African
Fat Tailed Geckos originate from West Africa and attain an
adult size of eight to ten inches, females usually no more
than eight, males can be up to ten. Similar to the Leopard
Gecko, they are ground dwelling and nocturnal, but require
slightly more relative humidity in their enclosures and are
very keen diggers. They are less varied in colour or ‘morph’
than the Leopard geckos, but share the same ability to store
fat reserves in their tails. They are also calmer and slower
moving, and rarely exhibit the fight response unless seriously
startled. They can be housed and fed in exactly the same way
as Leopard Geckos, although I have mine on a substrate of
50% eco Earth and 50% orchid bark as they prefer higher humidity
and kitchen roll simply isn’t up to the task. They are
lightly sprayed twice daily, and as the heat mat is situated
under the substrate the hot end is only sprayed just enough
to dampen the surface for safety as electric and water don’t
mix well together. I also only have a very thin layer of substrate
above the heat mat, as again they like to warm their bellies.
The substrate at the cooler end I have at about two inches
thick and it is very often kicked all over the place in piles
in the mornings.
They are
fed on gut loaded meal worms that are dusted with Leopard
Gecko Dust, and have a small calcium dish included in their
enclosure, which I frequently have to excavate from the substrate.
Water dishes are also provided, as with the Leopard Geckos
I use ceramic hamster dishes for this, and the water is changed
daily, it is sometime change more frequently as it tends to
end up with substrate floating into. All my reptiles have
their tap water treated with Repti-Safe.
Other
than a few basic differences I keep my Fat Tails exactly as
I keep my Leopard Geckos, and they make good pets although
are generally more secretive than the leopard geckos, but
many people believe them to make a calmer and more handle
able gecko for children than a leopard gecko as the hatchlings
are generally less flighty.
Breeding
planned for 2008.
African
Fat Tailed Gecko Gallery
