Key Takeaway:
- Substrate is a key part of a gargoyle gecko’s habitat that helps retain moisture, maintain hygiene, regulate the gecko’s temperature and provide a naturalistic look to the enclosure.
- Gargoyle geckos don’t necessarily need a substrate. You can opt to leave the terrarium floor bare or use paper towels and newspapers.
- The best substrates for gargoyle geckos include sphagnum moss, cypress mulch, DIY substrate, and paper towels.
- Avoid unsafe substrates such as reptile carpets, 100% coconut fiber, wood shavings, bark or chips, pine, fir, or cider, linoleum and shelf liner.
- Factor to consider when choosing a substrate include tank size, hygiene, aesthetics, water retention/humidity, safety, and burrowing/ egg deposition.
- Reptisoil is a good substrate to use in gargoyle gecko tanks.
- Never use reptile carpets in a gargoyle gecko’s enclosure.
- Bioactive substrate is good due to its self-cleaning abilities and low-maintenance
- A substrate must have isopods or springtails to become bioactive.
- Non-bioactive substrates must be cleaned regularly or replaced when they become dirty or smelly.
Gargoyle geckos are not your ordinary kind of pets. Unlike dogs and cats, these unique pets need a special habitat.
So, if you are interested in keeping a gargoyle gecko, you’ll need to make an enclosure that replicates its natural habitat in the wild.
To achieve a natural habitat, you’ll need to incorporate substrate in the enclosure. But what type of substrate should you use?
Why Do Gargoyle Geckos Need A Substrate?
Substrate is an essential addition to a gargoyle gecko enclosure. Substrates give terrariums a natural look.
Your gargoyle gecko should feel as if it is in its natural habitat when you place them in a terrarium with a substrate.
Gargoyle geckos will use the substrate to regulate their temperature. In addition, female geckos prefer to lay their eggs on the substrate.
Substrates help maintain the humidity of an enclosure. You just need to have a substrate that has amazing water retention abilities.
Having a substrate in a gecko’s enclosure helps to maintain hygiene and control odors.
A substrate can absorb the gecko’s waste and keep the enclosure fresh for longer periods.
Are Substrates Necessary in Gargoyle Gecko’s Tank?
No, you don’t need to have a substrate in your gargoyle gecko’s tank. Some people prefer to have no substrate to reduce the risk of ingestion and impaction.
Also, if you are building a gargoyle gecko tank on a budget, you might decide to leave out the substrate.
However, you’ll need to take a proactive approach when it comes to cleaning the vivarium and drying the little water puddles that form after misting.
But assuming you don’t want to be involved a lot in cleaning after the gecko, you’ll be better off adding substrate in the gecko’s tank.
Best Substrates for Gargoyle Geckos
By now you know that substrate is always a subject of debate. The market has plenty of substrate types and it’s up to you to identify the ideal substrate based on your preferences.
Below are some of the substrates we feel might suit your gargoyle gecko:
Sphagnum Moss
Sphagnum moss is the go-to substrate for most lizard owners. People love moss for its ability to create a naturalistic vivarium.
So if you are looking to create a vivarium that resembles a tropical rainforest, you can’t go wrong with sphagnum moss.
Sphagnum moss can hold moisture pretty well, making it easier to maintain high humidity levels in the vivarium.
Mulch
Mulch can make a great substrate for gargoyle geckos. Mulch is ideal for creating naturalistic vivariums.
Gecko owners like mulch due to its high absorption rate. When you use mulch as a substrate, it will absorb a lot of waste and leave the enclosure smelling fresh.
If you opt for cypress mulch, make sure it doesn’t have any sharp pieces that can injure your gecko.
You’ll also need to ensure that the mulch doesn’t get too moist as it can harbor a lot of bacteria. If the mulch starts to emit a bad smell, you should replace it with fresh mulch.
DIY mixture (Top Soil & Peat moss)
If you prefer having a more natural substrate, you can do a 3:2 mixture of organic topsoil and peat moss. This mixture is known for its ability to hold moisture well.
You must ensure that the soil you use doesn’t have any chemicals, fertilizers, manure, herbicides, perlite, and vermiculite.
So, if you are not sure about the soil in your backyard, you can purchase organic soil instead.
Fertilizers, manure, and herbicides are toxic to gargoyle geckos. In addition, perlite and vermiculite may cause impaction when ingested.
Paper Towels
Adult gargoyle geckos should be fine with all the above substrate types. But if you have hatchlings, you’ll need to use paper towels instead of natural substrates.
Baby gargoyle geckos can easily consume substrates. As a result, you’ll need to use paper towels to reduce the risk of ingestion. Some people will opt for old newspapers as they are also great.
Paper towels and old newspapers are suitable for juveniles and baby gargoyle crested geckos because they are easy to clean.
Substrates to Avoid
If you want to keep your gargoyle gecko safe, you must be mindful of the substrate you use.
