Health

Crested Gecko Tail Loss

M

Mariah Healey

Founder, ReptiFiles

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Symptoms

  • dropped or missing tail

Cause

Tail dropping is a natural defense mechanism in response to sudden loud noises, pinching, squeezing, or grabbing. In the wild it is used as a means to escape predators.

Treatment

Crested gecko tail loss is not a medical emergency, and there is no special care needed. However, the tail will not grow back – tailless cresties are affectionately known as “frog butts.”

crested gecko with dropped tail
My crested gecko, Alphonse, dropped his tail when I picked up his vivarium to relocate it. The degree and type of stimulus required for a crestie to drop its tail varies by individual.

See what a dropped tail looks like up close:

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