Tail Kink

Anybody know what causes tail kinking, and whether or not it is genetic? I.e., can it be passed on to offspring?

It's usually one of two things: genetics or calcium deficiency.

Most often, severe tail kinking is caused by genetics. Breeders rarely breed their geckos with tail kinks, simply because they don't want to pass the trait on. Most geckos with tail kinks are sold as pets.

Calcium deficiency can be another culprit. If the gecko hasn't gotten enough calcium intake during it's development years, their bones/cartilage can form wrong, thus the kinks. This can lead to severe kinking in the spine, as well.

A single kink in the tail can have another cause: if the tail got caught in the cage door, or another gecko grabbed ahold of it, and, for one reason or another, the gecko didn't drop the tail. It can happen :)

Hmm. I'm asking because I am getting a couple of crestie females that I want to breed with my harlequin dalmation male. The guy says one of the females has a slight tail kink that she developed, so that leads me to believe that it stems from calcium deficiency/accident rather than genetics. I would imagine if it is an inherited trait, they would be born with it, right?

No, not necessarily... genetic tail kinks can develop over time.

Personally, I wouldn't breed a female with a tail kink. Whether it means the breeder wasn't giving her enough calcium, or the kink is genetic, it's a risky venture.

Yea, I didn't even think of that-if she's having calcium problems, I sure don't want to breed her. I guess she will just have to be a pet! :D

Part of what you want to watch out for with tail kinking is also where exactly it is and if what the gecko has is actually floppy tail syndrome. Floppy tail can be caused due to lack of calcium and/or other nutrients but it can also be caused by the gecko hanging upside down or face down. The weight of the tail eventually breaks the vertebrae that connects it to the spine, causing a dip in the spine at that point. FTS caused by the gecko hanging upside down is really of no concern and the female should be able to breed just fine unless bending or curving of the base of the spine has occured. This can impair egg laying and cause the gecko to become egg bound if the curve is severe enough that eggs cannot pass through her cervix.

If you aren't concerned with breeding this particular gecko, the kink shouldn't be of too much concern unless it has been caused by an improper diet. If this is the case, regardless of what you plan to do with her you will need to make sure that she receives a proper diet of CGD (with no baby food or anything else added to it) and insects that have been gut-loaded and dusted with a good calcium and multivitamin.