They are diurnal ground dwellers, and spend most of the day basking atop rocks in the hot sun. They are very curious and alert and prop themselves up with their front legs to watch passers-by. They live in burrows, or mounds of sand that have formed around cactus bunches. They are speedy runners. When disturbed, they can run quickly on just the hind legs, and crawl into their holes.
Males mark their territories with secretions from femeral glands under their hind legs.
May. During the breeding season, both males and females have pink coloring on their sides. The female digs complex tunnels in the sand to lay her eggs. The hatchlings appear August to September. There may be 2 clutches in a single year. They prefer the yellow flowers of the creosote bush, as well as other flowers and leaves.