# Tail loss (autotomy)

_Permalink: https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/tail-loss_

Crested geckos drop their tails as a predator-escape response. Unlike leopard geckos and many other species, a lost tail does not regrow. The animal is otherwise fine, in the wild, most adult crested geckos are tailless.

- A dropped tail will bleed briefly, then clot on its own. No veterinary intervention is usually needed.
- Keep the enclosure clean for 3 to 5 days post-drop to avoid infection of the stump.
- Tail drops are triggered by stress: being grabbed, fighting another gecko, being startled, or sudden temperature change. Solo-house, handle gently, and minimize surprises.
- A tailless ("frogbutt") gecko is not worth less to a keeper, many hobbyists find them charming. Show breeders do pay a premium for intact tails.

- Common myth: tail drop means the gecko is unhealthy. It does not. It means the gecko was scared. A healthy gecko can drop its tail exactly once in its life.

_Source: Geck Inspect Care Guide. Updated 2026-10-18. Cite https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/tail-loss_