe for gargoyle geckos. You must tread carefully when picking live plants for your gecko’s enclosure.
Only use those plants that are considered safe and leave out the rest. You wouldn’t want to risk harming your gecko with toxic plants.
Benefits Of Having Plants (Live & Fake) In A Gargoyle Gecko’s Terrarium
Having plants in a gargoyle gecko’s terrarium comes with plenty of benefits. Here are some of those benefits:
- Live plants are great at regulating humidity levels in the enclosure
- Plants make the enclosure look more natural and aesthetically pleasing
- Both live and fake plants provide your gecko with climbing space
- Plants provide hiding places for gargoyle geckos
- Live plants help remove air pollutants from the gecko’s enclosure
If you opt for live plants, make sure you pick safe and non-toxic varieties. Also, remember to care for your plants to keep them healthy.
Do Gargoyle Geckos Eat Plants?
No, gargoyle geckos are omnivores but won’t eat the plants you have in your terrarium.
Your geckos should get all the nutrients from commercial gecko diets, gut-loaded insects, and fruit purees.
So, you’ll never find your gargoyle gecko chewing on the live plants. However, you may spot them licking water from the plant leaves.
Summary
Apart from giving your vivarium a naturalistic look, live plants can help regulate humidity. Moreover, plants can help reduce pollutants and add more oxygen to the terrarium.
Your gargoyle gecko will enjoy living in a terrarium with live plants because it will have plenty of places to hide.
However, you should only use plants that are considered safe for gargoyle geckos. Don’t forget to provide the plants with the right care so that they remain healthy.
If live plants are not your thing, you can always use artificial plants. These plants should provide enough climbing and hiding space for your gargoyle gecko.
Nonetheless, you must ensure that artificial plants don’t contain toxic dyes.
