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Leg waggling! |
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Posted: 31 May 2008 at 11:19am |
Perfect conditions for watching reptiles today. Spent the afternoon watching lizards in the garden and also found a sub-adult grass snake which was nice. Observed a behaviour for the first time. Only one large female was about and a number of sub-adults and juveniles. 3-4 large males actively seeking mates. When the males approached the female (who already looks like she might be gravid) and the sub-adults I witnessed a fascinating behaviour. They supported their weight on their bellies and waggled both front legs frantically. This appeared to be a 'I'm not interested go away' message (as opposed to a 'I'm here come and get me'). Just wondered how many others have osbserved this behaviour in Lv or other species. Tried for ages to get it on film, but as you can guess all the waggling stopped when I got back outside with the camera. Tried again to film it no luck, but did find two more grassies, both juveniles from last year (so all that work on the compost heap was worth it!!), silly Youtube vid of one of them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgIjjQMiMig Edited by GemmaJF |
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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I guess nobody has seen it then
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Huddy
Member Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 18 |
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Hi Gemma, The behaviour that you have witnessed in your Common lizards is not unusal . I have seen this sort of thing happen fairly frequently in both wild and captive sand, green lizards . I too would agree that this sort of posturing would indicate a nervous responce from the animal . |
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administrator
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Thanks Huddy, strange it doesn't seem to appear in the literature. Too much recording numbers and not enough observation from fieldworkers I guess
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Vicar
Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1184 |
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Hi Gemma,
I agree, I've not seen it in literature, but its quite usual. Pm also do a lot of front leg waving, I've always taken it as a submissive gesture, but it could equally be a b!$$@r off gesture :P |
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tim hamlett
Senior Member Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1062 |
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enjoyed the video gemma. grass snakes and common lizards in your garden...you jammy thing! tim |
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Tim, I think most people would be suprised how tiny the area in our garden actually is, just 4 years ago it was plain lawn with no chance of reptiles living there. With a bit of thought like putting in a hibernation bank, log and brash piles, a pond and compost heap and letting nature do the rest with minimal management it was very quickly colonised and the best bit it now supports breeding populations of both common lizard and grass snakes. Shows how quickly nature will get the upper hand if pushed in the right direction and is then left to get on with it. |
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Peter
Senior Member Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 310 |
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I have observed "arm waving" or "waggling" in captive vivipara on a number occasions. I took it as submission, appeasement or perhaps an indication that a female is not quite receptive. Great work with your garden Gemma, well done. Edited by Peter |
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administrator
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I based the 'go away' message mostly on the sub-adults that showed the behaviour. They were too young I believe to mate though the males would have a go at a neck grab. Once the sub-adults were free they were doing the leg waggling - it is interesting that there are differing interpretations of what it might mean based on direct observations, suggests to me it might be a quite complex behaviour with different signals being passed depending on the circumstances, i.e. receptiveness, age etc, so we might have observed different reactions and different signals being passed by the same behaviour Oh damn I will have to spend several years trying to film them now in the garden to better understand it all.. |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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'Foot waving' is mentioned by Colin Simms in his great little book 'Lives of British Lizards' (Goose, 1970); he says it is found in sand and viviparous lizards. In the case of the latter species he says:
'This is seen very well when Viviparous Lizards greet or acknowledge each other. The raised-forearm salute is not so exaggerated as when seen from other species, the raised forefoot opening and closing as it rocks about the wrist (carpal) joint.' He suggests it is found in both sexes as well, but particularly when male lizards avoid a fight, perhaps as a distraction behaviour. Mind you, he doesn't mention both forefeet being used at the same time ! |
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