These habitats also provide sandy, friable soil that is necessary for burrow construction. It emerges later in the year and later in the day than other lizards and remains active longer into the hottest part of the day than other lizards. Adults remain active until mid-summer when the young hatch. Young remain active until fall. This species emerges later in the day and remains active later than other species of lizards.
Activity consists largely of foraging, moving from one food plant to the next and eating.
Most of the time on the surface is spent basking in the sun on hummocks near burrows or in bushes. Evidence suggests that this species is territorial during the mating season. Egg-laying usually takes place in late May and the young appear in late July to late August. There is considerable variation in these events from year to year and north to south in the range. This suggests the presence of pair-bonds.