Hello

[tdanville]

I am very interested in becoming a Bearded Dragon 'mommy'. I have been doing a lot of research on the internet and wanted to connect with experienced owners before starting an enclosure. I tend to get two of every animal I have so they are not lonely. I have read conflicting reports about two females even if they are siblings. I also am very aware of the space requirements that each of my pets need to be happy and tend to buy bigger enclosure than they need. I have just recently ventured into the reptile/amphibian families. I have four cats, one dog, two rats, two ferrets, two green anoles, a frog, and a snail, goldfish, and pleco in a 40 gallon fish tank. They are all very spoiled and I would like to do the same for my future BD's. What do you all think about a 110 gallon tank (not tall, as BD's need floor space) for two female BD's? Any advise for a first time BD mommy? Thanks!

 

[daner923]

Don't do it. Either get one, or get two in individual tanks. Beardies do not get "lonely," as they are naturally solitary animals. Even though some say two females can get along, many people find out the hard way just how dangerous a situation that is. Many people mistake stacking for getting along - it is actually a show of dominance. Furthermore, even if they appear to get along, all it takes is one second for you to suddenly have a missing leg, or a missing tail, or a dead dragon. Oftentimes one will stress the other to death, or bully it out of eating. Not even close to worth it. Here is a link to a post on why to never do it, with some horrible examples from cohabitations: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=154908

 

[tdanville]

Wow! Thanks for stopping a mistake! I will consider only one female. I hear that they can become very attached to their humans. How long each day should I handle or interact with her?

 

[daner923]

When you first get her, you should gauge how skittish she is. Many babies go through serious relocation stress the first few days to week or so they are at home, and should be left to their own devices besides feeding, cleaning, and baths during that time, in order to adjust to their new home. After they begin to settle in, you can begin handling. If there is no relocation stress (my Max didn't really have any), there is no need to wait on handling. At first, she will probably be very squirmy, and only tolerate 5-15 minutes at a time. Hold her carefully over a soft surface. Sit on a carpeted floor with her, or over a couch or bed so that if she jumps, there will be no injury. As they get older, they will tolerate or even love handling time a lot more. Currently, at 7+ months, Max absolutely loves his time out of his tank. He will happily sit on my shoulder for an hour or more, and loves to fall asleep on my chest or wrist (the wrist is much more uncomfortable now that he is 16.5 inches and 275 grams :lol: ). The key is that they get an hour or two to bask before eating, two hours after eating, and 5-7 hours in the UVB light. So, basically, as long as they aren't getting too cold in the tank, if they are content being handled, you can handled them for many hours a day. Others around here have plenty of stories of letting them run around or be out of the tank in a designated room or area whenever they're home.

 

[tdanville]

I knew I came to the right forum! Thank you so much! I'm sure I will have many other questions soon and many more after I bring my beardie home. Like I stated earlier how big of an enclosure should I get for one beardie? I like to give my pets extra room. I've heard that a 50 gallon tank is adequate for one but I don't want adequate. I want the most spoiled beardie I can manage :wink:

 

[sweetpea1981]

Most people use a 40 gal breeder tank the dimensions are 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, 18 inches tall, it is wider than say a normal fish tank. It is not so much about length as it is about width, your adult beardie will need to turn around and a normal fish tank is only 12 inches wide whereas a breeder tank is 18 inches wide. So yes you could always go bigger but keep in mind the width (floor space).

 

[daner923]

A lot of people on here have built custom vivs out of wood with ventilation. These are typically 48 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 24 inches tall. A 50 gallon tank is plenty of space as long as it is wide enough, as sweetpea mentioned. Some people also opt for 75 gallon tanks.