Leopard Gecko Tail Loss Problems

Like or not, leopard gecko tail loss problems are a reality that any keeper or breeder has to face. Losing a tail is not only aesthetically damaging, it can be hazardous to your lizard’s health as well. So to keep your lizard tail concerns at bay, here are some tips and practices that can keep your lizard safe.

Natural Shedding

Back in the wild, leopard gecko tail loss is actually a natural part of the creatures’ life. Lizards have developed detachable tails, an evolutionary advantage that they use to distract predators in case they get into trouble. Although you might see yourself as not even remotely predatory, your lizard in certain cases can see you as one and natural instincts will take over.

Since losing a tail is a natural part of their lives, it isn’t the end of the world should they shed their tails accidentally. However, even though the tail will grow back eventually, they never really look the same way they did before. They’re usually going to be more bulbous and in a different color pattern or color intensity. Also, while the tail is growing back, the lizard will lose its ability to store food and fat, which is also a function of the tail. During this time, the lizard can become prone to starvation.

Preventing Accidents

The quickest way to cause an accidental detachment is grabbing your lizard by the tail. One of the best ways to prevent this is to learn how to handle your lizard properly. Start by letting your lizard become accustomed to his or her living space. If your lizard is very young, try to give them more time. You’d usually want them to reach the 6 inch mark before you start trying to handle them.

Once the skittishness or nervousness is gone, you can start letting your lizard get to know your touch. You can do this by placing your hand in the tank and allowing your lizard to get accustomed to your presence. As he or she gets more comfortable, you can try letting them walk unto your hand.

A quick way to get them used to you is to do some hand over hand exercises. You may need to grab your lizard to get them out of the tank. To do this, you should try to let them get into a position over your hand where you can gently put pressure on their body. Try to get them in the mid section between your thumb and another finger. Don’t grab the tail! Once you have them out of the tank, you can sit on the floor (just to play it safe in case you drop your pet), and start having them walk from one hand to the next, over and over, until they get used to the idea of being handled.

Detachments Due to Fighting

If you keep more than one lizard in a tank, you may find your lizards fighting. This usually happens when you place two males in a tank with each other although there have been reports of females fighting with each other as well. As a rule, you’d want to separate the males as much as you can either by using a tank separator or placing the other male in a different tank. Lizard fighting can get very violent and even deadly and all that stress, biting, and fighting can cause one of your pets to lose a tail.

What to Do in Case of Detachment

Should a lizard actually lose its tail on you, don’t panic. Just keep him well fed and make sure none of his or her tank-mates start picking on him or her. If you need to separate your tailless lizard, do so to make sure that he doesn’t starve from competition.


Donna Perez is a lizard enthusiast who has vast experience of raising Leopard Geckos.

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