r/FatTails Jan 30 '22

Guide Quick guide: African fat tailed gecko

19 Upvotes

Last edited December 23 2022

The African fat tailed gecko is a mid-size gecko, naturally found in West Africa. African fat tails are usually a little bit smaller than the more common "twin", the leopardgecko and are often recognized by their natural look of dark brown base color with yellow bands, and of course, the big tail. A white dorsal stripe is also a common feature of the AFT, but fat tails also comes in different morphs and color schemes. The African fat tailed gecko could live up to 20 years in captivity.

1. ENCLOSURE

1.1 ENCLOSURE SIZE: A minimum size of a 40 gallon for one gecko, but the bigger the better. Just keep in mind that fat tails need to have a lot of clutter to feel safe. The gecko want to go from point A to point B without being exposed, so don't buy a bigger enclosure than you can fill. More info on that in Interior. AFT's are solitary animals, which means they prefer to be alone. Cohabitating AFTs is not recommended and could lead to your geckos being hurt or even killed.

1.2 INTERIOR: AFT's need at least one hot hide, one cool hide and a humid hide. As said before, fat tails want to have it a little bit cluttery for them to feel safe. Use bransches, stones, tiles, leafs, plants (live or fake) to achieve this. How you want to design your enclosure is totally up to you, but you should keep in mind that AFT's doesnt have toy cars, bath ducks and other "cute or cool" objects in their natural habitat. A loose substrate is recommended to encourage burrowing behavior. Not every AFT should be on loose substrate though.. more information on this further down.

1.3 TEMPERATURES: Reptiles are ectothermic, or "cold blooded", which means your fat tail can't produce its own body heat. African fat tails will regulate body temperature by searching for a heat source when cold, and vice versa. Therefore, its important that you provide your gecko with both a hot and a cold side. This is the temperatures required:

Hot side 86-90°F or 30-32°C

Cold side 75-80°F or 24-27°C

Make sure your hot side hide is placed in such a way that the inside temp of the hide matches the desired temps stated above. The easiest way to check this is by using a temp gun.

Temp readings: The temps should be measured on ground level, where your gecko is. Many reptile owners have those analogue thermometers thats sticks to the glass, they are often placed way to high up which will give you false readings if you have a terrestrial gecko which the fat tail is. Get rid of those analogue thermometers and buy a digital one and put the probe just above substrate level or/and get a temp gun and you will get more accurate readings.

1.4 HEATING:

Heat lamps: There's many different ways to heat your hot side. The most common way is by using a heat lamp, which is also the most natural way to replicate the heat from the sun. Heat lamps could be placed inside your enclosure or on the outside on the lid, or even mounted on the wall facing down in the tank. The most important thing regarding heat lamps is to make sure your gecko cant reach it or get burnt. This is extra important if the bulb is inside the enclosure. Always use a lamp guard /cover if your heat lamp is inside the enclosure. Your fat tails digestion benefits from belly heat, one way to provide that for your gecko is to put tile or a stone under your heat lamp to make a heat spot for him to get it from. If your heat lamp is to close to the heat spot or if your bulb is too high wattage the temperature on the tile/stone might be too high and your gecko might get hurt.

Heating bulbs:

Which kind of bulb you should have depends on many things:

  • how big your enclosure is
  • your overall room temp
  • at which hight the lamp holder/socket is placed
  • how ventilated your enclosure is

There are a few different types of heating bulbs out there but the most common is the Spot bulb, the flood bulb and the ceramic heater bulb.

  • The ceramic heater is a heat lamp that produce deep heat at a lower wattage. It doesnt procuce any light which makes it a good lamp to use at night if your temps drops to low. The ceramic heat bulb gets extremely hot.

For a smaller tank a 50w flood light often do the job. But it all depends on the different factors listed above.

For bulbs stronger than 25w I would recommend a ceramic lamp holder for safety.

Problems with getting temps up

If you dont reach high enough temps on your warm side you could either get a higher wattage bulb, or lower your heat lamp. The closer the lamp is to the ground, the hotter it will be. Remember to use a bulb guard. Also, if you have a screen top, covering a part of it will make the heat stay inside for longer, allowing your temps to reach higher numbers.

