Crested & Gargoyle Gecko Care: The Complete New Caledonian Guide
Crested geckos (Correlophus ciliatus) and gargoyle geckos (Rhacodactylus auriculatus) are arboreal geckos from the humid forests of New Caledonia, and they share remarkably similar care. (Crested geckos were reclassified out of the Rhacodactylus genus into Correlophus, but in the hobby the two are still kept and discussed side by side because their husbandry overlaps so closely.) Both are nocturnal, both eat primarily a commercial gecko diet, both live 15–20 years, and both tolerate handling reasonably well. Crested geckos are a touch more docile and slightly easier; gargoyles are a bit more defensive and slightly more demanding. They're among the best beginner pet lizards available — and the headline feature is that you don't even have to feed live insects if you don't want to.
This guide covers them together, calling out the differences where they matter.
Crested vs. gargoyle at a glance
| Feature | Crested gecko | Gargoyle gecko |
|---|---|---|
| Adult size (snout-to-vent) | 4–5 in | 4.5–5 in (slightly larger) |
| Total length with tail | 7–9 in | 8–10 in |
| Temperament | Generally docile | More defensive, can bite |
| Vocalizations | Quiet | Occasional bark/chirp |
| Tail regeneration | Lost tail does not regrow | Lost tail regrows (knobby) |
| Color morphs | Wide variety, very popular | Several morphs available |
| Care difficulty | Beginner-friendly | Beginner-to-intermediate |
Enclosure
Both species need a vertical arboreal enclosure — height matters far more than floor space. Adult requirements:
- Minimum size: 18 × 18 × 24 inches tall (an Exo Terra 18 × 18 × 24 works)
- Recommended: 18 × 18 × 36 inches tall
- Front-opening arboreal enclosures are easier to clean and service
Inside:
- Multiple horizontal and vertical climbing surfaces — branches, vines, cork bark
- Live or sturdy artificial foliage — pothos, ficus, or sansevieria for cover
- Substrate — coconut fiber, cypress mulch, or a naturalistic bioactive mix
- Water bowl — a small ground-level dish, refreshed daily
For a full step-by-step build, see my crested gecko enclosure setup and gargoyle gecko habitat setup guides.
A note on age and enclosure size that applies to both species: a tiny hatchling does better in a small enclosure (around 12 × 12 × 18 inches) than in a full adult tank. Too much open space leaves a baby gecko exposed and stressed and makes it hard to find food. Start small, then upgrade to the 18 × 18 × 24 (or larger) adult enclosure as the gecko grows — or start an adult straight in the big tank as long as it's densely planted with plenty of cover.
Temperature — they prefer cool
This is where New Caledonian geckos differ most from other pet lizards, and it's the mistake new keepers make most. They thrive cool:
- Daytime: 72–78°F (22–26°C)
- Nighttime: 65–72°F
- Hard limit: avoid sustained temperatures over 82°F — heat stresses these animals significantly
Most homes don't need supplemental heat — room temperature is correct. If your home runs cooler than about 70°F sustained, add a low-wattage ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat. Heat lamps and basking sites are not needed and can harm them. When one of these geckos goes lethargic and off its food, an enclosure that's too warm is one of the first things I check — heat stress looks a lot like "won't eat."
Humidity
Both species need 50–80% humidity with a daily fluctuation:
- Mist once daily — usually in the evening, when they're active
- Let humidity drop toward 50% during the day and spike to 80% at night
- Live plants help hold humidity naturally
Sustained humidity over 80% causes respiratory issues; sustained under 50% causes shed problems. The daily wet-dry cycle is what matters.
UVB — debated, but low-level is recommended
Crested and gargoyle geckos are nocturnal and don't traditionally require UVB, but recent research points to real benefits from low-level UVB (a T5 HO 5.0 tube) — better calcium uptake and more natural behavior. My recommendation:
- Optional but beneficial: a 5.0 UVB tube on a 12-hour cycle
- If using UVB, place it at the top of the enclosure with branches positioned near it
- If not using UVB, make sure there's calcium-with-D3 supplementation in the diet
The MSD/Merck Veterinary Manual is a reliable neutral reference on UVB, calcium metabolism, and metabolic bone disease if you want to read deeper.
Diet — the no-insects option
Here's what sets these geckos apart: they thrive on a complete commercial diet without insects. The standard approach:
- Commercial gecko diet (CGD): brands like Pangea, Repashy Crested Gecko Diet, and Black Panther Zoological — nutritionally complete pastes mixed with water.
