African Fat Tailed Gecko
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
African Fat Tailed Geckos are the second best species of Gecko to keep. They have a nice, calm nature making them a great exotic pet. They have a lovely velvety shine over the body and big dark eyes.
What does the African Fat Tailed Gecko look like?
African Fat Tailed Geckos look very similar to the Leopard Gecko, but don't come in many morphs. They tend to have a light orange/brown back with dark, thick, brown bands running along the body, the underside is white. The body is covered with small bumps and they seem to have a velvety appearance. Some Fat Tails can have a white stripe that runs from the head down to the tail along the back. The adult size ranges from 210-250mm (8-10 inches), with the males being larger in build.
Where are African Fat Tailed Geckos from?
They can be found in parts of West African ranging from Nigeria to Senegal.
This species needs a temperature of 28-32C (82-90F) at the warm end of the viv, the cool end should be around room temperature. Heating the viv can be maintained with a heat mat or a basking lamp connected to a thermostat. The humidity needs to be slightly higher within the viv compared to Leopard Geckos, so lightly misting the viv twice a week for adults and once a day for juveniles is ideal. Still provide a humidity hide, as this will help the geckos to shed their old skin, this must be kept humid at all times.
Are African Fat Tailed Geckos easy to keep?
Yes, this is the second easiest species of lizard to care for.
Geckos can be kept on their own or will live happily together - this being one male to several females. Males will fight to the death and should always be kept separate!
Geckos are terrestrial, meaning they need more floor space rather then height. UV lights can be used, but some people choose not too, due to this species being nocturnal. Use a heat mat or basking lamp for heat, as described above connected to a thermostat. The best substrate to use for adult leopard geckos is either children's play sand mixed with soil or fine Orchid Bark. If you have a young gecko, it's best to place these on paper towel to prevent impaction, until they are approx. 6 inches long. Impaction means that the gecko has eaten the substrate and cannot pass it - causing illness! Plenty of hides should be placed throughout the viv and depending on how many geckos are housed together, at least 1 humidity hide. You must light spray Juvenile Fat Tailed Geckos enclosure every day and adults twice per week.
A varied diet of insects should be offered, with the odd pinkie (baby mouse). For young and juvenile Geckos, feed approx. 5-15 crickets every day with the appropriate sized food. Adults can be fed every other day on 2-8 crickets, once a month try feeding a small pinkie. Any uneaten food should be removed, crickets can injury your Gecko while sleeping. You will find that your Gecko loves wax worms, only feed as treats as these are high in fat.
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