Many lizards have developed a defense mechanism called
"autotomy," or, more simply, they are able to drop their tail
when they are threatened by a predator. These lizards' tails
often have aspects that draw a predator's attention, such as
being brightly colored, having sharply contrasting colors or
patterns, or moving when the lizard is otherwise still. Though
this is a natural reaction to what the lizard perceives as a
threatening situation, it is still stressful for the lizard, and
there are things that you should do to facilitate proper healing
and, for some species, regrowth. How It Works Lizards that can
drop their tail have "fracture planes" spaced regularly down the
length of the tail. These are either between vertebrae or in the
middle of each vertebra, depending on the species, and it is at
these points where the break can occur. Skin, muscles, blood
supply, nerves, and bone separate when the tail is dropped.
After it falls to the ground, the tail starts to wiggle and move
on the ground, hopefully gi