Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there,

the past couple of days, I have found one of my female red acanthurus has been sleeping, or laying invertted on its back. She usually does this while in one of her hide spots, which is directly under one of their baskings sites. What I was wondering, was, if anybody has experienced behavior like this?? Perhaps that it could be a way of thermoregulating eggs, the same way that many gravid snakes "flip" themselves over to allow an even distribution of heat for their developing eggs inside. I am not saying that this is what I think it is; it probably isn't, but I was wondering if anybody else has whitnessed any behaviors like this. When I first found her, I was afraid that she was dead, but she "snapped out of it" and continued to jump up my arm, as if they do come feeding time... Any input would be great!. Thanks for your time,

BM

I have seen gravid females do all sorts of weird things, it was mentioned that possibly it is to reduce internal pressure on the organs. Fat males seem to do the same, and it is truly amazing how much fat stores a seemingly normal looking monitor has, and how little room is left for all the 'guts'.

My female peachies when gravid tend to hang from logs, with their back feet up at their front legs with their body suspended in the air.

Alot has been seen/said about stuff like this in the gouldii complex, but I haven't heard the thermo idea before. I have seen some pretty funny pics of goulds and crosses in some really different positions.

Fat male

Gravid females

Good Luck with the ackies!

--Robert