Why do lizards' tails wriggle after removal?

Some lizards have fracture planes on the vertebrae of their tail so if caught by a predator they can drop their tail without bleeding to death (the blood vessels squeeze shut at the cut end). The muscles of the lost portion of the tail twitch and writhe to distract the predator, until they run out of energy. read more

If, by chance, you see a lizard please try not to frighten it too much. It might drop its tail just for your entertainment. If it does drop it, do not remove the tail away. Observe, the lizard will return and probably eat the tail so that it gains more energy from the fat the tail has, making tail regeneration faster. read more

It was meant for if a bird swooped down and caught it’s tail, it could drop off. then the tail ends up with a mind of it’s own. it wriggles and hops, almost like a worm that keeps the bird distracted while the rest of the lizard creeps away. the tail of a leopard gecko literally DOES have mind of it’s own. read more