Re: Bizarre Eyeballing Behavior: Another problem?

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Posted by chalcosoma on April 06, 2003 at 14:32:32:

In Reply to: Re: Bizarre Eyeballing Behavior posted by Pennebaker on April 06, 2003 at 10:40:30:

It is extreme, isn't it? Afterwards he scampered off to the water dish, plopped in, and took a few gulps of water...snapped up a cricket...and started swimming around UNDERWATER, with his head completely submerged. Like he was cleaning his head.

They are fascinating to watch!

The first frilleds I saw were in...I think it was the San Diego Zoo, an adult male and female. When I went up to the exhibit, the big male leaped down from his tree and came right up to the glass to have a look at me. He bobbed his head up and down, and I bobbed mine back to see what he would do. This provoked him into flaring his frill and opening his mouth! We kept this up for a good 15 minutes, bobbing heads back and forth. Eventually HE got bored, and jumped back into his tree. Since then I've been very interested in them.

Well, although that behavior is normal, I'm starting to think that this frilled may have some problem: he is rather skinny compared to the other two, and his coloration is much darker. He also seems to scratch his head against things and with his hind legs. Could he have mites or something? Would it be advisable to separate him from the other two?

Thanks for any help,

Michael

:Yup, normal, most lizards do it--but I will say, it never looks quite as crazy as it does on frillies--when I first saw a frilly do it, even being used to other lizards doing it, I just about flipped--it looked like his eyes were going to explode! But, it is a normal cleansing process.
:LOL dana

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::: Hi all, I'm new in these parts!

::: I just obtained three young (foot-long) Frilleds today, and noticed some bizarre and disturbing behavior. Perhaps it is normal - I think I've seen anoles doing this too. One of the frillies shut its eyes tight and then BUGGED them seemingly right out of the sockets. The eyelids were kept closed during this procedure. It then retracted them slightly, and opened them just enough that I could observe it kind of "rolling" its eyes, as a membrane (do they have a nictating membrane?) slid back and forth across the eyes. It almost seemed like it was "cleaning" it's eyes. The eyes then retracted back into the sockets and were adjusted into place, like nothing had happened. Is anyone else familiar with this? Is it normal?

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::i've seen almost every type of lizard i've owend do this. monitor's chameleon's igg's agama's i think its a shed behavior. i would'nt worry. chris p.s just visiting not a reg.

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