As an exotic pet owner, you might have spotted your friend displaying unusual habits like doing push-up like motion. They will typically be on a higher-up surface and start vigorously pushing their whole body up and down with all four legs. The push-ups may often be accompanied by head bobbing.
So, why do leopard geckos do push-ups? Geckos do push-ups for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is as a courtship display( to show the females that they are healthy and ready to mate), displaying dominance towards another gecko, assessing their physical strength, removing the shedding skin, cooling down and getting their owner’s attention.
We discuss below reasons your Gecko is doing push-ups.
As A Courtship Display
Leopard geckos do push-ups to show health and strength and draw more attention to themselves from a female they hope to pursue. Mating push-ups are performed from dusk to dawn each day during mating season.
In addition, males doing push-ups in the wild during mating season are challenging other male geckos. They show the other males that they are the strongest in the group, and weaker males will go to a different spot to do push-ups in the hope of getting the attention of the females.
A Display of Dominance
Male leopard geckos also do push-ups when challenging rivals for territory. It is supposed to send a message to the predator that they are aware of their presence and ready to fight back.
Push-ups make geckos seem large and sturdy, and they do them to ward off predators trying to make a meal out of them, like snakes and other reptiles. If this works, the predator will be intimidated and go away, but if it doesn’t, they will fight to show the other guy up.
Also, you might startle your Gecko, and it would mistake you for a challenger and will push up to let you know they are aware of your presence. Geckos are solitary and prefer to fend for themselves, meaning they have separate territories to defend. That’s why the females also do territorial push-ups.
Push-ups also help geckos prepare for a fight by strengthening their arm and chest muscles. It is a form of weight training that helps reptiles show what they are made of before they take on a predator.
In A Bid to Regulate Their Body Temperature
Leopard geckos, like other reptiles, are cold-blooded. Meaning they cannot produce very much if any, body heat and have trouble maintaining a cool or warm body temperature—their body temperature changes based on their surroundings.
The environment influences the push-up patterns of the Gecko. They become sluggish and vulnerable to predators when they get cold during the winter. Therefore, they hide away or do push-ups as the movement generates heat, which helps regulate their temperatures.
During the hot season, they also tend to overheat and cannot cool themselves internally, so in the wild, they go underground, find a shade or use push-ups to regulate their temperature. In captivity, however, they can go to their cool or warm hides.
When geckos move up and down, air flows under their bellies which help cool them. They do this in extreme temperatures helping differentiate cooling push-ups from mating push-ups and are less aggressive than territorial push-ups.
Your Leopard Gecko Is Shedding
You might also spot your leopard gecko doing push-ups to get rid of the stuck shed, as they can’t just peel it off. This happens over a period of time.
Your Gecko Is Seeking Attention
Leopard geckos bob their heads up and down in captivity to get their owner’s attention. They will do this for various reasons, especially when they are hungry and want you to feed them, bored and want you to spend time with them or when you are around and get their attention; they tend to try to get yours in return.
Your Leopard Gecko Is Under Stress
In captivity, geckos go through stress because of a variety of reasons. Mostly this happens in your early years of owning an exotic pet as you know nothing much about them and are trying to learn. Therefore, doing a little research before you get one is good.
A proper habitat for your friend should have enough space so you can put enough hides and still leave room for your Gecko to move around. The temperature of your terrarium should be approximately 25 to 30 degrees Celsius and a 30-40 per cent humidity level.
Also, ensure no external environmental stressors like too much light or loud noises. Your Leo will tend to be stressed when these factors are not met. This process will help determine why your Gecko is bobbing its head and doing push-ups.
Do Both Female and Male Leopard Geckos Do Pushups?
We’ve discussed why geckos bounce up and down, but does it apply to males and females? It’s likely to see your male Gecko do push-ups because they like drawing attention to themselves. Males are known to be aggressive and will use displays like push-ups frequently, but it doesn’t mean females don’t do push-ups too.
You will catch your female friend doing push-ups, but they aren’t as aggressive as their male species. They might also engage in a fight with a fellow female, although not common, and if a fight ensues between females, it’s not as bad as when the males’ fight.
A female may bob up and down in response to males’ display during mating season. The push-ups are always so subtle. Female geckos are not as good at showing off as their male counterparts, but you will occasionally spot them doing a push-up.
Conclusion
Leopard geckos do push-ups for a variety of reasons. They could be doing push-ups to ward off predators, regulate their body temperature, attract a mate, get your attention, display dominance, or remove the stuck shed.
Males flex their muscles to impress the females, while females are more easygoing and do it for survival.
