Lol whenever I pick up a beardie that doesn’t want to be picked up, they flatten out and start wiggling from side to side like a beached turtle and it’s the funniest thing ever but it’s also scary because they can fall on the floor if you’re not careful.
I'm so distracted by the "sdkljfklsdajfkladsjfkasdjlfasdjfklasdjf" like expression they give off while wiggling like a maniac that I don't pay any attention to how their skin feels. XD I wonder why they do that, is it supposed to wiggle them loose from the talons of a bird of prey? Mind you this is while my hand is UNDER them, so it's not like I triggered the seizure by bird instinct.
I don't think it's bird specific. Just a flight response. They increase surface area, tense their spikes, and wiggle to combine as a defensive mechanism.
Their natural instinct is to make their bodies appear larger and more threatening when they feel threatened. That's why they flatten. Makes them appear wider. You may also notice some darkening skin with some gaping and hissing