Heat mat: Sometimes just one heat source isn't enough, and you have to complement with another heat source. A heat mat is a electric heating element, which you place under your tank. Most often outside of the enclosure, but could also be placed inside if you cover the mat with tiles, slate or something that prevents your gecko reaching it.

Heat mats is a good complement if your heat lamp doesnt give you the temps you aim at and you dont want to/are able to get a higher wattage bulb. For example if you have a background that will melt if you use a stronger heat bulb, a heat mat could be a good extra heat source to reach your desired temps. Heat mats also give your gecko belly heat.

Heat mats isn´t recommended as your only source of heat.

IMPORTANT! Always use a thermostat for under-tank heaters and high wattage heat sources!

1.5 HUMIDITY: In nature, fat tails spend their daytime in dark, moist crevises and hollows. When they are awake during the night and early morning and the weather is cooler, the humidity is the highest. That climate and that humidity must we recreate for our fat tails. We do so by misting the tank with a pressure sprayer or a spray bottle to achive enough humidity, which for fat tails is around 60% humidity. To keep track of the humidity you can use a hygrometer. I like the digital ones better because of the easy reading and they are often more accurate than the analogue versions. Live plants is also good because plants doesnt just look nice but it also contributes to higher humidity in your enclosure. Win-win :) The right humidity is important for your geckos well-being and reduces the risk of complications during shedding.

Misting your plants is also a good way to keep your gecko hydrated, they will lick water droplets off the leafs

Humid hide: A humidity hide or moist hide is a place where your fat tail goes when it needs more moisture. Some fat tails use the hide all the time while others use it only when its time for shedding. Without a humid hide your fat tail can have a hard time shedding. One easy version of a humid hide is to cut a hole in a plastic box, and fill the box with something that holds moisture well, like sphagnum moss or vermiculit, you can even use paper towels. The substrate should be damp but not wet.

1.6 SUBSTRATE:

Loose substrate: A loose substrate is a natural substrate you have at the bottom of your enclosure. For fat tails, we want something that can hold humidity, there are many substrates you can use for this. The most usual one is a 70/30 mix of top soil and sand. There are other types of loose substrates as well, like Eco earth, coco husk etc.

Note: Some reptiles are doing good on bare sand, african fat tails are not one of those reptiles.

The pros of a loose substrate is many:

  • It encouraging burrowing behavior.
  • Good for your geckos joints
  • Easier to keep up humidity
  • More natural
  • Enriching to the gecko
  • The ability to go bio active
  • Looks better

So lets talk about the cons:

  • Possible impaction
  • Harder to keep it clean
  • More expensive

So what can you do to avoid any problems?

First of all, baby geckos under 5 months should not be on loose substrate. Full-grown geckos shouldnt have any interest in eating loose substrate, as long as the husbandry is good and they are healthy and given the right vitamins and calcium. Its really important to provide this to your gecko.

You can also tong or bowl feed to avoid your gecko eating substrate by mistake. But even if they do, its usually comes out.

You should spot clean the substrate daily, and change it every six months.

Other types of substrate: If your gecko is a baby, or in need of a sterile environment for any reason, you can use paper towels or tile instead of a loose substrate. I wouldnt personally use any of this for a healthy adult, since it could be hard to keep humidity and its not as enriching for the gecko.

Bioactive setup: A bioactive enclosure is a setup made to replicate your fat tails native enviroment. In a bioactive setup the natural substrate, live plants and microfauna, aka a "clean up crew" works together in a mini-eco system.

If you want to learn more about bio active setups i recommend r/bioactive for your source of information.

1.7 LIGHTING: Your fat tail needs some sort of light to know when its day and when its night. I use LEDs on timer which i think works good and looks good, but your heat lamp and the lights coming through your window is enough as well. Fat tails are nocturnal and UVB isn't required, but some says its beneficial for them.

