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These males may vomit or defecate when preparing for the fight. During this period, males fight over females and territory by grappling with one another upon their hind legs, with the loser eventually being pinned to the ground. Mating occurs between May and August, with the eggs laid in September. Komodo dragons exhibit a rare behavior for lizards they may be monogamous and form "pair bonds". They serve as strategic locations from which Komodo dragons ambush deer. These special resting places, usually located on ridges with cool sea breezes, are marked with droppings and are cleared of vegetation. Komodo dragon hunt in the afternoon, but stay in the shade during the hottest part of the day. Because of their large size and habit of sleeping in these burrows, these lizards are able to conserve body heat throughout the night and minimize their basking period the morning after. These holes can measure from 1 to 3 m (3.3 to 9.8 ft) wide.

For shelter, Komodo dragons dig holes with their powerful forelimbs and claws. As they mature, their claws are used primarily as weapons, as their great size makes climbing impractical. To catch out-of-reach prey, Komodo dragons may stand on their hind legs and use their tail as a support. These lizards are capable of running rapidly in brief sprints up to 20 km/h (12 mph), diving up to 4.5 m (15 ft), and climbing trees proficiently when young through the use of their strong claws. They are solitary and come together only to breed and eat. Komodo dragons are most active during the day, although they exhibit some nocturnal activity.