Gecko Tail Dropping | What to Do
When scared or startled, some geckos, like leopard geckos and crested geckos. may throw their tail in a process known as “caudal anatomy”.
By dropping their tail, the gecko buys itself precious time to escape from predators. The tail will flail and wiggle for up to several minutes after becoming detached from the gecko, a mechanism designed to distract the predator and trick them to go after the flailing tail while the animal escapes to safety.
Oftentimes after a gecko throws their tail, they exhibit flighty, nervous, and potentially defensive behavior.
What to Do If Your Gecko Drops Their Tail
Tail dropping is a natural defense mechanism, and there is no need to panic. Geckos can drop their tail at any time, for any reason, at any age.
If your gecko drops their tail, it's best to return them to their enclosure if they are out, or leave them be if they are in their enclosure, to give them the opportunity to calm down.
Do not apply any sort of antibiotic or other creams to your gecko’s body! Doing so can actually hinder the healing process of your gecko’s wound.
There is no need to place your gecko into a sterile hospital setup, as the site of the tail drop closes off within only a second after dropping to minimize any bleeding. There may be a bit of blood, but as long as the tail has a complete drop; entirely detached from the body and not partially detached - bleeding should be minimal.
Geckos in the wild are often tailless, and they are not having antibiotic creams put on the wound, or being put into a sterile tub to heal.
Many geckos are designed to lose their tails and heal quickly. The area where the tail dropped will completely close and turn into a nub or begin to regrow in a matter of weeks.
Whether your gecko will regenerate their tail or not depends on their species. Geckos like leopard geckos and day geckos will regenerate their tails. They typically will not be the exact same as they were originally, usually varying in color, texture, shape, and even size. Unfortunately, some geckos like crested geckos do not regenerate their tails, and they will be “frog butts” forever once dropping their tail. This does not seem to affect them in any way, and they become accustomed to balancing and existing as usual without their tail.