2. FEEDING AND FEEDERS

The African fat tailed gecko is a insectivore, meaning they only eat insects. The options is many, but the three most common insects to feed an fat tail in captivity is crickets, dubia roaches and meal worms. We're going to talk more about those three later on.

2.1 HOW MUCH & HOW OFTEN DO I FEED?

This depends on your geckos age. Hatchlings and juveniles should be fed every day. About 4-5 smaller crickets should be offered per feeding. When your gecko becomes an adult you can offer food 2-3 times per week, as much as they can eat in 15 minutes.

Always have clean water available for your fat tail. Water bowl should be cleaned regulary.

2.2 VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Your gecko will need two supplements, calcium powder and multivitamin. Calcium is necessary for your geckos bone structure, and multivitamin contains lots of vitamins that you gecko will need. Make sure its D3 either in your calcium powder or in your multivitamin. Your AFT cant absorb the calcium without enough levels of vitamin D3 in his gut. Both multivitamin and calcium powder is applied to the feeders by putting the insects in a jar or plastic bag, put some powder in and shake it. Calcium should be offered every feeding, multivitamin every 3-4 feeding. Also, your AFT should always have access to fresh calcium powder to lick on, a small bottle cap with calcium in is enough.

2.3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOOD

Crickets: I believe the most common insect to feed your fat tail. Rich in nutritions, protein and calcium. Can jump so you cant really keep them in a food bowl. Can bite your gecko and hurt it. Therefore, don't leave un-eaten crickets in the enclosure.

Dubia roaches: Rich in nutritions, protein and calcium. Low in fat. Can be suitable for food bowls if small, can't jump.

Meal worms: High protein, high fat. Not suitable for everyday feeding because of the high fat. Can't do shit, hence really good for food bowl use.

2.4 GUT LOADING

Gut loading is the process of feeding your feeder insects with nutrient rich food, to increase the insects nutrition value. In other words, the purpose of gut loading is to provide your fat tail more nutritious food. There's lots of things you could gut load your insects with, for example:

  • Carrot
  • Spinach
  • Oats
  • Apple
  • Zucchini
  • Potatoes
  • Bananas
  • Fish food flakes
Happy and gutloaded mealworms munching on potatoes and carrot

3. BEHAVIORS

3.1 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: African fat tails are often compared to Leopardgeckos, and you will often hear that the only difference between the two species is that the AFT needs more humidity, thats not completely true. 

Yes, African fat tail geckos need higher humidity but thats not the only thing thats different between AFTs and leos. Here are some differences in behavior:

3.2 SHEDDING: Like all reptiles, the African fat tailed gecko shed its skin. AFTs shed for many reasons, and its a part of their natural behavior. One reason to shed could be because your fat tail has grown and need a bigger "suit". Thats why young fat tails shed more often than adults. When its time for shedding your gecko needs more humidity and moisture to get all the shed off easily. A humid hide is needed for this, how to build one is described under "Enclosure" above. Some extra misting is also good to do. It's important that your fat tail get all of its old shed off. Stuck shed can cause loss of limbs and infections. If you are noticing your AFT has stuck shed around his toes or tail, you can put him in luke warm water, not deeper than his belly, and soak him for a while. Gently rub the stuck shed with a Q-tip.

IMPORTANT! Do NOT try to rip off stuck shed or you may hurt your gecko!

3.3 BRUMATION: During winter time, when the weather is cooler and the hours of daylight is less, fat tails brumate. Brumation is like hibernation, but for reptiles. The metabolism, heart rate and respiratory rate slows down, and the gecko will spend most of his time sleeping. Sometimes the gecko start brumating of its own, or you could make it go in to brumation by lower the temperature and hours of light in your enclosure during the coldest months of the year. Beware that sometimes reptiles doesn't wake up from brumation so you should know what you are doing if you put your gecko in brumation.

3.4 HUNGER STRIKES: A hunger strike is when your gecko refuse to eat for a period of time. Fat tails are known to be picky eaters and hunger strikes are pretty common. Stress, temperature drops and brumation are the most common reasons for your gecko to hunger strike.

Stress wise, a new or redecorated enclosure could be one reason for your gecko to refuse food. This is the reason why new geckos often hunger strikes.

