African Fat-Tailed Gecko
Reptile
African fat-tailed geckos are nocturnal, ground-dwelling insectivores closely related to leopard geckos, and they store reserve fat in their tails. Dubia roaches are a genuine dietary staple at every life stage, with mealworms as an acceptable but chitin-heavier supplement and superworms/waxworms best kept occasional given their higher fat content.
What to Feed
Dubia roaches form the staple rotation. Mealworms are a fine supplement but carry more chitin than dubia. Superworms, waxworms, and silkworms are higher in fat — keep them occasional rather than routine. Offer roughly two appropriately sized insects per inch of body length, or as much as eaten in about 10–15 minutes. This species has a practical, visible feeding-frequency gauge built in: once the tail looks fatter than the neck, it's time to feed less often.
Feeding Schedule
- Hatchlings/juveniles: daily — start with X-Small dubia roach nymphs under about 6 weeks old, then move up to Small nymphs as they grow
- Young adults: every other day to every 3 days — Medium dubia roach nymphs (about 25–50/week)
- Adults with a visibly fattened tail: cut back to about every 5 days — Large dubia roach nymphs (about 25/week)
Gut-Loading & Dusting
Gut-load feeder insects 24–48 hours before offering. Dust with calcium at every feeding; add a multivitamin about once a week. This species is nocturnal and commonly kept with little to no UVB — without UVB, use a D3-inclusive calcium, since diet is the only D3 source; with UVB provided, a low- or no-D3 calcium is appropriate.
Common Mistakes
- Oversized prey for hatchlings — stick to half-sized insects under 6 weeks to limit impaction risk
- Ignoring the tail as a feeding gauge — a fattened tail means feed less, not the same juvenile-rate amount
- Defaulting to superworms/waxworms as an everyday feeder instead of an occasional one
- Skipping calcium/D3 dusting in a no-UVB setup, where it's the only D3 source