For the Love of Gargoyles

I have been working with the charming Gargoyle Gecko since 2007, and while I had already been keeping several other species of geckos at that time, once I saw their cheeky smirks and devilish horns, I was enamoured. Over the last few decades I have had the privilege of working with this species, keeping and breeding them successfully while making efforts and strides to improve their size, structure, and colouration. One of the big reasons they have become so popular, and something I love about them, is their handleability. They are typically far less flighty on average than the popular Crested Gecko, making them a great choice for beginner keepers that may not feel as confident in their handling skills.

One of the most important bits to dive into when working with a species is the history and the lore. Don't miss out on this part! Knowing where a species comes from and how they got here is an integral part of how we work with them now. Gargoyle Geckos are endemic to the islands of New Caledonia, specifically found in the scrublands of the islands. Getting their common name from their traditional stone-like appearance and horns on their heads which resembles the features of the Gargoyle statues found in gothic architecture, they also often freeze when the lights are on, like they’re truly made of stone.

Gargoyle geckos were actually the first species from the genus Rhacodactylus to become accessible to reptile enthusiasts. European hobbyists began acquiring them in the late 1970s, and by the mid-1980’s the first captive-bred individuals arrived in the United States, with Tim Tytle achieving the first successful U.S. breeding in 1987. The initial imports featured the classic reticulated pattern in shades of grey, tan, and brown. In the decade to follow, Herpetoculture titans Philippe De Vosjoli, Allen Repashy and Frank Fast continued this work and literally wrote the book on their captive care and husbandry. While we are always learning and evolving, their contributions to this species (and Herpetoculture in general) are priceless gifts that have helped us build the blocks of husbandry as we know it today.

Currently, like with many species, it's a whole new world of flashy patterns and colours, with most breeders chasing after the elusive pure red gecko both in base colour and pattern colour. Unfortunately with this chase, we've nearly lost many of their original traits such as locale purity, colour free reticulation and we're even seeing a loss of structure and size, although many breeders are making it a priority to value structure and size just as much as colouration. Remember, a tomato red gecko is just as wonderful to work with as a brown reticulated gecko!  

They are a mid-sized gecko, adults ranging from 50-80 grams, and 8-9” in total length, making them an ideal choice for those wanting to work with a smaller species. I love seeing them in a 2’ cube enclosure, as they don’t need quite the height that other geckos might due to them being semi-arboreal, typically being found closer to the ground. We can see this demonstrated as well in their cryptic colouration mimicking rocks and dead wood, where geckos typically found higher up often have greens like moss, leaves and lichens, or white splotches like bird droppings. Another physical hint that they give us regarding their environment in-situ is in their toes. Primarily arboreal geckos often have large toe pads for climbing, and Gargoyles have small toe pads with thin toes and large claws which is found in more terrestrial geckos and lizards.

Gargoyles are also nocturnal geckos, meaning they will spend their whole day sleeping, and up hunting at night time. A crucial piece to keeping them successfully long term is understanding that they have a higher protein need than is commonly in care sheets. Not just the protein in commercial gecko diets, but live insects. Not only will this help meet their nutritional needs, but it allows them to hunt and engage in environmental enrichment. Live insects will take your gecko from surviving to thriving. For more information on keeping Gargoyle Geckos: https://blackthornexotics.ca/gargoyle-gecko-care-sheet

What do you look for when purchasing a Gargoyle Gecko? Due to reptiles having health issues that are often hidden from us, it's imperative that you do your research when looking for a breeder for your new gecko. Look for a breeder with at least 5 years experience, as they've been through enough seasons with them to be well versed in their care and able to answer most questions that you may have. Ask lots of questions. Do they track their health and lineage? What are they feeding them and how often? Ask for pictures of the parents' enclosures (yes you are allowed to do that), as well as asking if the animals are housed individually or separately. We love to see well muscled animals with noticeable structure. There shouldn't be hip bones sticking out, sunken in eyes, elongated heads, skinny bodies and legs, wavy tails, missing toes or tails. Always ask what their age and hatch date is as well, at a year old they should be 20-30 grams at a minimum. A great breeder will take the time to answer your questions and provide pictures, you need to feel confident in your breeder choice and not be treated like an inconvenience or just another sale.

These geckos have earned a top spot in my favourites here, and will keep that spot for hopefully decades more to come.