Description:
Scientific name: Ptyodactylus ragazzi
Life span: 10-15 years
The Sahelian fan-toed gecko, also known as Ragazzi’s fan-footed gecko (Ptyodactylus ragazzii), is a species of lizard in the Phyllodactylidae family. Fan-footed geckos have a mottled pattern of beige to orange colors all over their bodies. The particular name, ragazzii, is given in honor of the Italian doctor and member of the Modena Natural History Society Vincenzo Ragazzi.
Native Region/Habitat
Northern Africa is the species’ only known home. Algeria, Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Libya, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, and Togo are among the countries where P. ragazzi is present.
P. ragazzii prefers rocky environments in desert, shrubland, and savanna, which range in altitude from sea level to 2,500 m. (8,200 ft).
Behavior:
Fan-footed geckos should be kept alone or in pairs. At night, males can frequently be heard making clicking vocalizations. Longer days in the summer or a brumation period in the winter (down to about 70 degrees) will encourage breeding.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Housing: A pair of fan-footed gecko adults can live in a 12x12x18 glass cage, though full-grown adults are active and need at least an 18x18x24 enclosure. Maintain this species in pairs or by itself. Sand or desert Bio Bedding both make excellent substrates. For this species, cork tubes serve incredibly well as both vertical conceals and climbing material.
Temperature: Fan-footed geckos should be kept at 75–85 F. To create a basking spot that is about 90 degrees, use a basking bulb. A digital thermometer should be used to track temperature, and an infrared thermometer can be used to check for hot spots. 68 degrees Fahrenheit is a safe low for the night.
Humidity: Keep fan-footed geckos at a humidity level of 40–50%. A cork tube with wet sphagnum moss placed at the bottom is an excellent example of a humid hide that may be used to create a humid microclimate. A digital hygrometer should be used to measure ambient humidity.
Diet: Fan-footed geckos are insectivores; at Josh’s Frogs, we offer all of the feeder insects you’ll need to properly feed them! Juveniles for sale are large enough to eat ¼” crickets or dubia roaches. Adults should be fed a staple of 1/2-inch crickets or dubia roaches, with black soldier fly larvae, waxworms, butterworms, and hornworms making good occasional treats. Mealworms can also be offered to full grown adults. All feeder insects should be gutloaded and dusted with vitamin/mineral supplements.
Table
