Why do lizards do push ups

Pushups are used as means to convey their attitude through body language by lizards. What appears as a push up like movement can actually be a threatening gesture to warn other invading lizards in its territory. Depending on the pattern and number of the pushups at a stretch, it can also be a sign to show interest in mating. Sagebrush lizards are particularly fond of the pushups and also other physical movements like head bobbing to display their inclination. Apart from the theory that lizards do pushups to express themselves, there is another less popular theory that states that lizards actually perform these athletic moves to maintain their body temperature. The theory that lizards do pushups to convey messages to other lizards through body language still remains more popular due to the inability of most lizards to communicate through sounds. Even the few lizard species that can make a hissing sound or other low level sounds are mostly unable to correspond with others by the use of those sounds. Therefore, it is probably through physical displays like pushups, head bobs and tail movements that these lizards must commune.

Scientists, who have studied the lizard behavior for a long time, are able to discern one species of lizard from the other, simply based on the pattern of their physical display. We all know that a lot of creatures respond in their unique sounds to different parts of the day, like the rooster and the crow in the morning and the wolves and the coyotes at night. Certain species of lizards like the Jamaican Anoles are known to greet both the dawn and the dusk with pushups and other similar body movements. Anoles are highly expressive in the department of body language and some researchers believe that the more pushups the lizard is able to do, the stronger he displays himself to be, thus avoiding direct physical confrontation. If you find a lizard displaying pushups without any lizards around to show off, then it might be trying to let you know that it is alert and ready to run if you try to catch it. But, the more probable reason as to why the lizard is displaying near you is that another lizard might be near, yet unseen by you.