Key Takeaway:
- Gargoyle geckos not moving can be attributed to natural reasons such as sleeping, resting, and basking among others.
- Other possible reasons for your gargoyle gecko not moving are, stress, a new environment, temperatures are too low or high, low or extremely high humidity, injury, sickness, incorrect habitat setup, incorrect diet, and death.
- New gargoyle geckos should be allowed to adjust to their new habitat
- You can get your gargoyle gecko to move by reducing stressors, fixing the diet, and adjusting the temperatures and humidity levels.
- Talking to a vet is also a solution if your gecko hasn’t moved despite making the necessary changes.
Owning a gargoyle gecko comes with its fair share of responsibilities. Apart from feeding and misting the enclosure, you also need to monitor your gargoyle gecko’s health and behaviors.
These awesome creatures will behave differently depending on their health and environment.
One of the behaviors that may worry you is when your gargoyle gecko isn’t moving.
Gargoyle geckos may spend most of their day sleeping or resting but they should be active at night.
So, if your gecko remains inactive at night, you may have a problem.
In this article, we’ll discuss the possible reasons why your gargoyle gecko isn’t moving and how you can get them to move. So, stick around to learn more!
7 Reasons Why Your Gargoyle Gecko Isn’t Not Moving
These reasons may help you explain why your gecko has remained stationary for a long time.
New Environment
When you first bring a gargoyle gecko home, it will take some time to settle in and get used to its new habitat.
Therefore, it’s normal for a new gecko to remain hidden and inactive for days. New gargoyle geckos will behave this way due to stress and uncertainty.
Your new gargoyle geckos should start exploring and feeding once they gain confidence and get used to their new enclosure.
Just give your gecko some time and avoid putting him or her in stressful positions.
Incorrect Temperatures
Gargoyle geckos are very sensitive when it comes to temperatures. If you get the temperature settings wrong, your gargoyle gecko will have a difficult time moving or eating.
Low temperatures can make your gargoyle gecko remain inactive for long periods. You see, low temperatures can slow down the gecko’s metabolic function.
That’s why gargoyle geckos might move less when the temperatures fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Stress
Your gargoyle gecko not moving could be a sign of stress. As you might know, gargoyle geckos don’t do well in stressful conditions.
But what would induce stress in a gecko? Well, loud noises, low temperatures, low humidity, and sudden changes to their environment.
Your gecko should move more once you provide a quiet and calm environment. The trick is to keep your pet gargoyle gecko happy and comfortable.
Sickness
Most animals rarely move when they are sick and it’s no different for “gargs”. If your gecko is ill, they’ll have no energy to move around.
Therefore, they’ll probably remain hidden in foliage or hiding spots. Some geckos will just prefer to hang around the water bowl.
You can look for other signs to confirm that your gecko is ill. And if you spot signs of sickness, don’t hesitate to see a vet.
Low Humidity
Gargoyle geckos are used to living in a humid environment. That’s why you must provide them with a humidity level of 70 to 80 percent.
High humidity helps geckos to remain hydrated. But if you allow the humidity to fall drastically, your gargoyle gecko will become dehydrated and stressed.
If your gargoyle gecko isn’t moving, you should check the hygrometer to ensure that the humidity levels are correct.
You must make sure that the humidity levels aren’t too high or too low.
Natural Reasons
Gargoyle geckos can limit their movements due to natural reasons. Therefore, you don’t always have to panic if your gecko isn’t moving.
Here are some instances when your gargoyle gecko will stop moving:
- Basking – gargoyle geckos are ectothermic animals, meaning they rely on their surroundings to regulate their body temperature. Therefore, it’s normal for geckos to spend hours basking in their favorite spot.
- Sleeping – Gargoyle geckos are nocturnal creatures and will only become active at night and around dusk. Hence, it is completely normal for your gecko to spend the entire day sleeping. Gargoyle geckos will barely move when they are sleeping.
- Resting – gargoyle geckos also have their resting time. They can choose to rest in their hiding place or on the floor. During this time, your gecko will remain still but should show some level of alertness.
Death
As you enjoy the company of your pet gecko, you should know that one day death will strike. So you should always hope that your gecko lives to see the next day.
If your gecko hasn’t moved an inch for the last couple of hours, check if it’s breathing.
If it’s not, then it might be dead. Nonetheless, if your gargoyle gecko has a faint breath, you should rush it to the vet before the inevitable happens.
Other possible reasons for your gargoyle gecko not moving include:
- The tank is too large
- You have a lamp on 24/7
- Incorrect habitat setup
- Injury
- Incorrect diet
3 Ways to Make Your Gargoyle Gecko Start Moving
Unless your gargoyle gecko hasn’t moved due to natural reasons, you can get it to move by employing the following tactics:
Reduce stressors
Gargoyle geckos prefer to remain hidden and stationary if they are stressed. So, if you wish to keep your gecko active and happy, you should consider getting rid of the stressors.
The most common stressors include noise, cohabitation, handling, and incorrect habitat.
Always keep your gargoyle gecko in a quiet place and ensure that the enclosure doesn’t have other ‘gargs’ or pets that can stress out the gecko.
Secondly, you should keep your gargoyle gecko in a vivarium that matches its size.
Maintain the Right Temperatures
Gargoyle geckos are easily affected by incorrect temperature settings. So, if you establish that your gecko isn’t moving due to low or extremely hot temperatures, you should adjust accordingly.
Your gecko’s tank should have a temperature gradient so that the gecko can have a basking and cooling spot.
The basking spot should be near the top of the enclosure while the cooling or resting spot should be located on the floor.
Ensure to adjust the night temperature to around 65-72°F. As long as the temperatures are correct, your gecko should become more active.
Adjust Your Humidity
The hygrometer in your gecko’s enclosure should tell you whether you need to increase or decrease humidity levels.
If the humidity levels are low, you should increase them to alleviate dehydration. Try to keep the humidity levels around 60 to 80 percent.
Humidity should be high at night and moderate during the day.
If none of these solutions work, you shouldn’t hesitate to consult a vet. However, if you are dealing with a new gecko, the only solution is to give them time to adjust.
When to Take Your Gargoyle Gecko to a Vet?
If you suspect that your gargoyle gecko is ill, impacted, or injured, you should take them to a vet for further examination.
Remember that lethargy in gargoyle geckos could be a sign of sickness and it would be unwise to ignore it.
Summary
Gargoyle geckos not moving shouldn’t always send you into panic. Sometimes they do it when they are asleep, resting, or basking.
Besides, new gargoyle geckos may remain inactive when they are adapting to a new environment.
However, you still need to investigate whether you have the correct habitat setup, temperature settings, and humidity levels.
Also check whether your gargoyle gecko is ill, injured, or dead before you take any action.
