Some lizards, in which the tail is a major storage organ for accumulating reserves, will return to a dropped tail after the threat has passed, and will eat it to recover part of the sacrificed supplies.
Lizards Eat Their Own Dropped Tails to Recover Nutrients
When a predator grabs a lizard by the tail, something remarkable happens: the tail breaks off and keeps wiggling while the lizard escapes. This survival trick is called caudal autotomy, and it's saved countless lizards from becoming lunch.
But the story doesn't end there. Growing a new tail costs serious energy—it can take months and requires substantial nutrient reserves. So some clever lizards have developed a rather practical solution: they go back and eat the tail they just dropped.
Why Waste Perfectly Good Nutrients?
For many lizard species, the tail isn't just a distraction device—it's a storage organ packed with fat and protein. Leopard geckos, blue-tailed skinks, and various iguana species store significant energy reserves in their tails, similar to how camels use their humps.
When they drop the tail to escape danger, they're essentially leaving a substantial investment behind. By eating it afterward, they can recover up to 30-40% of the lost nutrients, giving them a better chance of successfully regenerating a replacement.
This behavior has been observed in controlled studies and in the wild. Researchers watching lizards post-autotomy noticed that many would cautiously return to the scene once the threat passed, sniff around, and consume their severed tail if it was still there.
The Wiggling Decoy
The dropped tail continues thrashing for several minutes thanks to nerve activity that persists after separation. This writhing motion serves as a convincing decoy—the predator focuses on the moving target while the now-tailless lizard makes its getaway.
Meanwhile, special muscles and fracture planes in the tail vertebrae ensure a clean break that minimizes blood loss. The break typically happens at predetermined weak points, not just anywhere along the tail.
Not All Lizards Do This
Tail-eating behavior is most common in species where the tail serves as a major storage organ. Lizards that use their tails primarily for balance or communication are less likely to consume them. And some species, like crested geckos, can only drop their tails once—they never regenerate, so the stakes are even higher.
The regrown tail is never quite the same as the original. It lacks the same skeletal structure (cartilage replaces bone) and often looks slightly different in color and texture. But it works well enough to store nutrients again—and potentially get eaten again if danger strikes.
Nature's recycling program at its finest: when life gives you a detached tail, make the most of it.