African fat-tailed gecko · Daily diet

What should I feed an African fat-tailed gecko?

Varied appropriately sized live insects, safely sourced and prepared, with calcium and vitamins used to an individual reviewed plan.

Variety, feeder care, safe sizing, and measured body condition make this insect diet work.

Use the practical checks

Put it into practice

The useful checks

Do this

Use the exact species diet and a reviewed supplement plan.
Remove spoilable food and uneaten insects promptly.
Keep fresh water and monitor African fat-tailed gecko behavior every day.
Record changes so a reptile veterinarian receives useful evidence.

Avoid this

Do not make one treat or feeder the entire diet.
Do not combine supplements without checking the instructions.
Do not copy another reptile species' setup.
Do not treat a persistent health change as a shopping problem.

Build safe insect variety

Build meals around varied appropriately sized captive-bred live insects that are safely sourced, well fed, and supplemented to an individual reviewed plan. Crickets, suitable roaches, black soldier fly larvae, silkworms, and other reviewed feeders can rotate rather than one insect becoming the entire diet.

Buy from reputable captive suppliers. Skip wild-caught and bait-shop insects because their pesticide, parasite, and environmental exposures are unknown.

Prepare and present the meal

Keep feeders clean and well fed, choose prey no wider than the space between the gecko's eyes, and follow one coordinated calcium and vitamin plan matched to UVB, age, and veterinary guidance.

Offer food when the gecko normally becomes active, use a clean dish or soft tongs where helpful, and remove uneaten insects before they can bite or disturb the resting animal.

Let records adjust the menu

Track the date, insects offered and eaten, supplements, droppings, sheds, weight, and tail and body condition. A very large tail does not automatically mean excellent condition.

Persistent refusal, vomiting, abnormal droppings, rapid tail loss, swelling, tremors, weakness, or a continuing weight change needs a reptile veterinarian rather than repeated food substitutions.

African fat-tailed gecko care boundaries at a glance

Adult home: Plan about 91 × 46 × 46 cm (36 × 18 × 18 in) or larger for one adult, with useful floor space for covered warm, cool, and humid choices
Warm zone: Daytime warm retreat about 28–30°C (82–86°F)
Cool and night: Covered cool retreat about 25°C (77°F); All visible lights off; measure a nighttime range around 20–25°C (68–77°F) and use guarded non-light heat only when needed
Humidity: About 60% ambient humidity, plus a clean humid hide, fresh water, and ventilation
UVB: Gentle product-specific linear UVB over part of the warm side with complete shade and secure dark retreats
Food: Varied appropriately sized live insects, safely sourced and prepared, with calcium and vitamins used to an individual reviewed plan