African Fat-Tailed Gecko

The African Fat-Tailed Gecko is a fairly large, and in most cases, brightly colored gecko. Hemitheconyx caudicinctus originates in West Africa, where they inhabit the continent from Senegal to Cameroon. They make their home in woodland areas, rocky hillsides and other semi-arid areas. They are both nocturnal and ground-dwelling, and related to the Leopard Gecko.

The African Fat-Tailed Gecko varies in color from shades of red to purple. Some of these geckos will develop a white lie down the middle of their backs. Their most distinguishable feature is their bulbous tail which they use to store fat. Unlike many lizards, the tip of the tail is very rounded, instead of coming straight to a point. The average length of an African Fat-Tailed Gecko will be 8 to 10 inches. Males are generally larger than females, with much larger heads and stronger overall bodies. The males are very territorial in nature and can be aggressive in temperament, while females tend to be more docile.

When hunting for food, which is mainly insects, the African Fat-Tailed Gecko can move very quickly. In most other cases, they are a very slow, careful moving lizard. They have a perpetual smile on their faces which gives them a comical appearance.

Read our African Fat-Tailed Gecko Care Sheet to learn how to take care of these geckos as pets.

Take a look at this gecko with these African Fat-Tailed Gecko Pictures.

African Fat-Tailed Gecko Classification