Dan's Fat-tailed Geckos

[Ranger]

I visited with DeadIrishD today, and got some pics of his African Fat-tailed Geckos. Always nice to get together with a fellow herper.

Check out his geckos.

[Ophiophilia]

Cute

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[Cameron...G]

They look like leo's! but you said they were african fat tailed geckos, they look different but are they related?

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[Ranger]

Originally Posted by cameron15

They look like leo's! but you said they were african fat tailed geckos, they look different but are they related?

I know less than nothing about geckos, but Dan said these are bigger and less skittish. They were fun to watch when they were feeding. They stalked the crickets and as they approached one, they shook their tails (almost like a distraction) and then grabbed the cricket.

[DeadIrishD]

Well they are not bigger persay besides their tails.

A leopard gecko is more of a desert reptile, as to where an african fat tailed gecko is more of a tropical one, from what I have been able to read.

I've had Skunks, the striped normal (male) for 2 or 3 years now.
He's able to be handled, and even while feeding he'll let you place your hand near his head, to get out the substrate, which I need to change as it does not hold humidity that well, I also need to feed them outside of their enclosure.

They don't like to drink too much from water bowls, so I spray the sides, and plants 2x a day for them to get their water intake.

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[Hartsock]

Originally Posted by cameron15

They look like leo's! but you said they were african fat tailed geckos, they look different but are they related?

Are the African Fat Tails from the region of Ethopia because like cameron15 says, they look different from other fat tails that I have seen. The one that my local pet store had looked like it had a head growing out of it's butt. I am just wondering if there are different fat tailed geckos.

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[Stargazer]

Oh, what a sweet little creature.

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[DeadIrishD]

Originally Posted by hartsock

Are the African Fat Tails from the region of Ethopia because like cameron15 says, they look different from other fat tails that I have seen. The one that my local pet store had looked like it had a head growing out of it's butt. I am just wondering if there are different fat tailed geckos.

There are two diffrent species that go by that name.

Hemitheconyx caudicinctus which is what they are.
The one at the petshop around you sounds like it's tail has been regenerated.

Than theres also one that is more rare called dwarf african fat tailed geckos which is a diffrent species altogether.

It's called H. Taylori

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[amercnwmn]

Dan, those are some great looking geckos!!! Love the set ups!

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[DeadIrishD]

Thanks Voodoo
It still has a bit more work, to go.

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[TammyJamaica]

These are remarkable, really precious and delicate looking. Is the pink one an albino? I guess it would have red eyes if it was.

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[Cameron...G]

Can you breed them to leo's?

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[DeadIrishD]

Originally Posted by TammyJamaica

These are remarkable, really precious and delicate looking. Is the pink one an albino? I guess it would have red eyes if it was.

Yeah she's an albino... or some morph like that.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[DeadIrishD]

Originally Posted by cameron15

Can you breed them to leo's?

Not sure.

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[redtail1]

Awww!!! that's sooo sad!!! they are the most emaciated fat tails that I have ever seen. (alive that is) Their tails are supposed to be false heads. If they had the fat reserves they need to be in any way healthy, the tails and heads would be the same size and shape.

[bleeding_sarcasm]

Thanks redtail for getting to this thread and saying what I would have. those fat tails look like they are about to die, and they are at the very least under fed/dehydrated, or riddled with internal parasites and should be seen by a vet.

They are similar, in the fact that they are both eublepharids, meaning, they both have eyelids [but so do gonis and they live in southeast asia]

they look like they have heads growing out of their butts, so that predators, might mistake their tail for their head, giving the fat tail an opportunity to drop their tail and run away. The one at your local store has a regrown tail, because it is wild caught, most fat tails are imported, even tho they are fairly easy to breed in captivity. leopard geckos have similar looking tails when they regrow.

Fat tails are from West Africa. Fat tails in pet trade come from mainly three countries, but I'd have to look them up. Togo? Ghana? and someplace else.

Originally Posted by DeadIrishD

Than theres also one that is more rare called dwarf african fat tailed geckos which is a diffrent species altogether.

It's called H. Taylori

"Dwarf fat tails" or "african clawed geckos" are actually Holodactylus africanus, they stay VERY small, and come from Tanzania. [there is a second kind from Somalia] Wild caught animals are common, and cheap, dont usually acclimate well, and die when in the wrong hands.

Hemitheconyx taylori is one of the rarest eublepharid species, and probably have only been bred in captivity by a handful of people. You would have a near impossible time getting taylori right now, even if you were put on waiting lists. they dont really have a common name, but you could *probably* get away with calling them the east African fat tailed gecko, since they come from mountainous area kind of of west Somalia and probably eastern Ethiopia

And no, they are not closely related enough to breed to leopard geckos, tho, I dont know WHY you would want to?!!?

Are you feeding them cat food again?

Please give them a water dish, and clean the piles of feces, and maybe change the substrate to something that isnt quite so easy for them to die if they swallow it.

Here are pics of "healthy" fat tails

[bleeding_sarcasm]

this is a "dwarf fat tail gecko"

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[Hartsock]

As normal, if you need an answer on a herp that has four little feet and a tail (or even those missing their tails) check with Tamara!

Those fat tails that she showed in the pics are exactly what I have seen at the local pet store and in other pet stores and they look like they have another head sticking out of their butts! The first one I saw I had to do a double take to knw which way it was facing. Didn't notice all the feces until I read her post and then went back and looked at pics...but I will point out there are two water dishes in the pics, one in the back right corner and another to the left of the things in the center of the cage. Same type of water dish I have for one of my Saharan Sand Boas.

Please don't say that you are actually feeing the little guys cat food...

[Ranger]

He's feeding them crickets and pinky mice. After seeing Tamara's pics, it seems they should be fed more often.

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[bleeding_sarcasm]

Its an old thread he made on another forum, where he dropped cat food into his geckos enclosure, and then it ate it. Just because there is an dish in an enclosure, i dont assume that there is water in it. looking at the way the amelanistic [albino] 's geckos eyes are protruding out of its head, that is a common sign of dehydration. along with the skin peaks on its sides. If skunk is wc, there is a big chance that he has internal parasites, which means they could eat all day long, and still be emaciated. or, if you touched sick animals/didnt properly quarantine animals, internal parasites could have been spread to them.