When cresteds drop their tail

[bonez]

Will they eat it?
I took Biggie out to hold him for a min before i threw some crickets in and noticed his tail is gone so upset, my g/f starting tearing, very upsetting moment. I took everything out of the tank and couldnt find the tail anywhere. I dont know how it happend. My brother took him out while i was at work but he said it was fine and nothing had happen to it while he had it...I cant find the tail anywhere...so upset, i feel bad, he falls alot now off his little tree, when he goes to jump from hand to hand he like over shoots himself and cant catch himself like normally so i have to catch him...

[djansen]

I have never heard of them eating their tail but they might.

[mlededee]

they will totally eat their tails and it is just so...weird! i haven't had one eat its own tail (that i know of) but i had one that ate its cagemate's tail and one that dropped and i never found the tail so i assume it was eaten. the cagemate that ate the dropped tail saw it wiggling on the ground and pounced on it like it had found the tastiest prize piece of meat it had ever seen--by the time i had the cage open it had already halfway consumed it so i just let him have it rather than attempt to pull it out of his mouth/throat.

anyhow, it's no big deal really. cresteds drop their tails all the time, sometimes for no apparent reason. i know it is upsetting the first time you experience it, but for the gecko it isn't really a huge deal at all.

just make sure that the enclosure is kept nice and clean while the tail nub heals up. it should start to close up quickly and shouldn't be raw anymore after the first 48 hours or so. your gecko will be off balance for the first few days while he adjusts to not having the weight of his tail and not having the tail pad back there to catch himself with. i'd advise not handling him for the next few days in order to reduce stress and let him adjust and heal up.

[bonez]

Thanks, i know it is upsetting, but what can you do. I acually cleaned the tank while i was looking for its tail, figured i had everything out, why not. poor little Biggie, hopefully he gets his balance back. well look at the good side, now he has a scare to brag about to all the chickleds he'l be the "Bad boi Biggie" lol.