African Fat-Tailed Gecko Guide

Scientific Name:

Eublepharis Macularius

Name Origin:

Eublepharis means “good eyelids”, because Leopard Geckos have eyelids; Macularius means “spotted”

Origin:

Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iran and Iraq)

Native Habitat:

Dry and rocky grassland and desert regions

Appearance:

The wild color is yellow with different patterns of dark pigment

The hatchlings are striped and gradually lose the stripes as they grow

Leopard Geckos are one of the few types of lizards that have eyelids

Their ears are covered with tympanic membrane that protect it

They have no adhesive toe pads like other types of geckos, but do have claws on their toes

Size:

Hatchlings are about 2.6 to 3.3 inches in length

Adults are usually between 7 to 10 inches in length

Weight:

Hatchlings are about 3 grams

Adults are usually between 50 to 70 grams

Life Span:

20-25 years with proper care

Behavior:

Nocturnal, terrestrial species; they shelters in cool caves during the day and active as dust falls

Social Structure:

Males fight with each other, but doing well with one or more females

Terrarium Type:

Desert terrarium with rock piles and hiding place to crawl into

Terrarium Size:

10-15 gallon tank is good size for one gecko

20 gallon tank is good for 2-3 female geckos or a breeding group of 1 male and 1-2 females

It should have a screen top to prevent any escapes or visitors

Heating:

The best temperature in the hot side of the terrarium is 86 to 90 F

The air temperature of the room where the terrarium is should be above 70 degrees

The best way to heat your Leopard Gecko terrarium is by using an undertank heating pad or tape

Lamp may be used as a source of heating too

One end of the cage should be heated. This allows for a temperature variation that your lizard needs:

hearted and cool

Heat rocks are too hot for Leopard Geckos and shouldn't be used

Substrate:

Paper towels, Newspaper, Reptile carpet, Flat stones

Any loose substrates that Leopard Gecko can ingest (as sand and fish tank gravel) are not recommended

They can be extremely harmful to gecko digestive system

Food:

Leopard Geckos are insectivores; in wild they feed on insects, worms and spiders

The best diet includes live crickets, mealworms, superworms, silkworms and roach nymphs

Waxworms may be given as treats

All insects food should be "gut loaded" (with sliced potatoes, grapes, apples, carrots, bananas, etc.)

for at least 24 hours before feeding them to the gecko

It's also important to dust the feeders with calcium

Do not to feed Leopard Gecko anything larger than about 3/4 the size of its heads to prevent choking

Water:

Fresh water must be available all the time

A water dish should be shallow and stable

Supplements:

Vitamin and Calcium supplements are mandatory to ensure Leopard Gecko health

Dust crickets and mealworms before feeding in a calcium powder and put a dish with the calcium powder into the terrarium

Leopard Gecko cool facts:

Leopard Geckos are capable of vocalizing. Their repertoire of squeaks and clicks is most often voiced by sparring males