In 1998, I decided I wanted a pet. I really wanted a dog, but being out at work all day, and no one else at home regularly, I didn’t think it was a good idea, so  thought I would look round for something else.

One Saturday afternoon, I went to  a pet shop to have browse to see what was about. It was there that I saw 3 tiny lizards. Looked harmless enough. Went away had a think about it, and did a bit of research on how to look after them, and went back and bought them the following day. No walks, quiet, seemed to be an excellent idea. And  it was.

Maggie, Lizzy and Stimpy (named due to having lost his tail when he was a baby, and it regrowing  as a stump as is normal) came home with me. I had a special tank (vivarium) made for them which they loved, as they had even more room to sleep in !

Maggie  passed away early 2004, Lizzie passed away just before Christmas 2005, and  Stimpy left us in May 2006.

African Fat-tailed Geckos appear to resemble reptiles that were around millions of years ago. Their tails are large thick and long, which is where they  store their fat supply. Coloration is light tan striping against a darker brown  stripe in an alternating pattern. The Fat-tail is known for its velvety  appearance.

There are  two colour phases, one with a white dorsal stripe (which runs from the top of  the head to the end of the tail) and one without. Both have alternating bands of  a rich chocolate brown and a lighter brown. The skin of this reptile has a  velour look to it. Selective breeding, mainly in the US, has produced a colour  known as "tangerine" because the lighter bands are suffused  with peach and the darker bands have an orange hue. Most specimens in the trade  are wild-caught from Ghana.

The  fat-tailed gecko, is a true eyelid gecko. From the family Gekkonidae and the  subfamily Eublepharinae, the Hemitheconyx caudicinctus, or Fat-tailed gecko, is  very similar in shape and size to the leopard gecko. But it is adapted to a far  different life-style. It is a relatively docile animal, more shy and with  different behaviour patterns toward humans than the leopard gecko. A new owner may cause the animal some distress,  but upon becoming used to its owner, the Fat-tailed gecko is usually content to  rest on a hand or arm.

Fat-tails are nocturnal, so they will be asleep  during the day. Be sure to provide them with an appropriate light cycle with a  little over 12 hours of "daylight" at a set time each day. Seasonal changes in the lengths of  daylight may be offered, especially if you are planning on  breeding your lizards. A full spectrum light is not required, since they are nocturnal and would not be  in the sun anyway. The vitamins acquired from sunlight by other lizards must be  provided in their diet.

The  original tail of a Fat-tail gecko is long and thick. As the name implies, this  is where they store their fat. These  tails may be released to distract  predators, and must be handled with care. A gecko that is missing a tail must be  kept warm and well fed, as it will have nowhere to store its fat until another  is re-grown. A re-grown tail is short and wide.