Gargoyle fact

A stressed or grabbed gargoyle gecko may drop its tail

Important

Quick answer

Autotomy is a defence mechanism, not an injury caused by mishandling alone, but rough handling or grabbing the tail makes it far more likely.

Autotomy is a defence mechanism, not an injury caused by mishandling alone, but rough handling or grabbing the tail makes it far more likely. It does not appear to cause the animal lasting harm, though the regrown tail looks different.