African fat-tailed geckos are docile, calm creatures that do well in captivity. They are found in arid environments throughout West Africa.
They are ground-dwellers, living in savannah lands and along river edges. They are also found in desert plains.
Fat-tailed geckos are omnivores and eat a variety of insects. Feed them gut-loaded crickets, roaches, mealworms, and silkworms coated with vitamin/mineral supplements.
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Crickets
Crickets are one of the most commonly used feeder insects for African fat tail geckos. They’re easily available and a very popular choice among pet owners, especially those who are keeping them for breeding purposes.
They’re relatively low in fat but high in protein, making them a great addition to a diet. These are also a good source of calcium, which can be beneficial in helping to keep the fat-tails healthy.
You can either dust your crickets with a calcium powder or gut load them, which will help the insects to absorb more nutrients from their food and help their digestive systems work efficiently.
In their native habitats, fat-tails eat a variety of insect species and are therefore likely to require a diverse range of insects in captivity as well.
Ideally, their enclosure should contain a warmer end and cooler end so that they can self-regulate their temperature. Lighting should be on for 14 hours a day during summer and 6 hours a day during winter, with gradual adjustments in-between to replicate natural light cycles.
Mealworms
Geckos are mainly insectivores and are best fed live foods. Crickets, mealworms and waxworms are popular feeders for geckos.
Mealworms are the larval stage of the darkling beetle species Tenebrio molitor and they’re an excellent source of protein for geckos. Their larval stages are cylinder-shaped, with segments distinguished by dark brown rings that gradually harden as they grow.
They’re an excellent source of calcium, which is important for healthy bones and teeth. However, they’re high in fat and should be used as a secondary staple alongside other foods that contain less fat like Dubia roaches or silkworms.
Mealworms also have antifreeze proteins which prevent ice crystals from growing, so they’re useful for lizards that live in cold conditions. They’re also a good source of vitamin D, so they’re a great addition to a multi-vitamin powder. They’re also a good alternative to calcium supplements that don’t contain D3. You can buy them at most pet stores or online retailers.
Tweezers
Tweezers are an excellent tool for removing shed skin from your fat tailed gecko. They also work well to remove thorns, splinters, and other foreign bodies that may be embedded in the skin.
They are typically made from stainless steel and have a rounded tip to prevent scratching or marring of delicate parts. Tweezers are available with serrated or knurled grips for a more secure grip and can be coated to increase their strength and durability.
They can be purchased in various sizes and precision levels. The small, compact ones are ideal for grooming on the go while larger, slant-tip tweezers can be used for more precision work. Choosing the right size is important for your convenience and comfort while grooming.
Treats
While your fat tailed gecko can enjoy a variety of treats, they should be offered only in small amounts. Hornworms, wax worms and superworms are high in moisture and phosphorus, and can be dangerous to your gecko if they are over-fed.
To avoid this, gut load your crickets and mealworms before feeding them to your gecko – this will give your lizard all the necessary nutrients it needs. You can also dust them with a multivitamin powder before feeding them to your gecko, or add Repashy CalciumPlus LoD to all your insect feeders for a balanced calcium-phosphorus ratio.
You should also provide your African fat tailed gecko with a shallow bowl of water that’s available at all times. These lizards hail from Western Africa and are known for their high humidity levels, so it’s important that they have access to clean water at all times.