Species Profile & Temperament

African Fat-Tailed vs. Leopard Gecko

HUMIDITY IS KEY: While AFTs look very similar to Leopard Geckos, they do not live in dry deserts. They live in West African scrublands and need a moister setup, with a humid hide that stays damp. If you keep them bone-dry like a Leopard Gecko, they will suffer from severe stuck shed, respiratory issues, and dehydration.

Housing & Enclosure

Enclosure Type & Size

• Type: Terrestrial (Ground-dwelling). They do not have sticky toe pads and cannot climb glass. Floor space is more important than height.
• Size: Floor space matters more than height. Ask our reptile staff to help you pick the right enclosure.
• Solitary: They should be housed individually. Males will fight to the death, and cohabitating females can lead to bullying and starvation.

Substrate

• Recommended: Because they need higher humidity, a dirt-based substrate is best. Use coconut fiber (EcoEarth) or a soil mix. For a young gecko, paper towel is simplest and safest.
• Avoid: Calcium sand (can cause a blockage), walnut shells, and pine/cedar shavings.

Décor & Enrichment

• Hides (CRITICAL): You must provide at least three hides:

1. A warm hide on the basking side.
2. A cool hide on the opposite end.
3. A Humid Hide filled with damp sphagnum moss. This is essential for perfect sheds.

• Climbing: Provide low cork bark flats for them to explore.

Heating & Lighting

Temperature Requirements

Give your gecko a warm side and a cool side so it can move between them. Use a thermometer and a hygrometer at the gecko's level, and follow the label on your heater and thermostat for settings.

• Heating: They absorb heat through their bellies to digest food. A heat mat on the bottom of the tank (plugged into a thermostat) is the most traditional method. A low-wattage deep heat projector (DHP) is also excellent.
• Thermostat (Mandatory): Unregulated heat mats will burn the gecko's belly. Always use a thermostat.

Lighting & UVB

• UVB: Not required. A low-output lamp made for dusk-active animals (such as Arcadia ShadeDweller) is an optional upgrade. A desert-strength bulb is the wrong product. Follow the lamp's label for placement.

Humidity & Water

• Humid hide: Keep the moss in the humid hide damp at all times. Use a hygrometer to check.
• Misting: Mist lightly to help keep humidity up, and ensure the humid hide moss is always damp.
• Water Bowl: Provide a shallow water dish with fresh, dechlorinated water daily.

Diet & Nutrition

Prey Items

• Staples: Gut-loaded crickets and small Dubia roaches.
• Treats: Mealworms and waxworms. Note: AFTs are notoriously picky eaters and often refuse worms entirely, preferring fast-moving crickets.
• Size: Insects should be no wider than the space between the gecko's eyes.

Feeding Schedule

How often and how much changes as your gecko grows. Ask our reptile staff for a schedule that fits your gecko's age.

Supplements (Mandatory)

Because they do not eat whole rodents (which have bones), you must provide artificial calcium.

1. Gut-load insects 24 to 48 hours before feeding. Follow the gut-load label.
2. Dust insects with calcium at every feeding.
3. Use calcium with D3 at most feedings, plus a multivitamin about once a week. Follow the powder label.

What We Stock & Use in Our Stores

These are products we carry and recommend for this species. Ask any associate for help finding them in-store.

Last updated: 2026-08-04

How We Keep Them at Critter Cabana & Gresham Pet Supply

• Beating Dry Oregon Furnace Air (and Summer Heat Spikes): Across the Willamette Valley and Portland Metro, running the house furnace all winter drops indoor humidity to 25–35%, which quickly causes stuck sheds and dehydration in screen-top tanks. To keep humidity up for African Fat-Tailed Gecko, our crew uses a deep 3–5" substrate bed (or our store-shelf 10-Part Bioactive Mix of ReptiSoil, Coco Fiber, Orchiata Bark, Sphagnum Moss, and Leaf Litter), a dedicated humid hide packed with damp sphagnum moss, and partial screen cover when needed.
• Thermostat & Linear UVB Standard: Every heating element in our Newberg and Gresham reptile rooms runs on a thermostat, with a warm side and a cooler retreat. In summer, if an upstairs room gets too warm, a dimming thermostat backs down the heat so the cool side never overheats.
• Shopping at Newberg & Gresham: For enclosures, thermostats, UVB lighting, bioactive supplies, springtails, isopods and feeders at Critter Cabana (Newberg) and Gresham Pet Supply, ask us what we have in store today.

Common Questions (FAQ)

What size tank does an adult African Fat-Tailed Gecko actually need?

Floor space matters more than height for this ground gecko. Pick an enclosure with room for a warm side, a cool side and three hides (warm, cool and humid). Our reptile staff can help you choose a size.

How do I keep African Fat-Tailed Gecko humidity up during dry Oregon winters?

Oregon winter furnace heat dries out thin bedding fast. Use a 3–5 inch moisture-retaining substrate mix (such as Zoo Med ReptiSoil blended with coco fiber, Orchiata bark, and sphagnum moss), provide an enclosed humid hide, and cover 50–70% of an open screen top with HVAC foil tape or a PVC panel if ambient humidity drops too low.

What is the best bioactive clean-up crew for a African Fat-Tailed Gecko?

For an adult in a soil setup, pair springtails with one isopod kind that handles a drier tank, and keep the humid hide damp. We'll help you pick an isopod kind that suits your tank's climate. A young gecko does best on paper towel, so wait on bioactive until it is grown. Our 1-Page or Tri-Fold Bioactive Substrate Recipe Guide covers the rest.

Where can I get African Fat-Tailed Gecko setup supplies, live feeders, and thermostats in Oregon?

Ask us what we have in store today at Critter Cabana in Newberg (514 E First St, 503-537-2887) and Gresham Pet Supply (2185 NW Burnside Rd, 503-665-7606).