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Gargoyle Gecko - Orange/Red Morph
Rhacodactylus auriculatus
The Gargoyle Gecko is a captivating New Caledonian native with striking cranial bumps and marbled patterns. Easy to handle and care for, this nocturnal climber enjoys vertical spaces and fruit diets.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Diplodactylidae
Genus:Rhacodactylus
Species:Rhacodactylus auriculatus*
* Orange/Red
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 80 %
Day temperature
22 - 28 °C
Night temperature
18 - 22 °C
Adult size
12.5 cm
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Endemic to the southern region of the island of Grande Terre in New Caledonia. It inhabits humid tropical rainforests, scrublands, and degraded secondary forests, commonly known as 'maquis'. They are primarily found at low to medium heights on vegetation, preferring climbing vines, thin branches, and tree trunks where they blend in perfectly during the day.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the class Reptilia, order Squamata, family Diplodactylidae, and genus Rhacodactylus. Described by Bavay in 1869. The specific name auriculatus is derived from Latin, referring to the ear-like bony protrusions on its skull. The wild genetics are stable, but captive breeding has yielded a vast array of color morphs (striped, blotched, reticulated).
Behavior and Habits: Primarily nocturnal and arboreal. It spends the daylight hours hiding in dense foliage or tree hollows, becoming active at night to forage and explore. They possess a generally calm temperament and tolerate moderate handling well, though they can make sudden jumps. They can drop their tails if stressed (autotomy), but unlike crested geckos, they will regenerate them.
Morphology: Characterized by a stocky body and a triangular head with distinct cranial bumps resembling ears. The skin has a fine, bumpy texture. They display diverse patterns and colors including shades of gray, brown, brick red, orange, and yellow. Adults reach a total length of 20-22 cm (8-9 inches), including the prehensile tail.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A vertically oriented enclosure is required. The minimum recommended dimensions for a single adult are 45x45x60 cm (18x18x24 inches). Equip the tank with multiple climbing branches, cork bark tubes, and robust live plants (such as Pothos, Sansevieria, or Ficus) to provide secure climbing structures and aerial hideouts.
Lighting and Heating: Prefers moderate temperatures. Daytime temperatures should range between 22°C and 26°C (72-78°F), with a mild warm spot not exceeding 28°C (82°F). Nighttime temperatures can drop to 18-20°C (64-68°F). While they do not require intense heat, a low-output UVB light (2.0 or 5.0) is highly beneficial for calcium metabolism.
Humidity and Hydration: Requires an average humidity level of 60-80%. Achieve this by thoroughly misting the enclosure with clean water every evening and lightly in the morning. Allow the enclosure to dry out slightly during the day (around 50% humidity) to prevent mold growth. Geckos drink water droplets from leaves and glass.
Feeding and Supplementation: Omnivorous diet. In captivity, they feed primarily on complete powdered diets designed for frugivorous geckos, mixed with water to a puree consistency. Offer live insects (crickets, dubia roaches, silkworms) 1-2 times a week, dusted with calcium and vitamin D3 to ensure nutritional balance.
Compatibility: Adults must be housed individually due to territorial behavior and conspecific aggression. They are known to nip at each other, which can lead to tail loss or physical injuries. Pairs should only be introduced briefly for breeding purposes under close supervision.
Health and Common Diseases: Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) is a major concern if diet formulation lacks calcium or D3. Other common issues include dehydration (manifested by wrinkled skin and sunken eyes), dysecdysis (incomplete shed) particularly around toes which can cause necrosis, and respiratory or skin infections from overly wet conditions.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Endemic to the southern region of the island of Grande Terre in New Caledonia. It inhabits humid tropical rainforests, scrublands, and degraded secondary forests, commonly known as 'maquis'. They are primarily found at low to medium heights on vegetation, preferring climbing vines, thin branches, and tree trunks where they blend in perfectly during the day.
Origin
Australia, New Guinea, and Oceania
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 12.5 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 12.5 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 12.5 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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