African Fat-Tailed Gecko Care Guide

Hemitheconyx caudicinctus

The African Fat-Tailed Gecko is a gentle, calm, and personable species native to the savannas and scrublands of West Africa. They’re close relatives of the Leopard Gecko, but with softer features, earthy colors, and a need for higher humidity. Their slow movements, easygoing nature, and expressive eyes make them one of the most endearing pet reptiles you can keep.

With the right setup—steady warmth, moderate humidity, and safe substrate—these geckos thrive for well over a decade and become quite tame in captivity.

Housing

A single adult does well in a 20-gallon terrarium or similar-sized PVC enclosure. Bigger is always better, especially if you’d like to add enrichment. Avoid housing males together—they’ll fight—and never keep a male and female together long-term. Males will attempt to breed, which can stress or injure the female. Small groups of similarly sized females may live together in a larger 60+ gallon setup if there are multiple hides and everyone is feeding well, but solitary housing is generally best.

African Fat-Tailed Geckos can be housed successfully in rack systems, traditional terrariums, or bioactive enclosures, each with unique advantages.

Rack Systems

Rack tubs work well for breeders or larger collections. Each tub should have deep enough substrate for burrowing and a moist hide to maintain humidity around 60-70%. Provide a warm area (around 90°F) on one side using heat tape or a mat controlled by a thermostat. Ventilation holes or mesh panels are important to prevent stagnant, overly damp air. Racks are efficient and secure but offer less environmental enrichment, so include cork flats, tunnels, or clutter to encourage exploration.

Traditional Enclosures

A glass or PVC terrarium with a screen lid is perfect for a single gecko. PVC and front-opening styles hold humidity better than open-top tanks, which can dry out quickly in low-humidity homes. Maintain a warm side at 90-93°F with an under-tank heat mat connected to a thermostat, leaving the cool side around 75°F. These geckos are nocturnal and rely on belly heat for digestion rather than basking lights, but a natural day/night light cycle helps maintain rhythm.

Include at least three hides—one warm, one cool, and one humid. Add décor like half logs, rocks, or plants for a natural look.

Bioactive Enclosures

Bioactive setups work beautifully for African Fat-Tails because they enjoy moderate humidity and ground cover. Use a 3–4-inch-deep mix of organic topsoil, sand, and leaf litter for digging. A drainage layer with LECA or gravel helps prevent soggy conditions. Add arid-tolerant plants like pothos, sansevieria, or peperomia, and seed the soil with isopods and springtails. Maintain humidity between 50–70%, with the surface remaining mostly dry but moist layers underneath.

Bioactive systems require more time to establish but create a stable microclimate and allow your gecko to display natural behaviors like burrowing and exploring.

Substrate

Safe options include paper towels, tile, newspaper, or reptile carpet for simple cleaning. For a more natural feel, tile or a soil/sand mix works well. Never use loose sand, calcium sand, or fine particulate substrates that could cause impaction if swallowed.

A soil mixture with coconut fiber or clay sand can hold humidity better while staying firm enough for digging. Always ensure the top layer is dry to the touch to prevent bacterial growth.

Heating and Temperature

Belly heat is crucial for digestion. Use an under-tank heat mat that covers about one-third of the enclosure floor, regulated by a digital thermostat. The warm hide should sit directly above this heated area and stay around 90–93°F. The cool side should remain around 75°F. Nighttime drops to the mid-60s are fine as long as there’s a warm area available.

Check temperatures regularly with a laser temp gun rather than relying on stick-on gauges.

Lighting

These geckos are nocturnal and do not need strong lighting or basking lamps. However, providing a consistent 12-hour light cycle with low ambient room lighting or a dim LED helps regulate their biological rhythm. Some keepers now provide a low-output UVB bulb (2–5%), which can support vitamin D synthesis and bone health even for nocturnal species. Always ensure shaded areas so the gecko can avoid direct exposure.

Hides and Enrichment

Every enclosure should have at least three hides:

• A warm hide for digestion on the heat mat side

• A cool hide on the opposite end

• A moist hide to aid in shedding and humidity regulation

The moist hide can be as simple as a Tupperware container or cave filled with damp sphagnum moss, coconut fiber, or paper towels. Keep this hide’s humidity around 60–70%. Logs, branches, cork bark, and plants give cover and encourage natural exploration.

African Fat-Tailed Geckos are less inclined to climb than other species but love tunnels and tight shelters.

