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I have observed some interesting Ackie behavior that I would like to run by other keepers and see if you have seen anything like this. Several times I observed my Ackies get their tail moving in a continuous serpentine motion when a cricket or roach comes into view. They are quite alert when they do this but their body is usually rather still. I always attributed this to some kind of nervous anticipation of getting a meal or possibly some type of luring behavior when prey is present or a "look at my tail"..."there's no lizard here"...."bite my tail not me" kind of predator distraction/evasion thing.

I recently set up some Retes stacks with each level about one monitors cross section high in a large glass aquarium with the stack pushed up against the glass so I could observe them while in the lower levels of the stack.

I dumped way more crickets in than they could eat, in one free-for-all, and the crickets took up residence in the stacks seeming to prefer clinging to the ceilings of each level.

I was watching my monitors today and several times they entered a level about centered between the spacers. They then began this serpentine tail motion which rather efficiently chased all of the crickets forward and into their side snapping jaws. Could this be a behavioral adaptation to scoot all the bugs from narrow rock crevices out for "processing"? Has anyone else seen this tail action?

Its nothing to do with caudo luring. They do that when they get excited. Whether its something new in the cage, or with prey items, or other monitors. It appears to be a state of excitement.

THey do far more with their tails then that, as well. They also hold their tails nearly strait up and do that wiggling thing, they do this to gain attention of other individual monitors. I have seen many lizards do this, including kimberlys, pilbaras, ackies, tristis, etc.

The oddest case of this was a pair of horned lizards that were courting and breeding in my yard. The female would belly down and lift he tail strait up in the air and wiggle it, the male would come over and place his head on here tail. Then she would move off and do it again and again. Until they copulated.

I did not get pics of that, as I was actually working on my truck. hahahahahaha. But I did take pics of another species of horned lizard that were courting like that. Cheers

There is no question in my mind that Ackies may use their tails for a number of different purposes and there is also no question in my mind that mine are using their tails to sweep crickets forward into their grasp for eating. I have been observing them closely for several days now and and here is what I am seeing: They enter a Retes stack shelf with resident crickets. They then start a serpentine motion that is, in what I will call, a reverse undulation. By that I mean the tail is not moving in a way that would propel the lizard forward, as in swimming. It moves in a reverse of that as though the lizard was trying to back up or swim backwards. This brings everything on that shelf that comes in contact with the tail forward including crickets, wood chips and any other debris. If the tail was sweeping in the "swimming" direction all the stuff would be swept backwards and behind them but it is all brought forward!

They may use their tail for waving to their friends, attracting mates, slapping foes, and perhaps many other things but mine are bringing food items forward, from behind them, in the "crack" they are in. Then it's chow time!

I would encourage anyone else, who has a set up where they can observe their monitors feeding in a crevice, to watch carefully for this behavior. I am going to attempt to video this and will share it if I can.

Thanks, FR, for sharing your observations about them waving their tails straight up in the air! That is just fantastic!!! So neat when you can set these things up so they feel inspired to exhibit wild behavior in captivity!