Gargoyle gecko humidity

[Snarbleglarf]

Hello, this is my first post here and my very first terrarium.
I do not have the gecko yet but I’m in the middle of building his habitat which consists of:
2” of hydroballs with screen mesh to separate substrate from hydroballs
Substrate: equal parts, cocofiber, reptibark, reptisoil, and sphagnum moss as well as maple leaves layering the surface
Plants: Prayer plant, Pothos, Dracaena Deremensis, Begonia Rex, and Peperomia Prostrata
Wood: cork tile background, cork rounds and grapevine wood
Cleanup crew: dwarf grey isopods, dwarf white isopods, springtails

I’m having trouble with my humidity I know the gargoyle gecko should be kept at 70% humidity and when I woke up this morning it was at 74% which I assume is within normal parameters but after I mist the terrarium it jumps to 90% over the span of an hour and has remained in the high to mid 80s for the past 2 hours. Is it ok for it to remain this high for that long? I don’t want to cause any respiratory issues when I finally get my gecko but I also don’t know how to control my humidity to get it and keep it where it needs to be.
Any info is appreciated! Thank you!!

 

[Snarbleglarf]

Update: it just got to 74% humidity

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

A warm welcome to Geckos Unlimited!

I've never kept gargs.

Here's a tip for a fabric to separate the hydroballs from the substrate. Weed Block cloth is porous and probably a finer mesh than screen. It's fine enough to keep most the substrate out of the hydroballs.

(click to enlarge)​

 

[Snarbleglarf]

Thanks! I noticed there was a small amount of substrate in the hydroballs but it’s only like a centimeter worth, why is it important to keep them fully separated? And will it mess with anything if there is a small amount mixed?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks! I noticed there was a small amount of substrate in the hydroballs but it’s only like a centimeter worth, why is it important to keep them fully separated? And will it mess with anything if there is a small amount mixed?

I'm sorry. I should have said "most" the substrate out of the hydroballs when using Weed Block cloth. Weed Block cloth is just an option. Substrate around the edges tends to "sneak" into those hydroballs.

Don't worry. It's not necessary to keep them fully separated. I highly doubt that a small amount of substrate mixed with hydroballs will mess with anything.

 

[GeckoLeen]

Gargoyle care is about identical to crested gecko care. Humidity should range from about 50% during the day to 80-90% at night after you mist. If it stays too humid, only mist at night. I will tell you right now that grapewood will mold. If your cleanup crew does not take care of that, I would take that out and put in another wood that is more water resistant. Cork bark is great. Jungle wood is good, mopani is good (it's heavy though, and you would need to try to get a rather smooth piece), you can even get some fake realistic-looking wood pieces in the aquarium section of your pet store.

I am not sure what's in the reptisoil, as I don't use that, but it's my understanding that plants don't grow well, if at all, in coco fiber substrates. So keep an eye on that. Maybe the reptisoil will work better, but you may need to use more of it to help your plants thrive.

 

[Goz]

Mine can fluctuate between 60 and 90%...As long as it gets a chance to dry out during the day or night,everything should be good. I mist twice a day.