Mating Texas spiny lizards

You saw it here first (probably): Spiny lizards having sex. We’re not sure whether to warn everyone that this video is a quite graphic or shout to the rooftops that it’s extraordinary. I think we’ll go with shouting.
Texas spiny lizards are quite common around here - though, as with many other species, we don’t see as many as we used to, and we actually hear them more often than we see them. In the summer, when we’re outside, they will rustle away from us in the undergrowth or skitter up the nearest tree, their immensely long claws making little ticking sounds on the bark. Many people, locally, call them “tree lizards”.
The adult spiny lizards we see in our backyard are typically about 10” (25 cm) from nose to tail-tip, and a lot of that length is tail - they have very long, thin, tails. Their variegated gray, white, black, and brown scales are perfect camouflage against the live oaks and they can be hard to spot when they’re not moving. We have a video clip of a wren almost landing on a spiny lizard who was sunning herself on a live oak stump.
Spiny lizards eat bugs - insects, spiders, and any other creepy crawlies they can find. They are carnivores, like most lizard species.
Female spiny lizards lay up to 4 clutches of eggs each summer, as many as 30 eggs at a time, in holes that they dig out of soft earth and then invisibly cover over. The eggs hatch after about 60 days (our reference from the Texas Master Naturalists says 43 - 83 days; we don’t know what accounts for the surprisingly wide range).
This video shows a mating pair of spiny lizards. The truly extraordinary thing to watch for is the male’s genitalia, which extrude from his lower abdomen during sex, looking worryingly visceral, and then slowly retract once the lizards have parted. We feel very, very lucky to have been able to capture this remarkable event with one of our tree stump den cameras.

[@geraldinefields1730]

I never realized spiny lizards were so shaggy. Thank you.

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

That's an interesting observation, Geraldine. They really are shaggy. We can see things up close with the cameras that we would never be able to observe in person.

[@KapricornKary]

Huh. Well that was different. And quick. Those big tails really get in the way, don't they?

[@gth042]

Naah, brontosaurus had it worse. 😜 ...🤔

[@brokenwrench404]

Great footage. He looks like he’s looking right at the camera 🤣

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

True! He does.

[@mskristy9702]

Good catch! Thanks for sharing. 💕🙏

[@gth042]

I like the shout it out approach 📣. Hidden behind this footage is a lot of work.

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

That's very, very true. Dozens of cameras and lots of time keeping an eye on them and watching for interesting activity.

[@Marilyn12346]

Remarkable- thank you TBW 👍

[@sas5076]

Surely some university would like this amazing catch! Thank you for all these lives you share!

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

True. Once we've published another one or maybe two lizard videos we're going to get in touch with an expert at UT Arlington. The mating video seems pretty special to us.

[@kaiyakershaw1028]

That’s what I was thinking. I bet there are researchers who would love to see this footage!

[@alanatolstad4824]

Wow, what a sharp-eyed capture!

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

We were watching for birds, but the lizards used the log too, and we got some great video clips.

[@oldmango8606]

....and life goes on......thanks

[@snipehunter4771]

Whoa! Not something you see every day there

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

No. We were astonished. Such a great video.

[@billbillson3129]

So cool! Great video! Thank you for making and sharing with us!!!

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

It was interesting, wasn't it Bill?

[@billbillson3129]

@@TexasBackyardWildlife For sure I wasn't expecting it to play out like that, but just goes to show you could fill a book with what I don't know!

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

And you could fill an entire library with what I don't know, Bill.

[@camwinston5248]

Two lizards a'lorpin' .🤣

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

Very good.

[@camwinston5248]

@@TexasBackyardWildlife 😁🤣🤣🤣

[@conniwright450]

Interesting

[@deweystrailcamera]

Extraordinary gets my vote!

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

Thank you.

[@lolanoneya]

Fascinating!

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

It is, isn't it Lola.

[@christinasattelberg8625]

Thanks for sharing. Interesting

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

Thank you Christina.

[@getitvintage]

Whoa. 👀 I had no idea. Looks like a small raspberry and an unripe stem. 😄🫣

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

We were pretty shocked. Your description is very good.

[@snl1992]

“ pack it up”😂

[@nikkamaru]

I love your videos, and I subcribe because there's no music in any of them. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@ohheckyeaahyummm2508]

Fr, his videos feel a lot more authentic, he knows he doesn't need music to keep us interested

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

Thank you, @nikkamaru! Much appreciated.

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

And thank you, too, OhHeckYeah. I will pass your comments on to Dan.

[@Cassasauresrex]

Very cool!

[@AdrianBoyko]

NSFW! 😱

[@TexasBackyardWildlife]

Fair enough. We pride ourselves on our occasional NSFW-ness.