[Sandwichscotty]

Yesterday I purchased a fat tail for my son at a reptile show. Everything was fine and then this morning we woke up to find her tail floating in her water dish. I know that fat tails lose their tails when being attacked but why else could this have happened. Thanks so much for feedback

[acpart]

I have had this happen occasionally with various gecko species. I have no idea exactly what happened. I'd say something may have startled her, but normally geckos don't drop their tails just like that. Is it possible she got into a tight corner of the tank and felt she was stuck? In any case, the tail area will heal easily and she should still be an enjoyable pet even without the tail (it will regenerate to a certain extent).

Aliza

[Sandwichscotty]

Thank you. She seems to be doing ok. Being that she is still getting used to her new habitat scares me because she isn't eating as readily as I would like. I have read that I should be over feeding when a tail is first dropped

[jnk144]

What are you feeding her? If you are feeding crickets, just be sure to watch that they don't chew on her wound. I would also advise keeping her on paper towels to limit any substrate getting into the wound. She will be fine; but since she has lost a significant part of her body, she may not feel like eating for awhile.

In the wild, I would imagine that, as with most injured animals, a fat tail would hide most of the time and only eat when hungry. So, it may not be abnormal for her to abstain from eating for a few days.

Best of luck!