Tail Waving

[Scott&Nikki]

So, I noticed my leo waving her tail very slow and steady. It was actually really cool and reminded me of a snake. I was curious if anyone knows what she was doing. She did it for about 10 minutes, and it was slow, not like the attacking shake. Any ideas?

 

[Grinning Geckos]

That is an aggresive display ... it's a clear signal to you or another leo to back off and leave it alone. What the gecko does after making the display depends on the gecko. If further provoked, it may try to run, or bite ... and some just go "silly me, I didn't mean it" and act like it didn't happen.

 

[Russ S]

some just go "silly me, I didn't mean it" and act like it didn't happen.

This is usually what Shanti does after waving her tail in the air.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

That is an aggresive display ... it's a clear signal to you or another leo to back off and leave it alone. What the gecko does after making the display depends on the gecko. If further provoked, it may try to run, or bite ... and some just go "silly me, I didn't mean it" and act like it didn't happen.

Well I guess I could see that being it, but I was in bed, barely in sight. She is only in my room now because we have a repair guy coming soon and we arent allowed to have pets in our apt. So I could see how seeing me at all could provoke that, but I doubt she could really see me.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

LOL Russ, that was below the belt!

 

[Grinning Geckos]

It's possible she caught sight of her reflection in the glass. They can be pretty silly.

 

[MichaelJ]

most of my males will do that and a few of the females if startled. It does look cool though.. but it's definitely an aggressive behavior..

one of mine got out once a while back and we were in bed and i heard this sound coming from the area where the rack was and I noticed our male cat focused on something.. well our younger jungle female was angry and waving her tail and hissing at the cat to back off, and it scared the cat to death and it ran away with it's tail between it's legs. i was very proud of that little thing for standing her ground..

 

[GeckoMandi]

When I had mine in glass aquariums I seen them do that all the time, it reminds me of a ticked off cat.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

The reflection must be it. She was on top of her log, and she was looking down into the corner where the log meets the glass. I thought maybe there was a mealworm trapped (which wasn't the case), so It could have easily been the reflection. That is interesting, though. Thanks for the responses.

 

[moosassah]

I see Hidey do the same. I can never tell if it's me she sees through the glass or her reflection. I usually become awe struck at the amazing amount of control she has over her tail. My next thought is thank god she's not venomous! You can see the complete intensity of the crouch & pounce. I think they've got cat blood in them!

 

[MichaelJ]

when ours eat they do a totally different type of tail movement.. It's a fluttering back and fourth movement almost like a rattle but they don't lift the tail. When angry or in defense mode they do the snake. My males when they smell my females (who are "in season") they get on top of their moist hides and rattle their tails. Some times it's like four of them at a time and sounds like someone is playing and instrument..

 

[geckoracing]

I just read this thread no more then an hour ago. I just happened to glance over and saw Charly doing some serious tail waving. Now she was looking at a piece of wood. No glass, no reflection. Nobody else in her line of sight. The only possible thing is there could have been a cricket there. I have seen her go after crickets and this is the first time I ever saw her wave the tail at anything.

Maybe it's time to start using this sticker on the tank.

 

[KiKi]

lmao thats histerical, and one of our females did it when she saw a cricket in the cage