Excellent idea Marcia! I’m in the process of re-doing all my care sheets (adding more detail) and I’m also making a new one for
N. levis levis. It’s taking time though. In the mean time here is one for the African fat tail gecko
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus. I don’t know how it will be organized so I copied and pasted the text as well as added a link.
www.progeckos.com/caresheets/fat-tail.htm
African Fat-tail Gecko
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
General Information:
The African fat tail gecko (Hemitheconyx caudicinctus) is native to the West African region. Adults can obtain a length of 8-10 inches and easily 100 grams (g). Babies are around 3-3½” in length and 3g. Fat tails are a terrestrial animal which means they are ground dwellers that stay on the ground. Being nocturnal they are most active at night. Fat tails are very similar to leopard geckos although there are a few physical differences. Fat tails have smaller stockier feet and generally bulkier heads. Because they are similar to leos they have been gaining popularity as every year passes.
Housing:
Fat-tails are very easy to house. A pair (1 male and 1 female) can live comfortably in a 20 gallon long glass aquarium. Most breeders use some kind of a rack system. Racks are easier because you can fit more geckos in a given area than you can with glass aquariums. But with an aquarium you can view them better and make a realistic vivarium. I house my fat tails in 28 quart Rubbermaid containers that are in racks.
Substrate – The best substrate to use is paper, paper towel, and packed bed-a-beast are all suitable. I suggest not using sand at all, as they may become impacted and their environment needs to be more humid which sand doesn’t consistency provide. My animals are all kept on paper just for these reasons.
Hides – In order for the gecko to feel secure in its enclosure provide several hiding places. These can be as simple as inverted plant saucer pans, plants, wood etc. It’s a good idea to put a hide on both the warm end and cool end (discussed in heat section below) of the cage. This will allow them to hide and feel comfortable on both ends of the cage. Along with a “dark” hide they need a humid hide. This is important because fat tails need more humidity. The most popular is using a throw away container such as a glad or Tupperware container. Cut a hole in the lid and fill it with moist peat moss, sphagnum moss, forest bed (Coconut fiber), or paper towel. This will provide enough humidity to allow the gecko to shed properly.
Heat & Light – Provide a hot spot of 88˚-90˚F with the opposite side of the cage in the mid 70’s. It is very important to provide a temperature gradient for the animal. This is basically having a warm end and a cool end that will allow the animal to regulate its own body temps. There are several different ways to provide proper heat. One is using under tank heating. This is a strip of heat tape that runs under the cage. This is probably the best heat as it’s direct heat. Another way is to provide a heat lamp with a 40 or 60w light bulb. This will give off heat and light. Because fat tails are nocturnal there is no need for special UVB lighting.
Handling – Fat tails are one of the best geckos for holding. They are very calm and sometimes seem to enjoy being handled. But remember when holding any animal it’s best to take it slow. When you first acquire a new animal it is best not to hold them for a few weeks. This will allow them to adjust to the new environment and get used to everything. After a few weeks, gently hold the gecko letting it walk across your hand inside the cage. Once the gecko is familiar with you, you can take it out and hold it. Remember that too much holding or too rough of holding can cause stress on the animal. Another thing to remember is to never grab the tail! If threatened, the tail will break off. It will grow back but will look nothing like the original.
Food & Water:
Fat tails are insectivores and the most common items used are crickets, mealworms, superworms, silkworms, and small cockroaches as a staple diet. The occasional pinky mouse and waxworm can be given as a treat. I don’t recommend feeding a lot of waxworms. They are very fattening and addicting to the animal. Only feed as much as the gecko will consume within 24 hours. Left over prey running in the cage can cause stress but the gecko might get nibbled on by hungry insects. If you’re feeding mealworms, superworms, etc. that can be contained in a dish they can be left with the animal 24/7 without harm. The pray item should be no larger than half the width of the geckos head.
Supplementation – Offer calcium dusted prey 1-2 times per week, once a week dust with a vitamin/mineral supplement such as vionate, RepCal Herptivite or Minerall Indoor/Outdoor. I use osteo-form as my supplementation of choice. I also provide a dish of calcium for the gecko 24/7. If they want more calcium the animal can lick what they need or want. Supplementation is very important because MBD (Metabolic bone disease) can cause serious problems with reptiles.
Gutloading - Make sure to gutload the food item prior to feeding. Gutloading is feeding very nutritious foods to prey prior to feeding. This will make a healthier insect and in the long run a healthier gecko. Remember your geckos are what they eat.
Water – Offer a dish of fresh water at all times. Keeping the water fresh is very important.
Maintenance:
Cleaning is important and needs to be done on a regular basis. If you’re using paper or paper towel change it every week or sooner if needed. I also recommend disinfecting everything with a chlorhexidine solution. It will safely sanitize everything.
Breeding:
Fat tail breeding is almost identical to that of leopard geckos. Before you attempt breeding keep in mind the amount of time, space and recourses it will take to maintain the breeders and babies. With that being said you’re breeders will need to be ready. I recommend males a minimum of 8 months old and 45g and females being a minimum of 1 year and 50g. Although those are the minimums I prefer my females to be no less than 60g as it will be easier on them.
Sexing – There are only a few ways to sex fat-tail geckos. The easiest way is to look at the bottom side of the gecko. The male will have two pronounced hemipenal bulges behind the vent on the tail side. You can also look for 10-13 pre-anal pores that will be in a "V" shape just above the vent. Both of these are very visible. Females will lack the hemipenal bulges or the pre-anal pores. Another way to tell is just by looking at them. Males are more heavy bodied, have thicker necks and their heads are broader than a females.
Breeding – Some breeders give a brief cool down period others don’t. Both ways seem to work so it’s just what your preference is. I have used both methods and usually prefer a cooling. Stop feeding a week prior to a cool down. Gradually lower the temperature until it is 70˚ to 75˚ F. Do this for 4 weeks then gradually warm them back up again. Once they are warmed up offer the pair a lot of food so they’ll gain back the weight they lost during the cool down. After a few weeks, put the male with the female. The geckos may mate right away or it might take a little time. Leave the male in with the female overnight and then take him out. Do this about 3 times a week and you should have a successful mating. If you don’t cool them just place the male with the desired females and use the same method as above.
Eggs – Up to 4 weeks after a successful mating the first clutch of eggs will be laid. Each clutch will consist of 1-2 white oval eggs. Fat tails have been known to easily lay 8 clutches a year with each clutch being laid in 2-3 week intervals.
Incubation - After being laid the eggs need to be placed in an incubator. As with leopard gecko eggs fat tail eggs are temperature sexed dependent. This mean that you can decide what sex baby you want just by incubating the eggs at a certain temperature. The text below shows the results with the given temps.
For female = 80˚ F
For mix of both sexes = 85˚ F
For male = 90˚ F
The eggs will hatch in 30-105 days. Males generally hatch faster because of the higher temperatures. Females take longer because of the cooler temperatures. On average it’s around 60 days.
Conclusion:
Although fat tails aren’t as popular as leopard geckos but they are still close to the top of the list. There aren’t as many colors as there is with leos but as more people work with them the more will be created. If you’re looking for a first time pet gecko the fat tail is one of the best bets.
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