African Fat Tailed Gecko

10 African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morphs

African fat-tailed geckos (AFTG) come in an astonishing array of colors and patterns; with so many different morphs to choose from, it can be impossible to pick a favorite! It’s not surprising that most fans of the African fat-tailed gecko have a collection of these beautiful lizards.

The rare and difficult-to-breed African fat-tailed gecko morphs are typically more expensive than common and easily reproduced morphs. Breeders of African fat-tailed geckos spoil buyers for choice as they continue to explore all the possibilities in which singular morphs can be combined.    

1.     Banded African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

Banded AFTGs are the wild variant of AFTGs, i.e., the naturally occurring color and pattern seen in wild geckos. These geckos are distinctive for the thick brown bands covering their backs and tails. The brown bands may be interspersed with small white dots, and the stomachs of these geckos are typically pale pink.

Many of the banded AFTG’s currently sold online are wild-caught. The low-price tag attached to these wild-caught AFTGs may be attractive but don’t give in to the temptation – wild-caught AFTGs do not make good pets!

While a domestic bred Banded AFTG is slightly more expensive, the reward of a docile, healthy, and ethically sourced AFTG is well worth the extra dollars.

Price Range: $150.00 to $480.00 (responsibly bred domestic banded AFTG)

2.     Striped African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

Like, the banded AFTG, the striped AFTG is a popular, easily obtained morph. Based on the name, it is unsurprising that striped AFTGs sport a distinctive stripe along their backs that extend from their heads to their tails.

The stripe may be a pale pinky color or pure white depending on the other genes influencing the color and pattern of the AFTG. The gene responsible for the stripe is dominant, i.e., the AFTG only needs one copy of the “stripe” gene for it to change the AFTG’s morph from banded to striped. 

Price Range: $160.00 to $580.00

3. Albino African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

The albino AFTG is the product of a recessive gene, i.e., two copies of the albino gene are required to affect the appearance of the AFTG. Albino AFTGs are also known as Amelanistic AFTGs due to the lack of pigmentation within their skin.

The albino genes “mute” the AFTGs’ standard colors, creating an AFTG morph with a slightly odd but attractive shade of faded orange-brown. Albino AFTGs are a favorite of breeders creating combination morphs as the albino gene combines well with most other colors and patterns.

Price Range: $170.00 to $570.00

Check out these cool facts Albino African fat-tailed geckos here.

4.     Caramel Albino African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

The caramel albino morph is the product of two genes working together to create the gorgeous caramel-tinted AFTG. The lighter-colored bands crossing the bodies and backs of caramel albino AFTG are a slightly darker caramel hue than the orange-brown coloration seen in pure albino AFTGs.

Caramel albino AFTGs are relatively rare morphs and have a corresponding price tag.

Price Range: $370.00 to $1700.00

5.     Patternless African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

Patternless AFTGs share two similarities with albino AFTGs:

  1. A recessive gene causes the morph
  2. They are a favorite amongst breeders due to the endless combination morphs which can be achieved with a patternless AFTG.

However, unlike albino, which affects the color of the AFTG, patternless AFTGs don’t change the base color. Patternless AFTGs don’t have patterns (e.g., bands or stripes). A patternless banded AFTG will be a solid brown, but it can also be used to create many gorgeous combination morphs, e.g., patternless white-out AFTG.

Price Range: $210.00 to $300.00 

6.     Ghost African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

The ghost morph is due to the action of a recessive gene that fades out the AFTG’s base colors. Where the albino gene removes pigmentation, the ghost morphs lighten the AFTG pigmentation to produce an AFTG morph characterized by a palette of washed-out “ghost” colors.

Ghost AFTG morphs are challenging to find but are nonetheless a sought-after morph; the faded colors of a ghost morph give these AFTGs an attractive air of old-world elegance.

Price Range: $325.00 to $525.00

7.     Oreo African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

Oreo AFTGs have a broken cookie pattern, i.e., there is no distinctive pattern, and the solid colors are broken up. Oreo AFTGs are often born black and white; as they grow, the colors fade out until they achieve the characteristic oreo morph colors, reminiscent of the Orea biscuits after which the morph is named.

The oreo gene combines well with white-outs, zeros, stripes, and other AFTG morphs.

Price Range: $190.00 to $430.00

Read five cool facts about oreo African fat-tailed geckos here.

8.     Zulu African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

The Zulu AFTG morph is another pattern-altering morph that does not change the base color of the AFTG. These AFTG morphs are characterized by the spear-point pattern that forms along their backs. While the markings along their backs are similar to those of the fearsome Zulu warriors, the Zulu AFTG morphs remain docile, easy-to-care-for pets.

Occasionally, a Zulu AFTG morph will be born without the typical spear-point pattern. However, these “hidden” Zulu AFTG morphs can still be identified by the transparent white scales lining their stomachs.

Price Range: $380.00 to $900.00

9.     White-Out African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

The gene responsible for the white-out AFTG morph is unique. Most color-altering genes influence the entirety of the AFTG’s body, as seen with the albino and ghost genes. The white-out gene is different because it only affects approximately 50% of the AFTG’s body while the rest remains unchanged.

The lighter parts of a white-out AFTG can be white, orange, or cream depending on the age of the AFTG as well as the other genes influencing the AFTG’s patterns and colors. A co-dominant gene causes the white-out morph.

Along with the ghost and albino morphs, the white-out AFTG morph is favored for its ability to create a fascinating array of combination morphs.

Price Range: $220.00 to $530.00

10. Zero African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morph

The zero AFTG morph is thought to be an allele to the more well-known patternless AFTG morph. Different variations of the same gene (e.g., patternless and zero genes) are called alleles. However, where the patternless AFTG washes out the AFTG to a single color palette, the zero AFTG is not quite so dramatic.

The bands along the back of a zero AFTG morph merge into a single, distinctive block of color while the sides remain a lighter brown. The zero AFTG morph gains its name because these morphs have zero bands; however, a zero AFTG can still be striped.

Like, the white-out gene, the zero genes are co-dominant.

Price Range: $230.00 to $350.00

11. Ultra-Rare African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morphs

The stinger, starburst, and jungle morphs are recently discovered morphs that are taking the world of AFTGs by storm.

Due to these morphs’ relative “newness,” they can be challenging to find.

Price Ranges: $160 to $400

12. Combination African Fat-Tailed Gecko Morphs

The AFTG morphs listed above are the product of a single gene’s action, i.e., regardless of whether the gene is dominant, recessive, or co-dominant, the resultant morph is a product of a single TYPE of gene.

In combination morphs, breeders combine multiple genes affecting color and pattern by mating specific AFTGs. By using selective breeding, breeders can produce new and wonderful AFTG morphs.

Combination AFTG morphs are typically more expensive than singular AFTG morphs.

Price Ranges: $300 to $2500

Conclusion

African fat-tailed geckos are fantastic pets for private owners, collectors, and breeders. Undoubtedly, one of the most attractive features about the species is the extensive array of colors and patterns that are currently available; there is an AFTG morph to fit everyone’s color preferences!

Chris

Chris is a reptile enthusiast, breeder, and blogger from the Milwaukee, WI area. After breeding hundreds of bearded dragons to supply local pet stores and owning many other types of reptiles, he is now focused on sharing knowledge to help owners properly care for their little reptiles friends.

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