When Geckos Lose Their Tails

Geckos can use a form of self-defense called autotomy, which means dropping a body part when under threat (usually from a predator who grabs the body part in question). In the case of geckos, it is the tail that can be dropped. Many a gecko owner has been startled when their gecko, sometimes trying to get away from being held, drops its tail. As an added shock, the tail will wriggle and squirm on its own for a bit, which is actually part of the defense: a predator will often be distracted by the twitching tail while the tail-less gecko runs away. Let me just say that a disembodied, jumpy,wiggling tail is frankly a bit disturbing to watch -- see for yourself in this YouTube video. But back to the tail-less gecko: there's no need to panic -- as with many animals that drop bits and pieces to escape -- the gecko's tail will grow back, though the new tail will not quite look the same as the old one. The photo shows a gecko who was visiting a restaurant patio in Hawaii - his tail doesn't look quite right and I suspect he may have had to regrow his (hers?). Anyway, if your gecko should drop his or her tail, there are some ways to help ease the stress for your gecko while he or she regrows their tail, as explained in Tail Loss In Geckos.