|
|
|
|
| Bearded dragons wave their arms to communicate. |
| By Michael Nordine |
| Animals communicate in lots of different ways, most of them nonverbal. Dogs wag their tails, cats blink slowly, and bearded dragons wave. Beardies, as the docile lizards are affectionately known, lift one of their front legs and wave it in a slow, deliberate circular motion. They communicate this way with fellow beardies, other animals, and even their humans, most often to signal submission to larger animals — though many owners choose to interpret it as their pet simply saying hi to them, and who are we to argue? Bearded dragons, which are native to Australia but increasingly popular as pets across the world, get their name from the spiny pouch under their throat, which puffs up when they’re stressed. They’re surprisingly friendly for reptiles, with some lovingly referring to their beardies as “scaly dogs.” |