If your gecko hunger strikes, make sure your temps are accurate and keep offering food. Sometimes the strikes goes on for days, sometimes for weeks or even months. As long as your gecko isn´t visibly losing any weight you are fine. The gecko often starts eating again on its own.

3.5 TAIL DROPS: A scared, stressed or spooked gecko could drop its tail. Its a defence mechanism to distract predators. The tail will grow back but it will not look the same as before.

Fat tails store, as the name says, fat in their tails, if your gecko drops its tail you could increase the amount of food your gecko gets until the tails has grown back again. If you have loose substrate in your geckos enclosure, put them on paper towels until the new tail has grown out.

4. HANDLING YOUR GECKO

4.1 YOUR GECKOS POINT OF VIEW: The hard truth is that most reptiles want to be left alone. Your gecko will most likely not want you to touch or cuddle with him or her. I know what you are thinking: "my gecko is not like most geckos". Well.. some geckos may be more comfortable with handling than others, but the truth is that your gecko would rather, unfortunately, sleep in his safe hide than be in your hand, exposed to "potential predators". Keep in mind, handling your gecko to often or in the wrong way can cause stress which could lead to potential illnesses.

4.2 PERSONAL HYGIENE: Reptiles also very often carry salmonella. Most of the time it wont cause any illnesses for them and they can have it without showing any symptoms of disease. Therefore, always wash your hands after handling your gecko. You can read more about reptiles and salmonella here.

4.3 YOUR GECKO AND OTHER ANIMALS: What im about to say is for most owners obvious, but sometimes posts with for example geckos and cats side by side in the same picture pops up in reptile communities here on Reddit. This is off course not acceptable and is both stressful and extremely dangerous for your gecko. The only other animal your gecko should be in contact with is another african fat tail gecko, and only for breeding purposes.

Care guide is in progress. If You have any questions or suggestions about this care sheet, please send a Modmail.


r/FatTails 1d ago

Help/Advice first time owner question/concerns. any advice appreciated🫶

3 Upvotes

hello!! new here because i was able to get my first reptile last week. she's a three year old aft who i absolutely adore, however i have some concerns that i honestly can't tell if they are warranted or not, or if it's just nerves from having my first gecko.

purchased her off of morph market and she arrived on thursday. was the chillest in the world when she arrived, walking on my hands (even tried to jump out of her enclosure a couple times while i was moving branches around lol) and seemed interested in checking out her tank for a good half hour or so when she first got here (early friday morning).

she arrived seemingly happy and healthy, but she hasn't eaten since she'd arrived (out of her bowl or with tongs), and i've basically never seen her leave her warm hide (yes, i know afts are nocturnal, but i can't believe i haven't seen her out at all).

i'm less worried about the coming out of the hide issue, but more-so the not eating. i have no idea when she was last fed before she was shipped to me, and any questions i asked the seller about her and food-related stuff went entirely unanswered.

i had asked the guy i purchased her from more than once about her eating habits and what she'd previously been fed, but every single time i got no reply, or he'd answer the other questions i had, just not related to that.

any advice would be greatly appreciated. i've done my research, so i know how to take care of her i'm just honestly not sure if my concerns have a reasonable foundation or if i just need to give her some time to adjust. i want to do this right, and give her the life and love she deserves. thanks so much for reading!


r/FatTails 3d ago

Enclosures Enclosure upgrade for Gator Tot

8 Upvotes

I got my first AFT in May, the man told me he was at least 2-3 years old. I had him in a 20 gallon long. Bioactive with a dwarf umbrella plant and snake plant, milkback isopods, and springtails. (first two photos)

when I bought him I saw he was in bad shape and when I got enough trust to evaluate him i found he only had 8 intact toes left and had hard times climbing and keeping his grip (though it never stopped him from trying). All of his other toes were some degree of lost (likely to bad sheds). He didn’t seem to enjoy interactions all that much so I wanted to give him more space So he can at least have a good place to live. I heard a 40 gallon is ideal. I looked and most of them had more height than I wanted, without his toes he didn’t have enough grip to climb safely the last thing I wanted was to add height and he get injured in a fall. I decided to build an enclosure.

