Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello,

my crested gecko, just a few days ago, has started sleeping flat up against the walls with his head facing down, but with his tail sticking straight out, in the air, perpendicular to the wall. It looks realy weird and kind of funny, but is it normal? or just a weird habit of his? Anyone else's cresteds do this? Thanks
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~Melissa~
1.3 Leopard geckos (Guido, Oasis, Gypsy, Marli)
1.0 Bearded dragon (Pharoah)
1.0 Hog Island Boa (Michelangelo)
0.0.1 Crested Gecko (Picasso)
1.0 Ferret (da Vinci)
0.1 Chinchilla (Eevie)
1.0 Chinese Praying Mantis (Sid)

Melissas Menagerie

It sounds like "Floppy Tail Syndrome". I'd have to look it up in the Rhac book to find out why it happens, but it shouldn't. I don't think there is any long term problems, outside of the tail losing it's utility. I'll check tonight . . .
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Monte Meyer
Powergeckos
Email

No Fru-Fru morphs in the herp room

I agree,

"Flap tai" is when they dont have enough plants or branches to perch on. Walking all day on glass, the force of gravity is too much for their tails, so it gets bent out of shape. This is pretty common in day geckos, but not sure on cresteds. This doesnt effect the health of the gecko, but certainly doesnt look pleasent either.

This can be reversed by providing horizontal branches though, and provide calcium.

M.N

His tank is actually heavily decorated with branches and leaves and stuff. I even built a little ledge with a chunk of corkbark. And he does get calcium- I dust his crickets every other to every 3 feedings, and I feed him every day. Well, I rearranged his cage a little and made the decor a little more "horizontal," so hopefully he'll be ok. I am guessing that their tails can fall off with "FlapTail?" Certainly dont want that to happen Im gonna go take a look in the decoration box and see if I can find any more extra branches to add in there as well. Thanks!
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~Melissa~
1.3 Leopard geckos (Guido, Oasis, Gypsy, Marli)
1.0 Bearded dragon (Pharoah)
1.0 Hog Island Boa (Michelangelo)
0.0.1 Crested Gecko (Picasso)
1.0 Ferret (da Vinci)
0.1 Chinchilla (Eevie)
1.0 Chinese Praying Mantis (Sid)

Melissas Menagerie

Yes it seems like your crested does have floppy tail syndrome. it is caused by a slight calcium deficency and too much time sleeping upside down on the vertical sides of the tank. The bones in the pelvic area bend. Although it is not life threatening it does look pretty weird. But unfortunately once it happens in a crested it is permanent. Filling up the cage with more foilage or providing more calcium won't fix it. sorry. But good luck with your crested. _Ben Hoksch

So what happens with floppy tail syndrome anyways? can they not use their tails? because he definately still uses his. He always wraps it around my fingers when I hold him like he always has.

When I first got him and put him in his tank, o posted a pic and i was told that it had TOO much stuff in it, and to put him in something small and simple until he got bigger, which I did. He is back in the regular tank now though.

Well, floppy tail or not, he's still my little muffin, lol
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~Melissa~
1.3 Leopard geckos (Guido, Oasis, Gypsy, Marli)
1.0 Bearded dragon (Pharoah)
1.0 Hog Island Boa (Michelangelo)
0.0.1 Crested Gecko (Picasso)
1.0 Ferret (da Vinci)
0.1 Chinchilla (Eevie)
1.0 Chinese Praying Mantis (Sid)

Melissas Menagerie