Humidity and Shedding

African Fat-Tailed Geckos naturally live in regions with moderate humidity, so aim for 50–70% ambient humidity. Mist one side of the enclosure lightly every few days to keep the moist hide functional, but never let the enclosure stay damp.

Proper humidity ensures complete sheds. If your gecko has retained skin—especially on toes or tail tip—soak them gently in lukewarm water for 10–15 minutes, then use a soft Q-tip to remove loosened skin. Regular access to the moist hide usually prevents this issue.

Diet and Feeding

African Fat-Tails are insectivores and prefer live prey. Offer crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, and superworms as staples. Most individuals prefer crickets or roaches over worms. Feed juveniles daily and adults every other day, offering an amount they can consume within 10–15 minutes.

Always gut-load feeders 24–48 hours before feeding with fresh greens, vegetables, or a commercial gut-load formula. Dust prey with calcium plus D3 at each feeding and a reptile multivitamin once or twice per week.

High-fat worms like waxworms, butterworms, and hornworms should only be occasional treats. Overuse can lead to obesity or nutritional imbalance.

If your gecko loses weight or refuses food, avoid offering only fatty insects—schedule a vet check and consider a recovery diet like Carnivore Care under veterinary guidance.

Supplements and Vitamins

Keep a small dish of calcium with D3 inside the enclosure so your gecko can self-supplement. Continue dusting feeder insects with calcium and multivitamins as part of their regular routine. Skipping supplements risks metabolic bone disease, a preventable but serious condition caused by calcium deficiency.

Water

Provide a shallow dish of clean, dechlorinated water at all times. Change it daily or anytime it becomes dirty. Because these geckos thrive in slightly humid environments, the water dish also helps maintain ambient humidity.

Handling and Temperament

African Fat-Tailed Geckos are typically docile and tolerate handling well once acclimated. Give new arrivals at least a week to settle before handling. When you do start, gently scoop from below and support their body—never grab from above. Keep handling sessions short and positive.

They may vocalize or squeak if startled, but they rarely bite. With regular, gentle interaction, they become calm, trusting pets.

Health and Monitoring

A healthy African Fat-Tail will have clear eyes, a plump tail, smooth skin, and strong feeding responses. Common issues include:

• Retained shed on toes or tail

• Dehydration or poor humidity

• Mites or stuck substrate under the eyes

• Metabolic bone disease from poor supplementation

Weigh your gecko weekly and track feeding and shedding. Seek veterinary care for persistent refusal to eat, lethargy, or visible deformities.

Breeding

African Fat-Tailed Geckos reach breeding maturity around 18-24 months. Males have visible hemipenal bulges, while females do not. Breeding should only be attempted with healthy adults of good body weight.

Brumation (cooling) for 6–8 weeks around 70°F can stimulate breeding readiness. Introduce the male to the female’s enclosure briefly and watch for aggression. Remove the male immediately after mating.

Provide a lay box filled with moist substrate for the female. She typically lays two eggs per clutch, multiple times per season. Incubate eggs at 82–84°F for about 50–60 days. Hatchlings should be kept individually in small setups with paper towel substrate, warm hides, and tiny insects.

Never breed for novelty alone—focus on improving genetics, temperament, and health. Some genetics should not be mixed (ex., whiteout x whiteout) as the hatchlings fail to thrive. Always talk to experienced breeders before planning. 

Why Each Setup Works

• Rack systems are efficient and secure for breeders, allowing consistent warmth and easy monitoring.

• Traditional terrariums are ideal for pets, offering visibility, easy maintenance, and enrichment.

• Bioactive setups create a balanced, natural environment with stable humidity and microfauna cleanup.

As long as humidity, temperature, and nutrition are correct, each system can successfully support your gecko’s health.

Quick Reference

• Enclosure: 20 gallons for one adult (larger preferred)

• Heat: 90–93°F warm hide, 75°F cool side, night lows mid-60s

• Humidity: 50–70% with a moist hide always available

• Lighting: natural room light or low-output UVB (optional)

• Substrate: tile, paper towels, or soil/sand mix—never loose sand

• Diet: crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, superworms; dust with calcium and vitamins

• Water: shallow, clean dish available at all times

• Handling: gentle and regular; avoid grabbing from above

• Breeding: healthy adults only, lay box, 82–84°F incubation, 50–60 days