Avoid toxic substrates or those that can easily be digested or passed by a gargoyle gecko. Below are some of the substrates you should steer clear of:
- Wood shavings, chips, or bark – can easily cause impaction when ingested
- Pine/fir/cedar – they produce toxic chemicals that irritate the eyes and lungs. They have oils that can cause neurological damage
- Reptile carpets – they are difficult to clean, can harbor bacteria, can rip out your gecko’s teeth/claws & break toes. The carpet threads can come loose and constrict the gecko’s toes, limbs, or tail.
- 100% Coconut fiber – coco-fiber can cause impaction and it’s known for expanding in the stomach
- Shelf liner – notorious for producing dangerous VOCs
- Linoleum – produces toxic VOCs
Always stick to the list of substrates we’ve discussed in the ‘best substrates for gargoyle geckos’ section.
Things to Consider When Picking the Best Substrate
Picking a substrate doesn’t have to be difficult. As long as you know the factors to consider, you can never go wrong.
Always consider the following factors when picking the best substrate for your gargoyle gecko.
Moisture and Humidity
When keeping gargoyle geckos, you’ll need a substrate that absorbs water and retains humidity.
The perfect substrate for maintaining moisture and high humidity are sphagnum moss, cypress mulch, coconut coir or a DIY mix of organic soil and peat moss.
With these types of substrates, you don’t have to mist your enclosure often.
Hygiene
As a responsible pet owner, you must keep your gecko’s enclosure clean. Gargoyle geckos will thrive in clean habitats.
Therefore, you must choose a substrate that’s easy to clean or replace. Some substrates will absorb waste pretty well, thus eliminating the need for frequent cleaning.
You can choose newspaper or paper towels if you prefer a substrate that’s easy to maintain and clean.
Aesthetics
The kind of look you want your vivarium to have should determine the substrate you choose.
If you prefer a naturalistic look, you should go for spaghnum moss, bioactive substrates, cypress mulch or a reptile-safe soil mix.
But if you are not too much into aesthetics, you can always go for artificial substrates or paper towels.
Safety
Safety should be a priority when picking the best substrate. You wouldn’t want to choose a substrate that will cause harm to your gargoyle gecko.
Avoid substrates with toxic chemicals and those that can cause impaction when ingested.
Burrowing & Egg Deposition
Female gargoyle geckos like to burrow when they are about to lay eggs. So, it’s important to use a substrate that allows your gecko to dig.
The substrate should also allow the gecko’s eggs to thrive.
Is Reptisoil Good For Gargoyle Geckos?
Yes, Reptisoil is a good substrate to use in a gargoyle gecko enclosure. Reptisoil is a mixture of dirt and peat moss.
The peat moss makes the substrate ideal for tropical terrariums due to its ability to retain and absorb water.
Is Reptile Carpet Good For Gargoyle Geckos?
No, reptile carpets aren’t ideal for gargoyle geckos. It may work for other reptile species but may present problems when used in a gargoyle gecko enclosure.
Reptile carpets are inexpensive but they don’t hold moisture well. Besides, they are notorious for harboring bacteria and fungus especially when used in tropical terrariums.
Should You Get Paper Towel Substrates For Gargoyle Gecko Or Not?
Yes, it’s okay to use paper towel substrates for baby and juvenile gargoyle geckos. With paper towels, you’ll never worry about impaction cases that come after ingesting substrate.
Paper towels allow for easy cleaning because you can always replace them when they get dirty.
You’ll also have an easy time monitoring whether your gecko is eating and passing stool.
Bioactive Vs. Non-Bioactive Substrate
Gecko keepers will always be torn between using bioactive or non-bioactive substrates. But what’s the difference and which one will suit your tank setup?
Bioactive substrates are ideal for bioactive setups. So, if you wish to have a setup that mimics a gargoyle gecko’s natural environment, you must use a substrate that supports bioactivity.
With bioactive substrates, you don’t need to do a lot of maintenance because you’ll have a clean-up crew of springtails and isopods.
These micro-organisms will feed on fallen leaves, faecal remains, and food remains. In simpler terms, bioactive substrates are self-cleaning and low maintenance.
DIY substrate, Reptisoil, and BioDude Terra Fauna can make good bioactive substrates as long as you introduce isopods and springtails.
Unless you are okay with a bioactive substrate you should stick to non-bioactive substrates until you are comfortable.
Bio-active substrates are self-cleaning or low-maintenance. But if you opt for a non-bioactive substrate, you’ll need to replace it once it becomes water-logged, dirty, or begins smelling.
Summary
It’s evident that gargoyle geckos need substrates in the enclosure to live a comfortable life.
Substrates help to maintain hygiene, retain moisture, and make the enclosure look more natural.
Choose a safe substrate to protect your gargoyle gecko from impaction or other health problems that can stem from exposure to toxic materials.
