African Fat Tail Gecko
Facts:
The scientific name for your Fat Tail Gecko is Hemitheconyx caudicinctus. They are members of the Gekkonidae-- or Gecko family, and are also part of the Eublepherinae sub-family which means "true eye-lid" in Latin. Fat Tail Geckos are originally from the scrub lands of Western Africa, from Cameroon to Senegal.
Description:
Fat Tail Geckos are medium-sized lizards that come in a variety of colors and patterns from tan coloration to bright orange, with dark bands or patterns, and some having no pattern at all. Their bodies are covered with raised tubercles, and they have fat tails which store water and fat. The average size of a full-grown adult is approximately 6” from snout to tail tip and 40-60 grams.
Housing:
As a general rule, allow a minimum of about 12 X 12 inches of surface area per adult Fat Tail Gecko. Enclosure options include aquariums and tubs in a rack system. Fat Tail Geckos are a terrestrial species so the enclosure should have more floor space than height. While some female fat tail geckos may tolerate living together they do best living on their own. Multiple males should never be housed together as the risk for fighting is high.
Fat Tail Geckos should have multiple hides to choose from within their enclosure and recommend having at least three - one on the warm side (more on this in the Heating section), one on the cool side, and a moist hide on/near the warm side. Hides can be purchases at pet stores, reptile expos, online, or if you're crafty can be made at home.
Substrates:
Loose substrates such as sand, walnut shell, and wood shavings should be avoided as a fat tail gecko could accidentally ingest the material leading to impaction. Safer options include paper towels, newspaper, and slate tile.
Lighting:
While fat tail geckos should have a 12 hour light period this can be accomplished by ambient light and does not require specific, overhead lighting as they are a nocturnal species. Basking lights can raise the ambient temperature in the enclosure, lower humidity, and can cause eye issues.
Heating:
As mentioned earlier, fat tail geckos should have a heat gradient within their enclosure so they can regulate their internal body temperature. The warm side should be at about 90* F and the cool/ambient temperature can range from low-to-mid 70's. The warm side temperatures are best achieved using an under-the-tank heater (UTH) or heat tape as belly heat is crucial for their digestion.. The warm side should comprise approximately 1/3 of the enclosure.
Humidity:
Fat Tail Geckos need humidity in the 50-70% range. Misting their cage once a day or every other day depending on the general humidity in the room should help keep this in the needed range.
Shedding:
Reptiles shed their skin on regular basis and fat tail geckos should molt about every 2-4 weeks. Unlike some other reptiles, fat tail geckos will eat the skin after it comes off so don't be alarmed if you don't see any shed skin in their enclosure. It is extremely important that ALL the skin comes off, especially from the eyelids and toes, as geckos can lose their digits to infection if the skin does not completely shed. For severe cases of stuck shed, soaking your fat tail gecko's feet in ½ inches of warm water and then using a swab very gently remove any residual skin from their toes or eyelids in a rolling motion. Loose skin can be removed manually.
Handling:
At first, it is best to slowly offer your hand, kept low with your palm up, before picking up your Gecko. Avoid reaching down from over their head to grab them because they may become startled thinking you are a predator coming down to attack them. Always handle your fat tail gecko with care and never grab it by the tail. If they feel threatened, a fat tail gecko can drop its tail. When a lizard loses its tail, it becomes vulnerable to disease and infection until it grows a new one. Fat Tail Geckos will eventually grow new tails but the new, generated tail will not look quite like the original. Since they are desert dwellers, they store water, fat, and nutrients in their tail (just like camels store water in their humps) so it is better that they don’t lose their tails.
Feeding:
Fat Tail Geckos mainly eat live crickets, mealworms, waxworms, roach nymphs, and silk-worms. Be careful not to feed them anything larger than about 3/4 the size of their heads to prevent choking. Appropriate sized meal worms can be put in a small bowl with added calcium at all times. Babies should be fed 5-7 small crickets or roach nymphs every day until they reach about 4 inches in length, then larger prey every other day until they become full-grown in about 10 -12 months. Adults can be fed 6-7 large crickets or roaches 2 or 3 times a week. Wax worms should be fed only occasionally because they are high in fat and cholesterol, and fat tail geckos can become spoiled if they are fed them too often and refuse other food items. Giving your gecko a variety of foods is recommended.
Supplements:
Since fat tail geckos get their calcium and vitamins from their diet, feeder insects must be "dusted" with a mixture of ultra-fine calcium powder every 2 or 3 feedings, and reptile vitamins once a week. Add calcium or vitamin powder in a zip-lock bag or commercial cricket duster and "dust" live food items prior to feeding by shaking them gently in the bag or container. The health of your fat tail gecko is dependent on the proper supplementation of calcium and vitamins. Without proper supplementation, serious diseases can result including Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
The scientific name for your Fat Tail Gecko is Hemitheconyx caudicinctus. They are members of the Gekkonidae-- or Gecko family, and are also part of the Eublepherinae sub-family which means "true eye-lid" in Latin. Fat Tail Geckos are originally from the scrub lands of Western Africa, from Cameroon to Senegal.
