My Crested Gecko’s Tail Fell Off—What Do I Do?

Crested geckos are one of thousands of lizard species that have evolved the ability to self-amputate their tails. Among wild crested geckos, tail loss is so common that many adults have no tail. 

“Crested geckos lose their tails for multiple reasons,” says Braden Scofield, owner of Amazing Geckos in Longview, Texas. “Some drop them because they are stressed.”

Alicia Guevara of East Bay Geckos in Sacramento, California, explains that it can also happen if the animal’s husbandry, or overall care, is out of balance. “Maybe they’re feeling a little bit stressed… the humidity isn’t right, or maybe they’re not getting as many meals [as needed], or something like that.”  

Crested geckos can lose their tail for a number of reasons, including:  

• Stress or fear: The primary reason for tail loss is stress or fear as a threat response. 
• Injury: Crested geckos climb all over and can get into odd places—either falling on, or pinching their tails, causing damage. 
• Malnutrition or illness: Providing a balanced, nutritious diet for your crested gecko is crucial to their long-term health. 
• Improper habitat setup: Poor heating and lighting or unstable climbing enrichment can lead to health problems and injuries. 

• Fights with other geckos: Male geckos can get aggressive with each other, so keeping them in separate enclosures can be safer. 

When a crested gecko drops its tail, it wiggles around for two to give minutes—an adaptation that keeps a predator busy long enough for a wild gecko to escape. 

If your crested gecko loses their tail, you might wonder whether you need to do anything. “Usually it’s perfectly fine,” says Guevara. “It’s such a natural occurrence that they can handle it.” 

She explains that if the gecko has a lot of decorations and substrate in their enclosure, it might be better to move your pal to a tank with only paper towels. This gives geckos a chance to start healing without bits of substrate sticking to the stump and causing problems.  

1. Stay calm. Your crested gecko will be fine without a tail. 
2. Remove the tail and dispose of it appropriately by wrapping it in a paper towel and putting it in the trash. A more natural approach includes burying it in the yard or in a potted plant. 
3. Check for bleeding and clean the stump with reptile-safe antiseptic like Vetericyn or sterile saline solution. 

4. If you cohab your geckos (keep more than one per enclosure), you may need to isolate your newly tailless crestie in a smaller recovery tank for a few days while they heal. 

While infections after a dropped tail are rare, they can happen.  

Make sure the habitat is clean to reduce the risk of infection until the wound scabs over.  

The first few days after your crested gecko loses their tail are the most important because the wound is still fresh, leaving more opportunity for infection to set in. 

If these signs appear, you should contact your crested gecko’s veterinarian immediately: 

• Redness and swelling 
• Pus or a foul smell 
• Discoloration 
• Behavioral changes 
• Lethargy or loss of appetite 
• Reduction or stopping of bowel movements 

While big changes aren’t usually necessary, Scofield recommends waiting a day or two to feed your gecko—until you see a scab. “Just make sure you don’t get food in the open wound,” he says. 

Additionally, there are a few things you can do to help your crestie recover fully: 

• Offer easily digestible foods, like silkworms. 
• Keep the habitat clean—using a paper towel substrate can be safer while their tail heals. 
• Maintain stable humidity and temperature levels in the enclosure.  
• Limit handling and keep their environment quiet and calm. 

Most tailless geckos adjust easily to their new situation without any big behavior changes.  

However, “they do have to figure out how to move without a tail, and that might take them some time,” says Scofield. Because tails help with balance, you may see your crested gecko falling more often at first. 

But no matter how perfect a crested gecko’s recovery, they will never regrow the tail—not all lizards have this ability! 

Tail autonomy is the fascinating ability of some lizards and geckos to regrow a tail after they’ve dropped it to escape a predator.  

The tail detaches along specific locations in the vertebrae called fracture planes, which are determined by genetics. Specialized muscles constrict around the break point to stop blood flow, while the connective tissues weaken to allow a clean separation. 

Many lizards and geckos such as anoles, iguanas, and leopard geckos can regrow their tails, although the regrown tails usually don’t have any bones—they’re just skin, muscle, and cartilage. The regrown tails are also usually smaller and less robust than the original.  

Guevara explains that tail autonomy is a genetic luck of the draw. Many lizards and geckos can regrow their tails, but some can’t. 

While there’s no guarantee your crestie will keep their tail, there are things you can do to help prevent it:  

• Handle with care. Crested geckos respond best to gentle handling without quick movements.  
• Avoiding overcrowding. If you keep more than one crestie per enclosure, give them enough space. Keeping more than one crestie in the same enclosure is only recommended for experienced reptile keepers. 
• Secure all decor for safety. Make sure your crested gecko can’t get stuck behind a decoration and that all branches and hiding spots are safe and stable. 
• Create a consistent routine. Choose a quiet location to reduce stress. 

At the end of the day, a crestie losing their tail shouldn’t be a major cause for concern, as long as you monitor them closely and watch as they adapt to their new body.