Gecko tail bitten off?

[frost1375]

I just got home and went to feed my geckos and found one with his tail off. I searched the cage and couldn't find the dropped part. So I'm assuming there was some type of scuffle and his cage mate bit and then ate the tail. They have never fought in the 4 years I have had them. His tail is off and she has what looks to be bite marks on her back. I guess I have two questions... 1. is there anything besides keeping it clean that I should be dong for the wound? and 2. since I suspect it was bitten off instead of dropped, will the tail still grow back? I've already separated them I'm just looking for advice on how to go on from here. Thank you in advance!

 

[BrightReptiles]

I personally let things heal naturally, with a bit of baking soda if it is bleeding badly. There are care products that are out there, but I know nothing about them. The tail will still grow back but of course it will be shorter and not look the same. For now I'd just keep them separated and keep an eye on her. If things look infected take her to a herp vet. The way I look at things is this happens in the wild and they heal in the wild without topical ointments. I'd bet in a few weeks you see it start regrowing (it will be a little pink thing when it starts, grossly resembling a dogs penis).

 

[frost1375]

Thanks for your quick response. Do you have any idea if it is normal for the other gecko to have eaten the tail if she actually did bite it off? The whole situation seems strange to me. They are pretty dumb and have accidentally bitten each other once or twice while trying to eat their food, but it was nothing serious. I can't imaging what could have caused them to fight like that. Also, if I separate them and when his tail gets better, can I put them together again (as long as they aren't fighting) or will they need to be reintroduced? Will they remember each other? I'm just not sure how smart leopard geckos are. I think mine are actually pretty dumb. lol.

 

[jemjdragon]

If you are sure one is a male and the other a female, then it could have been he pestered her too much by trying to mate all the time.

 

[frost1375]

I've had them for at least 4 years and they have never tried to mate. And they were rescues so I'm not sure how old they actually are but they came together. They are definitely male and female. One herp store told me they were probably just too fat to mate. The male isn't fat anymore so could it be possible that after all this time they are trying to mate now? I'm just really confused by the whole situation.

 

[LeoMerlin]

Sounds like that is a possibility. If you're not into breeding them, then it's probably best to keep them separated. I don't know if they'd recognize each other or not if you put him back in the tank, with the other one. I find it weird myself that the tail was actually eaten. Though I guess that can happen.

 

[lillith]

I personally let things heal naturally, with a bit of baking soda if it is bleeding badly. There are care products that are out there, but I know nothing about them. The tail will still grow back but of course it will be shorter and not look the same. For now I'd just keep them separated and keep an eye on her. If things look infected take her to a herp vet. The way I look at things is this happens in the wild and they heal in the wild without topical ointments. I'd bet in a few weeks you see it start regrowing.

Baking soda...FOR WHY? My god that would sting to high heaven.
Where on earth did you hear that?
Might as well put table salt on a wound!

Geckos have rings of flesh that constrict near immediately when caudal autotomy (tail dropping) occurs...unless it was a traumatic injury elsewhere with intensive bleeding, that shouldn't be a problem...and if it was, gentle compression and a veterinarian ER visit is in order, *not baking soda!*

And to the OP, you can use a little dab of Neosporin (or a generic) on it once you see pink flesh regrowing. Just be sure to NOT USE the kind with the pain relief topical drug in it. This keeps it moist and sometimes helps it resume a more regular tail-like shape. It won't ever look the same.

I also suspect your male may have been trying to make a move, and it went awry.