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
- Kingdom: Animalia |
- Division: Chordata |
- Class: Reptilia |
- Order: Squamata |
- Suborder: Sauria |
- Family: Eublepharidae |
- Genus: Hemitheconyx |
- Species:
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus |
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