Description:
Fat Tail Geckos are medium-sized lizards that come in a variety of colors and patterns from tan coloration to bright orange, with dark bands or patterns, and some having no pattern at all. Their bodies are covered with raised tubercles, and they have fat tails which store water and fat. The average size of a full-grown adult is approximately 6” from snout to tail tip and 40-60 grams.
Housing:
As a general rule, allow a minimum of about 12 X 12 inches of surface area per adult Fat Tail Gecko. Enclosure options include aquariums and tubs in a rack system. Fat Tail Geckos are a terrestrial species so the enclosure should have more floor space than height. While some female fat tail geckos may tolerate living together they do best living on their own. Multiple males should never be housed together as the risk for fighting is high.
Fat Tail Geckos should have multiple hides to choose from within their enclosure and recommend having at least three - one on the warm side (more on this in the Heating section), one on the cool side, and a moist hide on/near the warm side. Hides can be purchases at pet stores, reptile expos, online, or if you're crafty can be made at home.
Substrates:
Loose substrates such as sand, walnut shell, and wood shavings should be avoided as a fat tail gecko could accidentally ingest the material leading to impaction. Safer options include paper towels, newspaper, and slate tile.
Lighting:
While fat tail geckos should have a 12 hour light period this can be accomplished by ambient light and does not require specific, overhead lighting as they are a nocturnal species. Basking lights can raise the ambient temperature in the enclosure, lower humidity, and can cause eye issues.
Heating:
As mentioned earlier, fat tail geckos should have a heat gradient within their enclosure so they can regulate their internal body temperature. The warm side should be at about 90* F and the cool/ambient temperature can range from low-to-mid 70's. The warm side temperatures are best achieved using an under-the-tank heater (UTH) or heat tape as belly heat is crucial for their digestion.. The warm side should comprise approximately 1/3 of the enclosure.
Humidity:
Fat Tail Geckos need humidity in the 50-70% range. Misting their cage once a day or every other day depending on the general humidity in the room should help keep this in the needed range.
Shedding:
Reptiles shed their skin on regular basis and fat tail geckos should molt about every 2-4 weeks. Unlike some other reptiles, fat tail geckos will eat the skin after it comes off so don't be alarmed if you don't see any shed skin in their enclosure. It is extremely important that ALL the skin comes off, especially from the eyelids and toes, as geckos can lose their digits to infection if the skin does not completely shed. For severe cases of stuck shed, soaking your fat tail gecko's feet in ½ inches of warm water and then using a swab very gently remove any residual skin from their toes or eyelids in a rolling motion. Loose skin can be removed manually.
Handling:
At first, it is best to slowly offer your hand, kept low with your palm up, before picking up your Gecko. Avoid reaching down from over their head to grab them because they may become startled thinking you are a predator coming down to attack them. Always handle your fat tail gecko with care and never grab it by the tail. If they feel threatened, a fat tail gecko can drop its tail. When a lizard loses its tail, it becomes vulnerable to disease and infection until it grows a new one. Fat Tail Geckos will eventually grow new tails but the new, generated tail will not look quite like the original. Since they are desert dwellers, they store water, fat, and nutrients in their tail (just like camels store water in their humps) so it is better that they don’t lose their tails.
Feeding:
Fat Tail Geckos mainly eat live crickets, mealworms, waxworms, roach nymphs, and silk-worms. Be careful not to feed them anything larger than about 3/4 the size of their heads to prevent choking. Appropriate sized meal worms can be put in a small bowl with added calcium at all times. Babies should be fed 5-7 small crickets or roach nymphs every day until they reach about 4 inches in length, then larger prey every other day until they become full-grown in about 10 -12 months. Adults can be fed 6-7 large crickets or roaches 2 or 3 times a week. Wax worms should be fed only occasionally because they are high in fat and cholesterol, and fat tail geckos can become spoiled if they are fed them too often and refuse other food items. Giving your gecko a variety of foods is recommended.
Supplements:
Since fat tail geckos get their calcium and vitamins from their diet, feeder insects must be "dusted" with a mixture of ultra-fine calcium powder every 2 or 3 feedings, and reptile vitamins once a week. Add calcium or vitamin powder in a zip-lock bag or commercial cricket duster and "dust" live food items prior to feeding by shaking them gently in the bag or container. The health of your fat tail gecko is dependent on the proper supplementation of calcium and vitamins. Without proper supplementation, serious diseases can result including Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
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Breeder care sheet for African Fat-tail gecko
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Alberta Bred Geckos care sheet.
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