Part of the package deal of deciding on an exotic pet as a domestic companion is the obscurity and uniqueness of the issues you'll face.
This isn't anything like having a new puppy or kitten.
These lizards are far more complicated, and solutions are not as readily available in retail pet stores.
Chances are, your neighbor is a cat or dog person.
The odds of you finding a neighbor who also owns a leopard gecko are pretty slim.
This is why we write articles like this-- for the community of lizard lovers to find common ground.
One of the most common problems encountered by leopard gecko owners is this: they handle their newly acquired lizard and suddenly, the tail gets severed, seemingly at will! Sometimes, other handlers just notice that the tail is gone.
This usually occurs when your lizard shares a cage with a more dominant gecko.
This may appear to be a huge dilemma, but what you've experienced is not a big deal at all.
This is all part of your pet's caudal autonomy which enables it to break off its own limbs at will when it feels threatened.
The context of this occurrence in the wild is this-- when a predator chases a leopard gecko and manages to snag a part of it, this part is severed at will.
The part of the leopard gecko that was severed, usually the tail, continues to move for quite some time even though it is dismembered.
This mechanism distracts the predator, and causes it to lose focus on the gecko.
There isn't any real threat here, and this shouldn't be a huge problem; but there are some things you will need to do to help your gecko cope with this process.
The tail is where the lizards store up excess fat and nutrition.
In fact, if you've read some of our other articles that touch leopard gecko selection, you'll find that we've pointed out that a fat tail is a good sign that the leopard gecko is well-fed and healthy.
Conversely, the lack of a tail does have an adverse effect on the leopard gecko.
Since your lizard can't store fat there, it lives "hand-to-mouth", so to speak.
This means you will need to ensure that your lizard gets fed extra well.
If your lizard shares a cage with another gecko, you will need to isolate him for some time; since competition for food is natural, and is something your tailless gecko might not be able to cope with.
They will need extra care, extra nourishment.
If you don't normally dust your gecko's feed, now would be a good time to use a reptile supplement to make up for any deficiencies.
While wax worms may not be recommended for everyday consumption for normal lizards, you may want to include this in your leopard gecko's diet during this time, as they have a very high fat content which your gecko will need in the absence of its tail.
Expect to see the tail grow back in a little over a month.
It takes around forty days to grow the tail back completely.
There is no need to worry about long-term damage.
Your lizard, with its tail grown back, will be good as new!
This isn't anything like having a new puppy or kitten.
These lizards are far more complicated, and solutions are not as readily available in retail pet stores.
Chances are, your neighbor is a cat or dog person.
The odds of you finding a neighbor who also owns a leopard gecko are pretty slim.
This is why we write articles like this-- for the community of lizard lovers to find common ground.
One of the most common problems encountered by leopard gecko owners is this: they handle their newly acquired lizard and suddenly, the tail gets severed, seemingly at will! Sometimes, other handlers just notice that the tail is gone.
This usually occurs when your lizard shares a cage with a more dominant gecko.
This may appear to be a huge dilemma, but what you've experienced is not a big deal at all.
This is all part of your pet's caudal autonomy which enables it to break off its own limbs at will when it feels threatened.
The context of this occurrence in the wild is this-- when a predator chases a leopard gecko and manages to snag a part of it, this part is severed at will.
The part of the leopard gecko that was severed, usually the tail, continues to move for quite some time even though it is dismembered.
This mechanism distracts the predator, and causes it to lose focus on the gecko.
There isn't any real threat here, and this shouldn't be a huge problem; but there are some things you will need to do to help your gecko cope with this process.
The tail is where the lizards store up excess fat and nutrition.
In fact, if you've read some of our other articles that touch leopard gecko selection, you'll find that we've pointed out that a fat tail is a good sign that the leopard gecko is well-fed and healthy.
Conversely, the lack of a tail does have an adverse effect on the leopard gecko.
Since your lizard can't store fat there, it lives "hand-to-mouth", so to speak.
This means you will need to ensure that your lizard gets fed extra well.
If your lizard shares a cage with another gecko, you will need to isolate him for some time; since competition for food is natural, and is something your tailless gecko might not be able to cope with.
They will need extra care, extra nourishment.
If you don't normally dust your gecko's feed, now would be a good time to use a reptile supplement to make up for any deficiencies.
While wax worms may not be recommended for everyday consumption for normal lizards, you may want to include this in your leopard gecko's diet during this time, as they have a very high fat content which your gecko will need in the absence of its tail.
Expect to see the tail grow back in a little over a month.
It takes around forty days to grow the tail back completely.
There is no need to worry about long-term damage.
Your lizard, with its tail grown back, will be good as new!
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