One of the most common questions we hear is "What happens when a gecko loses it's tail?". The answer depends on what type of gecko, but in the case of Crested Geckos they are able to 'throw' their tails at predators and run in another direction while the tail twitches for up to 5 minutes to occupy whatever was chasing them. They do not re-grow their tails.*
This is perfectly natural for Crested Geckos and most adults do not have tails in the wild. You will notice that the tail-less gecko is much faster than it used to be without the tail to hold it back. You might also notice that you are more willing to handle it since you don't have to worry about that tail falling off anymore. It can work out well for both of you.
How much does a tail weigh? Roughly 1/10 of the body weight of the gecko.
Does it hurt them to lose a tail? Hard to imagine that this would be completely pain-free, but if they are throwing the tail (it is not being pulled or cut off) then they are designed to do this. Nature has cleverly designed a break area where the muscles from the tail are joined in a star shape to the body. The gecko can flex these muscles to eject the tail.
Medical Treatment:
You don't actually have to do anything If your Crestie loses it's tail. The area should seal by itself and heal. But if you are concerned then you can apply Reptaide or an antibiotic like Triple antibiotic to the stump. Keep his cage nice and clean with a paper towel substrate so that the area won't get infected. Check regularly for about 2 weeks to make sure that no infection is present. If you feed bugs you might hand feed a couple dusted crickets (don't leave in the cage) or leave a little dish of Dubia for some extra protein to assist his body in healing. If he was very stressed during the incident he just might want to hide for the day-don't worry if this is the case. If it is cool inside, you might want to give him the option of a lamp to bask in while he is healing. Warmth often helps them to heal quicker. Make sure he is able to get out of the warmth and retreat to a cool side of the cage so that he can thermo-regulate.
*Chahoua and Gargoyle geckos are able to re-grow tails if they are removed or lost from the base. The tail will not re-grow if the injury was further down the tail.
This is perfectly natural for Crested Geckos and most adults do not have tails in the wild. You will notice that the tail-less gecko is much faster than it used to be without the tail to hold it back. You might also notice that you are more willing to handle it since you don't have to worry about that tail falling off anymore. It can work out well for both of you.
How much does a tail weigh? Roughly 1/10 of the body weight of the gecko.
Does it hurt them to lose a tail? Hard to imagine that this would be completely pain-free, but if they are throwing the tail (it is not being pulled or cut off) then they are designed to do this. Nature has cleverly designed a break area where the muscles from the tail are joined in a star shape to the body. The gecko can flex these muscles to eject the tail.
Medical Treatment:
You don't actually have to do anything If your Crestie loses it's tail. The area should seal by itself and heal. But if you are concerned then you can apply Reptaide or an antibiotic like Triple antibiotic to the stump. Keep his cage nice and clean with a paper towel substrate so that the area won't get infected. Check regularly for about 2 weeks to make sure that no infection is present. If you feed bugs you might hand feed a couple dusted crickets (don't leave in the cage) or leave a little dish of Dubia for some extra protein to assist his body in healing. If he was very stressed during the incident he just might want to hide for the day-don't worry if this is the case. If it is cool inside, you might want to give him the option of a lamp to bask in while he is healing. Warmth often helps them to heal quicker. Make sure he is able to get out of the warmth and retreat to a cool side of the cage so that he can thermo-regulate.
*Chahoua and Gargoyle geckos are able to re-grow tails if they are removed or lost from the base. The tail will not re-grow if the injury was further down the tail.
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