African Fat Tail Gecko Caresheet

African Fat-tailed Gecko Care sheet
Common Name: African Fat-tail Gecko
Latin name: caudicinctus Hemitheconyx
 

            Most of the African Fat-tailed Geckos in captivity came from stock collected in Togo and Ghana in West African Fat-tailed gecko is found in West Africa, from Senegal to Cameroon. They are dry and arid habitats, although they spend most of their time on the spot, hiding a dark moist. They inhabit dry areas of the desert shrub-land and savannahs, prefer sandy areas which burrows for shelter. They spend daytime underground, where conditions are cold and moist, emerging at night when conditions are suitable for hunting.

            When frightened by a predator, their first reaction is to seek shelter. However, when cornered or can not find enough shelters, they have a different defense. It will shake its tail all difficult to draw attention to it. If a predator grabbed his tail Gecko will come down and perform. If the tail is dropped, he remains on the ground to shake, effectively conveying the threat to the Gecko tail off until a safe hiding place. When the tail wiggle failed distract predators and collectors were arrested, he would shout, loud high-pitched and angry bite. This is a last attempt to save his life. The tail will grow back, but will not be as elegant as the original.

            Fat-tailed gecko will grow to 6 "to 10" are. Female 6 "to 8", and men are 8 "to 10". They will live 15 to 20 years. Normal color is brown and tan lines. Abdomen is usually light pink or off white. Fat-tailed gecko terrestrial, at night, and have vertical pupils. Fat-tailed lack adhesive lamellae on their feet and have the eyelids move. Tail fat tail geckos are backed up, so the more fat, the healthier your gecko. Do not ever take your gecko by the tail. Like many lizards, their tails will drop out as a defense mechanism if handled roughly. The tail will grow back fairly quickly, although not the same as elegant as the original.

If you have 2 males they will fight and injure each other, but some women can be together. Males can be housed with several females, but make sure your cage is large enough for the number of geckos you have to meet.

Geckos will choose one place is usually from the tank to conduct their business in, making it easy to clean, so check the angle they use. Try and place the lid or dish in the place or even some sand (sand recommended calcium to prevent impaction as much as possible) to clean up easier. All debris should be regularly removed to a healthy environment for your pet to keep. Substrate should either be cleaned (webbing, etc.) or replaced (moss, bark, sand) are relatively common. Every two weeks is a safe time, more often, tho better. Fat-tailed geckos are very easy to treat and is very shy and good-humored. They are not very susceptible to health problems.

ENCLOSURE /  HOUSING

Fat-tailed geckos require a thermal gradient by placing a heat pad under one end of the cage. This should allow the gecko from higher temperatures (about 90F) to be chosen at the end of hot and cold temperature (about 75F) at the end of the cold. The tank must be established, 80 ° F-90 ° F in the daytime and 75 ° F 85 ° F at night. Provide suitable hiding areas at both warm and cold regions, so the gecko can feel safe at any temperature. Temperatures below 75F should be avoided. No special lighting needed for the animals at night, but day / night lighting patterns can help the health of geckos. "I do not recommend hot rocks, because they are too hot and burn your geckos.

Fat-tailed geckos lack of adhesive strips and can not climb glass, but the screen is a good idea to crickets from escaping and to keep other pets out. I am sure that at least 1 to 2 for each gecko hides in the tank. A guide 1-3 geckos in a 15-gallon tank (24 "Wx12" Dx12 "H) is a good guide. I think you cramps gecko in a tank-sized gecko can stunt growth and cause stress.

Fat-tailed gecko also require a slightly higher humidity. Several hide damp and wet the substrate to do it. Dehydration and the disposal of other problems arise. Reptile cage carpets, peat moss, slate, and paper towels can all be used for the substrate (bed) in the tank for the geckos. Clean or replace common substrate. If a cork-leather interior, stone slabs, driftwood, artificial cave structures, and artificial plants also can be used as decorations for your tank. Be careful that your home will not collapse and crush your gecko, and the decor includes a number of decks and shelters for your gecko. If no shelter is enough, your gecko become stressed and nervous and can not eat. Adults and teenagers should not be stored together, due to bullying and small geckos are not getting enough to eat.

