If you’ve ever seen one then you know exactly what we are talking about. Leopard geckos have amazing tails! A leopard gecko tail is not just there to impress, however, as they fulfill several essential functions. You see, the major portion of a leopard gecko’s body language is visible in its tail. Whether it’s excitement the reptile is feeling, or aggression, you can see it visible in the tail.
What Is In the Leopard Gecko’s Tail
A leopard gecko’s tail is so wide because it is loaded with fat. Just like a camel keeps a store of fat in its hump in case of emergency, so is a leopard gecko’s tail one large fat reserve. This is the energy supply that it can turn to in case there is not any food available.
Whenever a leopard gecko drops its tail, as geckos are prone to do, it loses more than just part of its appearance. It no longer has this stockpile of extra fat, so it loses its source for emergency food. If this happens, you need to make sure that you follow a few steps to ensure the health of your pet Leopard Gecko
The Size and Shape of the Tail Shows the Gecko’s Health
Detecting signs of illness in your gecko can be a challenge. Since they are normally quiet and aren’t handled that often, little indications of sickness can be overlooked. One of the best ways to determine the health of your leopard gecko is by examining its tail. A healthy leopard gecko’s tail is full and long, probably as thick as your thumb.
One of the best ways to detect weight loss in your leopard gecko is to look at its tail. If the tail appears unnaturally thin or develops sores you know that there is a problem with your gecko’s health.
The Movement of the Leopard Gecko’s Tail
It’s normal for young leopard geckos to wave their tails while hunting, and even adults will occasionally do it too. When a leopard gecko is stalking its prey, it will raise its tail and slowly wave it back and forth. Right before it charges its prey it will give several quick shakes of the tail.
If you notice that your leopard gecko is slowly waving its tail back and forth, giving the appearance of almost being hypnotized, this is a defensive movement. You have been warned. A leopard gecko acts like this when there are other geckos around, particularly if there are two males involved. The best thing you can do is to separate these geckos as fast and as carefully as possible before they end up attacking each other.
Another reason why your leopard gecko may wave its tail like this is because it is frightened or feeling threatened in some way. That’s when you should leave it alone. Give it a chance to simmer down and realize that it has nothing to be afraid of or wary about. It’s safe. You really shouldn’t pick your leopard gecko up when it gets like this. While leopard geckos don’t often bite, this behavior is a clear indication that they are feeling defensive and may not want to be handled.
All they need to is time to see for themselves that no threat is present and they should calm down and revert to normal behavior.
Furthermore, leopard geckos will occasionally rattle their tails swiftly, akin to a rattlesnake’s warning that it is about to strike. However, when a leopard gecko behaves in this manner, it is an indication that they are excited, rather than planning an attack.
Self Amputation a.k.a. the Trail Drop
In the wild, leopard geckos are food for lots of other animals, and they cannot fight most of them, so they were forced to develop a defense mechanism. A leopard gecko’s tail can be voluntarily detached.
The gecko’s ability to drop its tail in this manner is called autonomy. There are spaces between the bones in the gecko’s tail that meet with a divide between two segments of muscle. If a gecko contracts these muscles, the tail will pop off. This move will often save the gecko’s life, as the tail will continue to move about on the ground once it is dropped. This creates a distraction for the predator and gives the gecko the chance to escape.
It’s not uncommon for a leopard gecko to return to the site where it dropped its tail. If it finds the tail, the leopard gecko will eat it to get back some of the fat that it lost. Losing its tail is upsetting for a gecko, and it eliminates its backup supply of food. By eating the tail, the leopard gecko regains some of the energy that it will require in order to grow back the tail.
So now you know
Obviously, there is no way you can talk to your pet, so getting familiar with the behavioral signs as they go about their day is going to be important for you when trying to understand their mood. So keep an eye on them and especially their tail, it’s where all the action is!