- Feeding frequency: 2–3 times a week, replacing any uneaten diet within 24 hours.
- Optional insect supplementation: about once a week — small discoid roaches or black soldier fly larvae, dusted with calcium.
- Optional fruit treats: small amounts of mashed banana, mango, or fig occasionally.
Can you really skip insects?
Yes. You can keep crested and gargoyle geckos on commercial diet alone and they'll thrive — insect supplementation is preference, not requirement. That's unusual among pet reptiles and a major selling point for anyone who doesn't want to deal with live feeders. That said, I think the occasional dusted insect is worth offering for enrichment, exercise, and the visible bump in body condition. When you want to add that protein, All Angles Creatures stocks small discoid roach nymphs sized right for these geckos — and my feeder-sizing guide covers keeping every feeder safely small.
Calcium and supplements
Commercial diets already contain calcium and D3, but supplementation provides backup:
- Dust occasional insects with calcium-with-D3 (or without D3 if you're using UVB)
- Keep a small dish of plain calcium powder in the enclosure for self-regulation
Handling
Crested geckos handle well — generally calm, slow-moving at cool temperatures, and tolerant of gentle interaction. Gargoyles are more defensive and may bite when stressed. Hatchlings of both are skittish; trust builds over weeks of consistent, gentle handling.
Tail-drop warning: crested geckos drop their tail readily when stressed, and a crested tail does not grow back. Gargoyle geckos also drop tails, but theirs regrow (knobby and shorter than the original). Either way, never grab by the tail — let the gecko walk hand-to-hand.
Health red flags
- Floppy tail or kinked spine: metabolic bone disease from calcium deficiency or insufficient UVB
- Stuck shed (especially around toes or eyes): humidity too low
- Lethargy with refused food: often temperature too high (heat stress) — check this first
- Open-mouth breathing or mucus: respiratory infection
- Visible mites: small dots near the eyes or vent — treat aggressively
If a gecko goes off food and the temperatures check out, work through my guide on why reptiles stop eating.
Bringing them home and acclimation
Both species need time to settle. Quarantine a new gecko and give it two to three weeks to acclimate before expecting normal behavior — a new arrival that hides, eats little, and acts skittish is almost always stressed from the move, not sick. Keep handling minimal during this window, keep CGD available and fresh, mist on schedule, and let the gecko adjust. A simple paper-towel substrate during quarantine makes it easy to monitor droppings and confirm the animal is eating before you move it onto a planted or bioactive setup.
Maintenance rhythm
Neither species is demanding, but both need a steady routine:
- Daily: mist on the humidity cycle, refresh or remove the gecko diet so it doesn't spoil, and do a quick visual check.
- Weekly: spot-clean waste, wipe the glass, and confirm the thermometer and hygrometer read correctly.
- As needed: trim plants, remove mold (a sign the dry phase isn't dry enough — improve airflow), and in a non-bioactive setup, replace substrate regularly with a periodic full clean-out.
Can they live together?
Keep them solo unless you're an experienced breeder. Two males of either species will fight. A male and female housed together breeds the female constantly, which is hard on her. Even females can bully one another, with a dominant gecko monopolizing the best perches and food while a subordinate quietly declines. One gecko per enclosure is the safe default — these are not social animals and lose nothing by living alone.
Most common new-keeper mistakes
- Adding heat lamps: these geckos overheat at standard reptile temperatures — room temp is correct.
- Insufficient height: arboreal geckos need vertical space, not floor area.
- Holding by the tail: especially with crested geckos, where it never grows back.
- Forgetting daily misting: the humidity cycle is critical.
- Insect-only diets: they work, but they're unnecessary — CGD is more complete and far easier.
Bottom line
Crested and gargoyle geckos are excellent beginner-friendly arboreal geckos that thrive on a complete commercial diet without requiring live insects. Cresteds are slightly more docile; gargoyles slightly more defensive. Both live 15–20 years, prefer cool temperatures, and need vertical enclosures with daily humidity cycling. Build tall, keep them cool, mist on a cycle, feed CGD with the occasional dusted insect, and you've got two of the most rewarding low-fuss geckos in the hobby.
For more, see my leopard gecko care guide and the detailed crested gecko enclosure setup, or browse the full exotic animal care library.