Can my Beardie get used to this?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hello, I have a baby bearded dragon that is about 5months old.
And a Blue Tongue Skink/Lizard that is about 6months old. Can I get both of them used to each other, so when they are older they can actually be in the same enclosure?
(Or even put them in the same enclosure now)
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
IMO, and opinions of most experts, that's not a good idea. Reptiles don't need "company"; they're just fine on their own. Even breeding pairs are usually only kept together until the deed is done--then separated. Reptiles can be very territorial, and view others as competitors/threats. They could wind up stressing out, fighting, injuring each other, or even killing each other.

Can I Keep My Reptiles Together?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv7aEEf2b3A
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
I have both bluetongues and bearded dragons.

My bearded dragons and BTs have often met each other over the years and spent common floor freerange time together once the dragons are big enough. My two EBTs are nearly 10 years old.

Essentially , the skinks and bluetongues have never shown any aggression towards each other and generally ignore each other.

The important thing is the skinks and dragon need to about similar size , else the bigger might consider the smaller as snack.

I know of people who keep BTs and bearded dragons in a large covered pits in their backyard, Gosford Reptile Park does this too ( their pit is about 8m x 15m and has about a dozen of each permanently living in it ) .
Is quite a sight to see several dragons and similar sized BTS all tucking into the salad together.
if you can't have big pit , the skinks and dragons are best housed individually.
 

MrSpectrum

Gray-bearded Member
kingofnobbys":2ppdzily said:
My bearded dragons and BTs have often met each other over the years and spent common floor freerange time together once the dragons are big enough.

I'd just like to point out that there's a HUGE difference between spending some free range floor time together (where they are free to ignore each other or get away from each other in a huge space), and being confined together in a typical enclosure.
Can you keep a Blue Tongue and a Bearded Dragon together?
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101115125503AAeMg9K
and more generally...
Google: housing bearded dragons and blue tongues together

This is (potentially at least) a Con-Sub; I would be skeptical/wary of anecdotal success stories (this is the internet). Zoos, Wildlife Preserves may be exceptions, BUT
1. They are (theoretically) run & staffed by trained professionals (even zoos can make mistakes) with veterinarians either on-staff or on-call.
2. There are often/sometimes economic/resource reasons they may have to make those kinds of decisions, where otherwise they would prefer to house them separately.

IMO, one should think carefully about the reason one would (want to) house these two lizards together. If it's for one's own benefit (e.g. not having to invest in another enclosure) please reconsider. If it's for the lizards' benefit, there really is none. Reptiles are not "social" creatures like dogs, cats, cavies, etc. Both species spend most of their lives alone in their natural habitats, and thrive alone in captivity.
 

Ellentomologist

Hatchling Member
Hi again Iceywolfie,

What sub species/locality of BTS is it? I know some of them need humidity that would be high enough to harm a bearded dragon long term, but a northern (supposedly) likes damn near the same as a BD and most are in the "Egh, shouldn't be a problem" range.

Honestly, I think it's a really bad idea personally. I don't have a BTS but I am hoping to get one in the next few years - my understanding is that they are usually borrowers that need loose substrate, where as most forms of loose substrate are a risk of impaction for beardies. It also looks like BTS eat a higher % of fruit than beardies do, and I would be a little worried about managing their diets. I guess I wouldn't be too worried about the BTS, but I feel like you'd be risking the beardie's well being quite substantially. Googling this I found this on a BTS forum, maybe it will help?

My personal opinion kind of boils down to the same feeling I have on co-housing two bearded dragons together... CAN it be done? Sure. If you have a big enough space AND resources AND animals with exactly the right personalities to make it work out alright, AND even then be willing to live with the low-grade risk of something happening between the two or because of improper husbandry to cause one or both of the animals to go down the hill.

The reasons for co-housing as I see it are one of two, which is either financial or wanting to represent a biotope. The first I think is kinda silly and probably won't work out well in the long run, likely resulting in sad animals, possibly sick/injured or dead animals, and having a huge possibility of backfiring and costing you more than housing them separately would. The second... Well, honestly the second is kinda cool.

However, I think to make a good biotope terrarium you probably need to sink every penny into one enclosure for the animals that you would in two separate ones and then some! I'm talking if I were to do this, I'd want to doll up at least a 4 foot by 8 foot floor space (preferably bigger!) and go all out, you know?

Whatever you decide, I'd love to hear more about it, especially if you do co-house successfully. I'm P. skeptical of it working, though.
 

Iceywolfie

Member
Original Poster
Hi Ellentomologist, I have an Eastern Blue Tongue Lizard/Skink. I'm watching to see how they react to each other, when I put them next to each other, of course there's glass in the middle though. And I do this everyday. I sometimes will have a good grip on my beardie (Priceless). And put her right in front of my BTS (Ceasefire). There's no real reaction, Ceasefire will do her own thing and Priceless will just look at her. If you want I can keep you up to date, on how they are going.
105505-1149207605.jpg

(Sorry for the horrible glass I am waiting till Wednesday to clean it because thats when I clean there enclosures)
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Iceywolfie":1qh65y26 said:
Hi Ellentomologist, I have an Eastern Blue Tongue Lizard/Skink. I'm watching to see how they react to each other, when I put them next to each other, of course there's glass in the middle though. And I do this everyday. I sometimes will have a good grip on my beardie (Priceless). And put her right in front of my BTS (Ceasefire). There's no real reaction, Ceasefire will do her own thing and Priceless will just look at her. If you want I can keep you up to date, on how they are going.
105505-1149207605.jpg

(Sorry for the horrible glass I am waiting till Wednesday to clean it because thats when I clean there enclosures)

Yep …. that's the way things tend go with mine, the BT will likely make note of the dragon and sometimes sniffs it , the dragon is generally the one who is more interested but soon decides the skink is too boring and trots off to explore ( do "the patrol" ) or goes to window to look or ambles down the hallway looking for my wife.
My juvenile beardies Caesar and Cleopatra are both more interested in Fluffy (who's closer to their size) especially Cleo who likes to watch Fluffy when she's out and she can see Fluffy either eating from Fluffy's food dish or splashing about in her water dish , Cleo is fascinated by Fluffy.

House separately is the best approach. The dragon and the skink will be happier. Let them meet under supervision.
Bearded dragons and bluetongue skinks share a common natural range here in Australia and I've never heard a report of a wild bluetongue attacking a wild bearded dragon unless it was small enough to be meal sized , and visa versa.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,903
Messages
1,255,717
Members
75,967
Latest member
Newbeardiemom09
Top Bottom