Hiding!

Question
I got my African Fat Tailed Gecko a week ago and he doesn't seem to want to come out of his hiding spot. When I feed him, I've lately taken the hiding area away for a few minutes while he catches his crickets and eats. I'm concerned that maybe this behaviour isn't normal? Is it okay that he's always hiding or is there something I can do to help him get more comfortable?

Amy

Answer
Hi Amy,
It is normal that they are stressed when in a new home. It can take a couple of weeks for them to adjust and get used to their new surroundings.  When are you feeding him?  They are nocturnal(active at night) and generally will do nothing but sleep during the day.  Usually in early evening they start to become active, which is the best time to feed.
Its great that he is eating though so if you are already feeding him in the early evening, then its fine to remove his hide to do so.
He may be up and moving around all night while you are sleeping.
Be sure to allow him to eat as many insects as he wants in a 10-15 minute time frame.
Also, be sure not to use sand or any loose substrate for your young gecko as he/she will eat the sand and it can cause a severe blockage.  The worst sands are the ones labeled "edible".
One site that you can read more on fat tailed geckos is:
http://www.vmsherp.com/CarePages/CareFatTail.htm