[Sallerina]

Hi

This is my first post in this forum, and I just wanted a little advice.

I'm new to keeping reptiles, and have recently bought a Gargoyle Gecko as I know they're relatively easy to care for and are good for beginners.

I fell in love with Eddie in the reptile shop, he was sitting in their Christmas Tree when we went in! He's 12 months old and was very used to being handled and seemed really chilled out. I handled him in the shop too, and he was really relaxed.

I brought him home and put him into his new viv last Tuesday (20th Dec), and left him alone as I'd read they need to be left in a new environment without being handled for 10 days or so until they settle in.

So I've only being going into the viv to mist it, spot clean and feed.

He has a small day light on during the day as our flat can be quite dark (it isn't a heat giving light, purely for light purposes) and the flat is typically between 22 - 23 C all day and night long.

I switch his day light off around 6pm, and we only have low light lamps around the flat in the lounge where he is kept, so it's quite dark in the evenings, but so far, he won't come out AT ALL until we've gone to bed and switched ALL the lights off.

He literally waits until we've gone, because I've snuck back ten mins later and he's out!

Is this normal?? As I've had him around 9 - 10 days now, and so far have barely seen him stick his nose out! And I'm worried I'll never be able to handle him as it would involve digging him out of his hide, which is something I'd like to avoid, as I'd like handling to be more of his terms than mine.

He's eating ok though.

Do Gargoyles take longer to adjust? And will he start feeling confident enough to come out a little earlier?

As I feel like I just keep misting and putting food in an empty tank!!

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks, Sal.

[Sallerina]

Here's a picture of the little guy! I have to look at it to remind me what he looks like!!! Unless I sneak in the room in the middle of the night!!!

Eddie cropped.jpg

[acpart]

Pretty gecko. Geckos can take quite awhile to become comfortable, so don't be surprised if it takes a few weeks (if it hasn't already). Even with time to settle in, some of them are just more reclusive than others. I have had a leopard gecko for the last 8 years that I named "Cameo" because she usually just makes cameo appearances. Do you have stuff for him to climb on? Gargs aren't good at sticking to the walls but they really like fake vines and cork slabs. I use fake vines for the real plants to twine around. Ideally, as he feels more comfortable, and if there are things to climb on, he'll be out on the vines or the cork and you'll be able to pick him up. I have an enclosure with 2 female gargs who are frequently up on the vines but don't like to be held a whole lot.

Aliza

[billewicz]

Just give it a bit more time. Let him get used to you, your sent, and slow movements and light stroking for a another week. At some point you can gentle work your fingers under his belly and let him walk from hand to hand. Remember Gargs are good jumpers so keep that in mind when you have him out of the enclosure.

And if you have to visit him at dusk/night/dawn when he is active at first to conduct your introductions, so be it. They are a lot more flighty and alert at night though so he may dart around a bit. They tend to be a lot slower during the day however.

Enjoy your new guy. (Oh and I'll just mention that this could be a few weeks as someone else has mentioned, geckos can take some time getting used to their new surroundings.)

All the best,

Michael