Before

PSA to anyone who wants to try this, I don’t recommend it unless you hate yourself haha

I took two used 20 gallon long aquariums and cleaned them

i took apart the frame with a box cutter and took apart the glass panels, cleaning with rubbing alcohol as I went. once every panel was removed I did one more run over scrapping off any residual silicone. when taking apart the top I tore off the top frame, it was too hard to keep in once piece. I was able to save the bottom easier. in retrospect I could’ve saved the top too but I’d have to have been much more careful and I hadn’t done this before so I didn’t know the correct way to do so.

i didn’t get any photos of when I cut the long side for a substrate barrier and doors, my bad. I then took animal safe 100% silicone and siliconed the pieces together, taping them to hold them as they cured

the final size was 24”Wx30”Lx12H” for about 5 square feet of terrain.

i siliconed a moss pad to the background to help with humidity and make the background look nicer. I also siliconed the door hinges on. the substrate is 50% hydrated coco chip+coco fiber 25% organic topsoil 10% reptisand 10% moss 5% aquarium rocks. I added a wide variety of low branches and rocks and added a good amount of water for the plants. I put in a jungle rose, four purple waffle, two succulents, and a snake plant I then also added in a ton of leaf litter

Final product (one of the doors is open not missing)

so I have the ubv light, the heat lamp, the grow lights, I added a spider plan and much much more leaf litter. I put Gator Tot in and he explored all over. He also is digging little hides under the branches and cork bark planks I put in for him.

if anyone knows any way to improve this set up please let me know.

Also i learned my lesson and no longer is that stool for a stand I have a solid three tier metal stand. haha


r/FatTails 4d ago

Pictures His little arms I can’t take it 😭🤎🤎🤎🤎

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157 Upvotes

r/FatTails 4d ago

A lesson learned

4 Upvotes

My girl Opal is in shed this week and I unfortunately had to bother her pretty extensively as some maintenance needed done in the area of her humid hide. So I had to physically move her out of the hide. As I was doing my thing, she had managed to find herself a place to hide her head under a leaf. As I got it all done and every placed back, I moved my hand and managed to brush that leaf. She actually struck at me and made a hiss I had never heard from her. A little research later and I learned this is a sign of extreme stress and fear. I just feel bad I put her in that situation at all and it is a good lesson to move just a bit slower during such a sensitive period for her. There is trust enough between us that she knows I bring food and that me picking her up isn't necessarily a threat. Just remember to be super gentle and slow if you have to handle them during shedding time!


r/FatTails 7d ago

Dehydrated, never trusting sis again

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13 Upvotes

Ever since my last post my girl has been doing so much better and finally eating. However I went on a trip recently and had my sister watch her. I came back to her water bowl basically empty and I noticed this is what her urate looks like. I dug her out of her hide to make sure she was ok, she seemed fine (although a little grumpy from being woken up). I immediately refilled her bowl and upped her humidity a little. I plan on monitoring her and praying that she's only dehydrated. I'm just so mad and wanted to vent. Maybe also see if there's anything else I should look out for or be concerned about.


r/FatTails 7d ago

Heating Questions

3 Upvotes

Hey guys, I just recently got an AFT a few days ago, I have an overhead lamp and a uvb that I keep on during the day for her, but I was wondering if it was okay to keep a small heating mat with a thermostat on for her during the night? It’s a small one that would only be under the warm hide. I wanted to have it just to give her the option to be able to use it if she wants it, and also wanted her to be able to use it for digestion since she eats at night. Any advice is appreciated!


r/FatTails 7d ago

Help with AFT

0 Upvotes

I want to keep a AFT in a 24x12x16. i plan to put a 2nd floor made out of slate for more room


r/FatTails 8d ago

Just got a AFT..any suggestions?

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13 Upvotes

r/FatTails 9d ago

Has your gecko ever protected you?

