Gargoyle Geckos (Rhacodactylus auriculatus) are popular pets due to their docile nature and relatively easy care. Native to the subtropical regions of New Caledonia, these arboreal geckos are omnivores, consuming both animal and plant matter in the wild. While their natural diet consists of invertebrates, other lizards, flowers, nectar, pollen, and tree sap, replicating this diet in captivity requires careful consideration. This article provides a comprehensive guide to feeding your gargoyle gecko a balanced and nutritious diet, including the use of commercially prepared diets, live insects, and supplements.
Understanding the Gargoyle Gecko's Nutritional Needs
Gargoyle geckos are omnivores, requiring a mix of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. In captivity, it can be challenging to replicate their natural diet perfectly. However, thanks to extensive research, several high-quality, commercially prepared diets are available that meet their nutritional needs.
The Role of Prepared Diets
Prepared diets have revolutionized gargoyle gecko care. These diets, formulated with high-quality ingredients, provide a convenient and nutritionally complete food source. Some excellent brands include:
- Arcadia StickyFootGold
- Pangea
- Repashy
- Black Panther Zoological (BPZ)
- Leapin’ Leachie
- Zoo Med
- Lugarti
These brands use all-natural dried fruits, whey protein isolate, egg, algae, probiotics, and other ingredients selected to minimize anti-nutrients like oxalic acid and phytates. They provide all the required nutrients for healthy growth and maintenance.
How to Prepare Powdered Diets
Mix the powdered diet with water to a ketchup or smoothie consistency, typically using 2-3 parts water per 1 part powder. Offer the prepared mix in small, disposable feeder cups, preferably on a wall-mounted feeding ledge, as most gargoyle geckos prefer to eat off the ground. Prepared mix is good for up to 7 days if refrigerated. Open dry mix is good for 6 months at room temperature or 1 year if refrigerated. Unopened diet is best before 24 months (see expiration date).
Read also: Complete Leachie Gecko Guide
Choosing the Right Brand and Flavor
Gargoyle geckos often prefer the same food they were raised on. However, many owners keep several flavors on hand to provide variety. It's best to stick to recognized brands from reputable suppliers. Avoid brands like National Geographic, Exo Terra, and Fluker’s, as they may contain filler ingredients and lack the necessary nutrient balance.
Why Avoid Baby Food
Baby food is not a suitable substitute for prepared gecko diets. It often contains preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors that can be harmful to geckos. Additionally, the nutrient ratios in baby food are formulated for humans and can make your gecko sick.
Supplementing with Live Insects
While prepared diets can form the basis of a gargoyle gecko's diet, supplementing with live insects is crucial, especially given their carnivorous tendencies. Insects should be offered two to three times per week for all ages of gecko, ensuring they are appropriately sized.
Suitable Insects
- Dubia roaches
- Discoid roaches
- Crickets
- Small hornworms (captive-bred only)
- Black soldier fly larvae
- Silkworms
- Waxworms (as occasional treats, especially for thin geckos)
Never feed your gecko wild-caught bugs, as they may be contaminated with pesticides, diseases, or parasites.
Gut-Loading Insects
Gut-loading is the process of feeding insects nutritious foods before offering them to your gecko. This enhances the nutritional value of the insects. Suitable gut-loading foods include fresh greens like collard, mustard, and dandelion greens, as well as various squashes. You can use fresh greens such as collard, mustard, and mustard greens, various squash like butternut, spaghetti, and acorn squash.
Read also: What to Feed Your Leopard Gecko
Calcium and Vitamin D3 Supplementation
Supplementation is essential when feeding live insects. Dust the insects with calcium and calcium plus D3. Since you are not going to be feeding your gecko bugs that often you only need to dust one bug feeding per week, one week with calcium, then the next week dust with the calcium plus D3 supplement. You only need to use a pinch of supplement per feeding. If you are using UVB light, use a calcium powder without vitamin D. If you are not using UVB light, use a calcium powder with vitamin D.
Recommended calcium supplements include:
- Arcadia Earthpro CalciumPro Mg (no vitamin D)
- Repashy SuperCal NoD
- Repashy SuperCal HyD
- Miner-All Outdoor (no vitamin D)
The Occasional Treat: Fruits and Animal Prey
Fruits
Certain fruits can be offered as occasional treats. Opt for fruits high in calcium and low in phosphorus, such as mango, apricots, papaya, and berries. Avoid citrus fruits, as they are acidic and unpalatable. Starfruit and rhubarb should also be avoided due to their high oxalate levels, which can be deadly.
Animal Prey
Gargoyle geckos, unlike crested geckos, are known to consume small prey in the wild, including baby lizards and rodents. In captivity, you can offer pinkie mice once or twice a month as a rare treat. Pinkie mice are newborn mice that have not yet developed bones or hair, making them easily digestible. This can be particularly useful for geckos that need to gain weight.
Water
Gargoyle geckos can drink water from a bowl. Provide fresh water (not distilled or reverse-osmosis) in a dish.
Read also: Learn About Golden Gecko Diets
Feeding Schedule
A well-structured feeding schedule is essential for maintaining your gargoyle gecko's health.
- Hatchlings and juveniles: CGD daily, insects every other day
- Adults: CGD every other day, insects 2x/week
It’s perfectly fine to skip a feeding every 2-4x/month, especially for adults.
Hygiene
Gargoyle geckos tend to get their food all over themselves, which can cause problems with stuck shed and general sanitary issues. Check your gecko’s toes and body for stuck food, and remove it gently with a wet Q-tip as needed.
Creating the Ideal Habitat
Gargoyle Geckos require sealed and escape proof housing. As babies, they can start out in a Zilla 12x12x15 Front Opening Terrarium. It’s important to remember that as they grow and develop, they will require larger accommodations. Adult Gargoyle Geckos will require a Zilla 18x18x20 Front Opening Terrarium or larger terrarium. To maintain humidity in the enclosure use substrates such as Zilla Jungle Mix, Zilla Bark Blend and Zilla Coconut Husk Brick, and add Zilla Terrarium Moss over the substrate. Arboreal branches and perches should be created for basking spots. Try Zilla Vertical Décor to add arboreal décor to the habitat and feeding stations. These geckos will not actively drink from standing water and should be misted by hand to receive adequate hydration. Zilla Waterfalls and Spring Cave can be used to provide a continuous water source but misting is still recommended in addition. Gargoyle Geckos should have a temperature gradient between 72-78°F. These geckos are hardy and cold tolerant down to 60°F. Take care to keep Gargoyle Geckos away from heat over 82°F. Gargoyle Geckos are generally nocturnal to crepuscular, but it’s beneficial to provide them with the correct amount of UVA/UVB florescent lighting to insure their well-being.
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