African Fat-tailed Gecko
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
These ground-dwellings geckos are mainly nocturnal. Unlike most geckos, fat-tailed geckos can blink and do not have sticky pads on their feet. Our fat-tailed geckos can be seen in the Discovery Centre and are named ‘Falkor‘ and ‘Saphira‘.
Measurements
Size: Around 20cm in length
Weight: up to 90g
Habitat
These geckos are found in the savannahs of West Africa, where they spend their day sheltering beneath stones, in burrows or in termite mounds.
Diet
These geckos feed on a variety of insects. They store fat in their tails to provide a source of energy when food is scarce – giving rise to their name!
Breeding
Females lay 1 to 3 eggs in a clutch but can have a number of clutches a year, depending on conditions. The adults do not look after either the eggs or the young!
Conservation
These lizards are not classed as threatened in the wild as they are believed to be common and widespread. However their population numbers and trend is unknown.
Threat Level
Find us