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107 Upvotes

Storytime! I was living in an apartment in a sketchy area where people partied pretty late. It was around midnight on a weekend and my gecko was out exploring on my sofa while I watched her. All of a sudden, she stopped exploring, stood on high alert, and stared intensely at my front door. I followed her gaze and saw the shadows of two feet appear in the crack beneath my front door. Then, the door handle jiggled. Clearly, someone was trying to enter. I ran over to the door, applied the dead bolt, and waited with my phone in hand until the (probably disoriented and drunk) person moved away. I've had worse happen since then, but I was amazed at how perceptive our babies are! They may not bark like dogs, but their behavior can signal danger before you're aware. Anyone else have a story like that?


r/FatTails 11d ago

Pictures The sweetest boy

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44 Upvotes

r/FatTails 11d ago

Help/Advice Flipped on back!?

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25 Upvotes

This is my girl Maple. She is very very sweet and friendly. I got her from a breeder in April. I was told that she was about a year old when i got her. 2 days ago i was putting groceries away, and she likes to come out and watch me when i get home. She came to the door of the tank so i put my hand out and she crawled right up into my hand. I put her down after a couple of minutes and she went to her food bowl (i feed her around the same time every other day) I started to feed her and i turned my back for literally 30 seconds to grab another mealworm and looked back at her and she was flipped on her back and not moving. I have never seen her do this before. She is completely fine. I also have a camera text to her tank and watch her frequently for fun. I started to panic, flipped her back over and carefully opened her mouth (i thought she was choking) but she was completely fine. She chilled for a second. Went into her hide. Then came out and was acting completely normal. I give her calcium and make sure i hand feed her so i know that she eats. She is handled at least 2 times a week, i have never picked her up on my own, i always let her come to me and crawl up into my hand as i am always scared i am going to startle her/handle her when she’s not in the mood. I cannot find anything online about AFTS doing this? I saw some people saying that leopard geckos will do it when they are stressed but i really want to know if anyone else’s have done this and how it can be prevented? This is my first time having an AFT.


r/FatTails 12d ago

Are these markings good?

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39 Upvotes

Are these markings good or bad? This is my first fat tail gecko I have ever hatched, I have never seen these markings before and I wonder if they are like unique? Or just below average.


r/FatTails 22d ago

Help/Advice Is it safe to cohab adult fat tail with darkling beetles(adult super worms)?

3 Upvotes

I had a non-escape proof bowl and a few super worms got out and turned into adult beetles. They just kind of wander about the tank. I thought it was just two but I lifted up a piece of cork and there was 6 under it! I want to know if this is ok for my fat tail? I heard they can be a cleanup crew for the tank, but I want to make sure they won't bite or stress her out..


r/FatTails 25d ago

Getting a AFT

10 Upvotes

So ive been looking into getting a smaller reptile for over a year now, and have been researchingthem for i dont even know how long now.

I had a lepord gecko as a young teen that my grandparents didnt let me take when I moved hence me not having him.

Ive been looking into fat tails and have fallen in love and want to make sure I create the best home for it to ensure the little one thrives not just survives.

Id really appreciate recommendations and tips, ive done plenty research but now if like to actually talk to people and get personal opinions and experiences so I can be as prepared as possible before I even start too look into purchasing one.

(Tell me your best tips, tricks, feeding, substrate heating, lighting opinions, ethical breeders. Anything you would have found useful ^^)


r/FatTails Jun 22 '26

Help/Advice My gecko twitch, is it normal or it’s a vet level issue

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105 Upvotes

My 10 month old gecko twitch sometimes especially while feeding but while handling she did it like every few minutes, is it sign of a disease,personality or normal behaviour


r/FatTails Jun 22 '26

Pictures Sploot

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13 Upvotes

I assure you, he is very much alive, just very comfy.


r/FatTails Jun 21 '26

Is my AFT underweight or ideal weight?

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8 Upvotes

r/FatTails Jun 06 '26

Infertile eggs

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3 Upvotes

My female AFT is new to laying eggs, but this is her third clutch of infertile eggs. Anyone know why this would be the case? After she laid she was 38 grams. I have been giving her a lot of calcium as well. I know it’s common for their first clutch to be infertile, but this is her third. She isn’t utilizing her lay bin, along side my other AFT, but she is laying in her moist hide.