A moist chamber of some kind with sphagnum moss or coconut fiber is also important. It can be as simple as a container with a hole 1 "H x 1.5" W cut down on the side or top for your gecko crawling. This creates a moist environment to help with shedding and females to lay eggs in. I consider a must for any wet area gecko. If some of the women in your tank, you might want rooms, moist to avoid fighting in the spawn.

About cleaning your tank. Do not use cleaners are dangerous only Herp safe cleaning and everything a good rinse after to ensure no residue is left. Clean dirty thing very often and regularly sterilize everything in the tank to prevent bacteria build up. Substrates such as moss and forest litter should be completely changed on a regular basis. These creatures depend on you to keep their environment clean and healthy for them, so please do not ignore your little friend!

SUBSTRATE

Loose substrates that could be ingested by your Fat-tail Gecko such as sand, bark, fish tank pebbles, or walnut shells are not recommended, as they can be extremely harmful to their digestive system and may even cause death if they are swallowed. Be aware that it is a known fact that some Fat-tail Geckos, (especially babies) have died from intestinal impaction resulting from consuming too much sand while "striking" at crickets. Fat-tail Geckos are not good candidates for calcium-sand. Substrates such as reptile carpet, slate, or unglazed ceramic tiles can make more naturalistic enclosures, but nearly all breeders will agree that paper towels or newspaper are the best choice.

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. If shedding is a problem for your gecko, it may be necessary to keep the substrate around their cave moist by misting it with water, placing a damp paper towel inside, or adding a separate, moist hide in their enclosure. 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.

FOOD / FEEDING

Geckos need calcium supplements. All feed should be shaken until coated calcium supplement for feeding and a small picture of calcium is recommended in the tank for your gecko to lick, especially when they breed. Two supplements should be used: one that only calcium/D3 and the other is a reptile multivitamin. You can feed your gecko calcium beautiful insects like crickets.

Gut-loading your gecko food is recommended. What you feed your gecko food on target to be fed to your gecko, so the more minerals to eat, the more geckos you swallow. It is always a good idea to feed the insects a high quality food, so that "gut-load them and their nutritional value. Carrots are what I use all my guts gecko food trays. I cut carrots in half, crickets seem to eat a little easier later. There are a variety of feeds you can use for all your feeders geckos.

Fresh water must be stored in a tank at all times and changed daily to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi to stop. Keep the water dish at the end of your tank cool. A water conditioner is recommended to eliminate chlorine from the water.

A good measure of the size of cricket or never ate mealworms your gecko insects larger than the length of the tip of the gecko on her nose. If too large to be fed crickets, teenagers may have digestive problems and regurgitated food. A few stray crickets can not be bad, but a large number of crickets can stress your gecko, and is reduced to an amount that can be accepted (as snacks between breastfeeding). Feed young boy and geckos per day. Adolescents and adults feed every second day.

HANDLING

At first, it is best to slowly offer your hand, kept low with your palm up, before picking up your Fat-tail 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. Like all lizards, when they are attacked or threatened they can "drop" their tails. 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 regenerated ones are never quite as nice as 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 important they don’t lose their tails.

More information

MORPH

Normal (Banded):  Body pattern with dark brown and light brown or pale brown fat tires background. Young banded in black and dark brown on a yellowish brown.

Stripe:    It consists of a line from the tip of the nose extending to the tip of the tail. Sometimes dotted line on the tail. Amorphous Stripe can be found in almost all of the other morphs such as Normal, Rimba, and distorted Amelanistic

Jungle:  This pattern is where the band on the body and tail of any damaged, an interesting pattern on the body of the standard straight band create. Also available in striped versions.

Amelanistic:  It is very nice! Colors can range from the Peach / Orange / Tangerine / red with white or gray as the color of a secondary profession. Also available in striped versions.

Notwithstanding:  Gecko has no banding, but purely on a dark body color. Also available in striped versions.

Less Pattern:  This gecko has a pattern, but have a pure dark brown to pale peach colored body. Also available in striped versions.

"White Out":  Another very neat pattern produced by jmgreptile.com Also available in striped versions.

"White Sock ":  This is a very interesting color mutations, where the gecko has a pure white legs! Varies from one to four feet, the price rose by more than a foot of white socks. It is produced by vmsherp.com