Fat-tailed geckos, like other geckos, are insectivores. They feed on crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms and waxworms; as an added measure for optimal health it is wise to dust these live prey items with calcium/multi-vitamin supplement before feeding your gecko each time they eat something live.
Make sure that a source of clean water is always accessible; an easily cleaned shallow dish should suffice.
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Insects
African fat-tailed geckos are insectivores that feed on insects for sustenance in their native habitats, while when kept as pets they may require mealworms, waxworms, hornworms, crickets or possibly even cockroaches (in which case they should only be given to mature geckos).
Offering various feeders is essential for maintaining an ideal diet for geckos and their reptilian counterparts. Insects offer protein as well as essential vitamins and fatty acids necessary for their wellbeing; two appropriately-sized insects should be given per inch of length of gecko body.
African fat-tailed geckos require an ideal environment, consisting of a plastic storage container with an opening cut for them, a terrarium with medium humidity levels, bedding made up of either shredded paper towels or reptile soil (ideally The Bio Dude’s Terra Firma or Repticarpet bioactive soil mix); you could also try Repti Clay reptile sand or layer of sphagnum moss instead – be sure to spray frequently to maintain optimal moisture levels!
Mealworms
African fat-tailed geckos are exceptionally docile pets from birth, quickly adapting to being handled. Although nocturnal in their habits, African fat-tailed geckos spend their days hiding or hunting; therefore they may make good pets for younger children as they require less handling and are easier to maintain than Leopard geckos.
Reptiles require a moderately humid environment to thrive. You can achieve this by regularly misting the vivarium with water and adding plants such as moss and live plants to provide an organic hideout for them. A digital hygrometer will be helpful for monitoring humidity levels within their habitat.
Coconut fiber, Repitbark or clay-based reptile soil such as REPTISAND or REPTIFRESH make good substrate choices for African fat-tailed geckos; avoid sand as it can lead to impaction. These insectivores enjoy feeding on crickets, mealworms and appropriately-sized waxworms; other insects like hornworms, butter worms and jumbo roaches can also be fed; for optimal results they should first be gut-loaded and dusted with reptile calcium powder prior to being fed.
Dubias
Dubia roaches are one of the most sought-after feeder insects for reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods alike. Not only are they nutritionally superior to crickets and mealworms, they are easier to digest due to their lower fiber content. Furthermore, these pregut-packed snacks contain an assortment of vitamins and minerals for added benefit.
Fat-tailed geckos in captivity should typically be fed a diet consisting of crickets and various larval insects (mealworms, waxworms, hornworms) including dubia roaches and silkworms as supplemental feeding items. All live prey items should also be dusted with calcium powder, multivitamins and D3 at each feeding to ensure adequate nutrition and health benefits are received by your pet.
The African fat-tailed gecko is primarily a terrestrial and nocturnal species that hunts its food in the wild. When hungry, this gecko can consume large quantities of live insects; so for optimal weight maintenance it should receive various sizes of insects to maintain an ideal body condition.
Cockroaches
Fat-tailed geckos are predominantly insectivorous creatures, and should be provided with live insects at each meal. A general rule of thumb suggests providing two appropriately-sized insects per inch of length of your lizard’s length; generally speaking, young leopard geckos should eat every day; adults aged two to four years will typically need feeding every other day; and adults with thicker tails than necks can be fed every three days.
Cockroaches make an excellent food option for fat-tailed geckos as they do not produce noise or jump, and tend to be healthier than crickets. Unfortunately, however, cockroaches have also been known to spread diseases which could contaminate food-handling surfaces or equipment.
African fat-tailed geckos require an ideal humidity of 50-60% in their enclosure, which can be accomplished through spraying the vivarium with water or using live plants like moss and live plants to add humidity. A hygrometer should also be present to monitor humidity levels. Lastly, these lizards require a substrate that’s easy to maintain without digestible components like peat moss or Repticarpet that’s easily cleaned between feedings.