Anything helps


r/FatTails Jun 04 '26

Do AFTs ever get used to the tank enough to come out more?

3 Upvotes

Just wanna be upfront that im not one of those "the pet isnt doing what i wanted im gonna get rid of it" people so your answers wont make me wanna do that.

I got an AFT back in december and he's definitely accustomed to me as at worst he rears up slightly when i put my hand in too quickly, but he never runs away and has even chosen the hand several times.

The question is mostly do they ever get to the point where they will actually come out of their den more? He's pretty much always in the humid hide, if i see him at all its usually every 2-3 days he's under the big flat rock i got in the hot side of the cage; but usually after the lights are out.

Pretty much every single time i have guests they see the tank and wonder what i got but cant see him because he's hiding. And of course you should never try to find them so course i dont do that. I added one of those underground caves hoping he'd choose to hide in there sometimes but other than when i first put it in and he checked it out nope never seen him in it.

Ive seen lots of older leopard gecko videos but i dont think ive seen any older AFT videos.


r/FatTails Jun 04 '26

When does my girl come out?b

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17 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

April 25th I become the mother of my girl. She is an albino African fat tail gecko!

She came from a not so great home and was pretty skinny when I got her. I haven’t gotten the chance to weigh her but I’d like to say she’s definitely put on some weight since I got her

She is very happy to eat from tweezers and often peaks her head out around the time I turn her lights and lamp off.

But the reason I’m posting is because I feel like she spends alooot of time in her hide, like a lot. And I’m wondering, does she only come fully out when I’m asleep? Everytime I’m done feeding her she goes right back into her hide and gets back to napping. Maybe she’s just a sleepy girl?

Her diet consists of dubia roaches, medium crickets, and occasional meal worms! Ofc dusted in calcium every other feedings. And when she’s looking extra cute she gets a snack because she still needs to gain some weight

I’ll insert some pictures of her and her enclosure

The picture of her is the most recent one when I took her out to do a health check to make sure she looked good!

Her enclosure stays between 55-68 humidity and her warm side/ basking area is 85-94 and the cool side is 68-70. She spends most of her time under a large piece of slate directly under the heat lamp


r/FatTails Jun 03 '26

Help/Advice What’s wrong with his tail?

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6 Upvotes

There’s a little grey bit on the end… should i be worried? If so, what should i do?


r/FatTails May 30 '26

Help/Advice Newbie, here :)

3 Upvotes

Hellooo everyone.

I just got my aft. She is currently in her quarantine tank to make sure she is acting normal.

Does anyone also keep their babies in a quarantine tank and if so, foe how long?


r/FatTails May 28 '26

Pictures The birthday cake I made myself today, and the inspiration!

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92 Upvotes

r/FatTails May 27 '26

Help/Advice Did I scare my gecko during handling?

6 Upvotes

I'm a new owner and this is the first reptile I've ever had. Had her for a couple weeks now so I figured she was settled in enough to get used to her new home. She's okay with eating out from my tongs, I put my hand in her enclosure for about a few minutes every day so she can get used to my smell. I barely see her walk around the enclosure, she usually stays in her cave. Either I don't stay up late enough to witness her more active moments or she doesn't like me seeing her move

I handled her for the first time tonight. Found her curled up in the greenery and scooped her up from the bottom while monitoring her tail, breathing and stance to see if she was stressed out. She seemed alright, was like "Oh okay so I guess we're doing this now"

Kept my movements slow, let her crawl on my arm and stomach like she did when I first met her at the store. Kept monitoring breathing and tail movement, her tail wasn't flicking and she was heaving breaths from stress.

Few minutes later, I brought her back to her enclosure and she nearly seemed ready to jump in haha

Then she skitterred across the ground and ran into her hide.

Sorry if it's a stupid question, but is this just regular shy behaviour from an aft's first time being handled or did I stress her out too much? I'm wondering if I missed any piece of important info from the shopkeeper or my Internet research