Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My daughter (11 years old) has been wanting a fat tail gecko, and as our local reptile pet store got some in, she held one and feel in love. He/she is now home with us. We have leopards, but fat tails are new to us. He/she is four inches long, so I'm assuming it's a juvie, and am wondering what to feed him. Our leopards eat mealworms - would this be okay if I calcium dust them and he'll take them? Or do juvies usually only eat crickets? He's got very little fat in his tail, so I'm concerned (but otherwise he seems healthy - he's very calm when held, but I've been told that's normal with these guys. We're gonna give him a few days to settle in and de-stress before holding him again.)
He's in a five gallon tank with an undertank heater at one end, a shallow water dish, a small half log hide, and a humidity hide. Is this fine?
Also, the pet store sold him as a "100% het for Albino". Isn't that unlikely if he isn't albino? He looks normal to me, but as he was $60.00 and we wanted him for a pet, we weren't concerned with that. I'm just curious.
Thanks in advance for any advice - I'm a bit nervous about doing right by this little guy!

Congratulations on your new pet. The care for fat tails is pretty much the same as it is for leopard geckos they just require a little more humidity which can be done by offering a hide box with some sort of substrate that holds moisture. Fat tails do not usualy like mealworms but you can try them and see if he takes them.Other than that they will readily accept any commercialy available insects. As far as being 100% het for albino it is possible, hets do not display the trait they just carry the gene. The only way to know for sure is to breed it to another het or an albino. You should get albino babies from either one.
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Paul Morlock
of CaptiveCreations and
Retail Sales Rep. for Sandfire Dragon Ranch

My two female AFT's will eat almost anything, the male will only eat crix and I have found that the babies seem to only like crix too. The only thing that I have discovered that they all hate are lobster roaches.

My fat tails are all little piggies. I give them crickets (once a week for adults..3xs a week for juvies and every day for babies) I also leave a bowl of meal worms in the tank because I've noticed they like to hover over the bowl and watch them wiggle around. Most of the time they will eat a few and leave but I do have one male who just likes to play with his food. men ughh lol
The adults love wax worms. When mine are breeding i drop in a few after they lay their eggs for a quick boost. Pinkies for adults are fine too. Basically the same feeding for faties as for leopards. good luck with your fat tail. I'm nuts about all 10 of mine

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collector of Leo's and African Fat tails
www.geckomomsgeckos.com
President of Friends with MS
www.friendswithms.com