| Fat Tail Gecko Care Sheet
Written By: Jessica
© 2009 Jessica @ Mynewturtle
DIET:
Crickets
Mealworms
Roaches
Calcium supplements
Water dish
Hatchlings to adult fat tail geckos eat the same diet. The size of the food needs to be proportional to the size of the gecko. For example, adult geckos can eat adult sized crickets. Baby fat tails will eat 1/4 inch crickets.
Fat tail geckos are carnivorous. They do NOT eat fruits or vegetables.
· NOTE: Crickets especially like to nibble on your gecko while it sleeps. Removing any remaining insects (crickets/mealworms) during the day will prevent tiny cuts that could turn into larger cuts. In general, feed your gecko until it stops eating and is full. If there is extra food in the cage, remove it.
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CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS:
Calcium is necessary for proper bone development and health of your gecko. Two types of calcium supplementation should be provided.
1) Gut load the crickets you feed to your gecko. This means that you feed cricket diet to the crickets before you feed them to your gecko. Some cricket diets come with calcium added. If they do not, you can add calcium powder on top of the cricket food. Feeding your gecko well hydrated crickets that have been gut loaded with calcium means you are feeding your gecko quality protein, water and calcium.
2) Keep a dish of calcium powder in your gecko’s cage. Geckos will actually lick the pure calcium powder if they are feeling deficient.
LIGHTING/HEATING:
Heat should be provided in one area of the cage. A heat pad or heat tape can be placed under the tank, on one side. This should stay on at all times. This way the gecko can regulate it’s body temperature day or night, as it desires.
Lighting is not necessary, as fat tails are nocturnal and come out when it is dark. Some people like to have a light so they can see their gecko at night. IF you use a light, it should must be a red light. Red lights do not emit very much heat or light. This way, your gecko will still feel comfortable believing it is nighttime, and you will be able to see your gecko.
HOUSING:
· 10 gallon aquarium or larger
· Mesh top so that air can get in the tank
· Wet hide
· Dry hide
· Heat pad on one side under the tank
· Water dish
· Calcium dish
SUBSTRATES:
· Use cocoa-peat or coconut fiber bedding in the wet hide. This comes in solid bricks and you just add water. It holds water and keeps a higher humidity level for your gecko so it can shed.
· I use paper towel for bedding for the rest of the cage because it is easy to clean and food will not get lost within it (like with wood chips or cocoa-peat). Other possibilities are stone, tile or newspaper.
· Do NOT use any of these substrates…
NO sand!
No gravel
*These can cause impactions in the gut of your gecko and can be deadly*
TEMPERATURE:
Purchase a small thermometer from your local pet store and keep it on the bottom of your aquarium. That way you know the ground temperature your gecko is walking on. Keep the temperature between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The range should be between about 85-90 degrees at the hot end of the aquarium, and down to about 75 degrees at the cold end. The temperature will naturally go down at night a little as your house cools. However, the heat pad will always be on providing a warm area for your gecko at all times.
*DO NOT USE a heat rock.
(geckos will set against the rock and burn themselves)
ILLNESS:
There are three main issues regarding fat tail gecko health.
Parasites
Trouble Shedding
Gut Impactions
PARASITES:
Internal parasites are deadly to geckos if they are not treated by a reptile veterinarian early on. However, buying captive bred geckos almost ensures that the gecko will be parasite-free. Buying a cheaper, wild-caught, imported gecko almost always ensures that the gecko will have parasites.
I highly recommend against buying wild caught reptiles. While they are cheaper initially, you can virtually bet on them being sickly and needing costly medical attention to keep them alive. Do not buy wild caught reptiles!
TROUBLE SHEDDING:
Geckos shed on their own every few weeks. As long as a wet hide is provided, there should be no problems. Problems arise when the environment is dry and there is no wet hide provided, or the wet hide has dried out. Usually when a gecko has retained shed, it is on it’s toes. Old shed staying on the toes will become tighter and tighter, cutting off blood supply to the gecko’s toes. Eventually, the toes will fall off. This is painful for the gecko and completely preventable.
If you do have a wet hide within your dry cage environment and your gecko is still having difficulty shedding, it might be ill or have parasites. Take your gecko to your local reptile veterinarian.
GUT IMPACTIONS:
Gut impactions are caused by geckos eating sand and not being able to pass it through their system. Geckos get sand into their intestines when catching prey in an environment that has sand as a substrate (hence, why it is NOT recommended). The sand gets lodged in the gecko’s intestines and does not allow food to pass. Unless treated by a veterinarian, the gecko starves to death. Keeping your gecko on an appropriate substrate (see above) will prevent gut impactions.
Remember, this care sheet is not intended as a guide for 'do it yourself' medical care. If you think your pet is ill, please call your local reptile specialist veterinarian.
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