Harmless · Popular pet · Native to West Africa

African fat-tailed gecko

Hemitheconyx caudicinctus

Data updated October 2026

African fat-tailed gecko resting on dry ground, showing alternating medium and dark brown bands and a thick tail
Fig. 1 — Adult with the classic banded pattern and plump tail.
Close view of an African fat-tailed gecko's head showing its eyelids
Fig. 2 — Unlike most geckos, it has movable eyelids and can blink.

At a glance

A stocky, ground-dwelling gecko from the savannas of West Africa, banded in browns and named for the fat it stores in its tail. It is nocturnal, calm once settled and long-lived, which has made it a widely kept pet.

01

Identification

The African fat-tailed gecko has a long, stout body, short legs, an oval head and soft, pebbly skin. It is patterned in alternating bands of medium and dark brown, sometimes with dark spots or white markings, and some animals have a white stripe running from the head down the back to the tail. The tail is plump and segmented and can be more than an inch thick in a well-fed animal. It has movable eyelids and lacks the sticky toe pads of house geckos, so it cannot climb glass.

  1. 01Brown bands. Alternating medium and dark brown bands, in some animals split by a white stripe down the back.
  2. 02Fat, segmented tail. Stores fat; can top 1.25 inches thick. A regrown tail looks different from the original.
  3. 03Eyelids, no toe pads. It can blink, and its toes lack the sticky pads of climbing geckos.

Commonly confused with

Both are in the same eyelid gecko family. Adult leopard geckos are usually spotted rather than banded, and the western banded gecko is much smaller and slimmer.

02

Size

02 in4 in6 in8 in10 in12 in Typical adult · about 9 in (23 cm)

Adults are usually about 8 to 10 inches (20–25 cm) long including the tail, and the largest reach about 11 inches. They can weigh up to about 75 grams. Males are slightly larger with wider heads. Hatchlings are about 2 inches long.

03

Range & habitat

African fat-tailed gecko emerging from a rock crevice on dry ground
Fig. 3 — By day it shelters under rocks, in burrows and in crevices.

The species lives in West Africa, from Senegal east to northern Cameroon. It is found in dry Sahel and in dry to moist savanna, usually near rock crevices or in the leaf litter of dry forests, where daytime temperatures are typically in the 80s to 90s °F. The climate has a warm rainy season from about April to October and a cooler dry season from November to March.

04

Diet & predators

Fat-tailed geckos are insect-eaters that hunt at night. In the wild they take crickets, beetles and other insects, and like many geckos they eat their own shed skin. Fat stored in the tail helps them through lean periods.

Feeds on

  • Crickets and grasshoppers
  • Beetles
  • Roaches and other insects
  • Their own shed skin

Preyed on by

  • Snakes
  • Larger reptiles
  • Some mammals
  • Some birds
House cricket on dry ground
Prey — crickets.
Grasshopper on a grass stem
Prey — grasshoppers.

05

Behavior & seasons

This gecko is nocturnal and spends the day hidden under rocks, in burrows or in other shelters. It is generally solitary, and both sexes can be territorial; males in particular fight each other. If grabbed, it can drop its tail to distract a predator and escape, and the tail slowly grows back.

Activity follows the West African seasons, with the warm, humid rainy season from about April to October and a cooler, drier period from November to March.

06

Reproduction

During the breeding season males mate with several females. Females lay 1 to 3 eggs at a time. The eggs hatch after about 6 to 12 weeks, sooner at warmer temperatures. Young geckos grow quickly and are mature within about a year.

07

Conservation

The African fat-tailed gecko is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act and is not known to be established anywhere outside Africa. It is common in the pet trade.

08

In captivity

Fat-tailed geckos are generally docile and tolerant of gentle handling once settled, though some stay shy. Keep them in a terrestrial enclosure that is wider than it is tall. Older guides allowed a 10-gallon tank for a pair, while current care sheets recommend at least 36 × 18 × 18 inches for one adult, larger if possible. House adults singly or as females together; never keep two males together.

  • Heat. A warm end with a hide at about 90°F and a cooler side in the high 70s to low 80s °F, so the gecko can choose. Nights can be cooler.
  • Light. About 10 to 12 hours of light a day. They are nocturnal, but many keepers now add low-level UVB over the warm side.
  • Humidity. Higher than for leopard geckos. Provide a humid hide with damp moss or paper towel and mist a few times a week; check with a hygrometer.
  • Food and water. Live insects such as crickets, roaches, mealworms and black soldier fly larvae, gut-loaded before feeding, plus a shallow dish of fresh water.
  • Handling. Handle gently and never hold one by the tail, which can detach.

See a reptile vet if your gecko stops eating for a long time, loses tail thickness quickly, has trouble shedding or seems lethargic. More pet care guides

Keep reading

Sources

Data updated October 2026 · How we build these pages