Is Bearded Dragon Cohabitation A Good Plan?

[Skymall007]

I think that while they may sometimes be social with each other, it is still best for them to have their own enclosure/space. That way that is their territory and they never have to worry and you don't have to worry. If they seem to enjoy the company of another beardie then that could be supervised playtime. That way if the unpredictable happens it can be stopped. Most of the reptiles that I have worked with (though I am no expert) prefer, no matter how social, to have their own space.

 

[Claudiusx]

I would have to disagree strongly with your post Polar.

You yourself had a bad experience with housing two dragons together. The fact that they fought eachother isn't the exception, its the norm. The exception is truly the ones who do live together without incident.

Bearded dragons are anything but naturally tame. I dare you to go up to a wild adult bearded dragon and try to pick it up (that is if it decides to stand its ground instead of run away) In fact, the one time I ever saw the bearded dragon on the famous show "the crocodile hunter" The dragon tried to bite off Steve's nose.

-Brandon

 

[AllisonBCF]

I'm going to seperate my lizards now. My vet told me I could put them back together, after my female lost 1/3 of her tail. I got worried she would get lonely but if that isnt something that happens to them i'll find room for the second cage.

 

[polarsprite]

Brandon

I think u misunderstood I was not saying that or promoting that info it is a excerpt from LLL reptiles online care sheet which the link in that post would take u to and is a large online reptile dealer and was one of the reasons I got a male and female to keep together which was disaster. My point with posting it was to show when breeders and dealers say those things promoting false info. Makes it very hard to know the truth until its to late and one of your dragons is missing a body part or dead. I was also hoping that maybe dragon lovers might want to visit the site and maybe get them to correct their info so more folks don't get them in pairs and have the cannibalism and massacre stories like the ones here.
this is how my dragons live now their own condo's we built for them and they never see each other this link is a photo of the cages we built for my dragons Khal n Khaleesi are my dragons names
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/582247_595858597110533_173942459_n.jpg

 

[Deathstalker]

What about housing adult females together that are close in size? It would seem to me that most of the injured photos shown here probably occurred when they were juveniles. I've seen adult females together in pet stores with no issues - I've even seen adult males and females together though I'm not sure how they pulled that one off. I occassionaly put my adult females together and they co-exist fine. They take turns pancaking one another but all eat, bask. I've never witnessed them nip at one another.

I can see the importance of not mixing sexes - I've seen how crazy my male gets when he's near a female or even sees her through the glass, but is mixing females that big a deal?

 

[sweetiepie9]

It's never a good idea to have any dragons together. even if breeders say it is. Don't forget, breeders have enormous enclosures that they keep their dragons in with separate UVB & feeding stations, etc. Plus they probably keep any eye on them to make sure there are no fights. The breeders I know have their females separate from their males, who are brought together to breed only & usually the males are kept separate, too. I've never housed dragons together because I rescue them and see what happens when they are together, juvie or adult. I had 3 females at one point, had their own enclosures, but I would get them out together to see their reaction and it was never good. They were full adults and were always trying to bite each other, so even supervised outside time never worked out. The males that I have are always trying to outright fight each other, even though they have their own enclosures, I've tried to have two out together, it's always ended up with them circling each other, mouths wide open, moving in for a bite. You're always taking a chance that they will fight & damage each other. I have alot of friends that rescue dragons that have had feet, arms and/or tails bitten off by tankmates and that's not just babies or juvies, it's adults, too. So I agree with Germaine, it's just never a good idea.

 

[Germ]

I thought some might find this interesting

It appears that they got most of their info & husbandry methods from the manual that they are recommending. Which IMHO, is one of the worst excuses as a source for Bearded Dragon Care I have read. It is full of contradictions, questionable to bad info & the Author, on a number of occasions, states that he does not know the source of his info :? .

Pick up a strange dragon, put it on your shoulder, see how long it stays there without bolting :wink: . Is it wrong for them to offer inaccurate info? Definitely! But the internet is full of it, you really have to pick & choose reliable sources of info, in my opinion that is not one of them.

 

[sweetiepie9]

I wasnted to buy a dragon book when I first got Sweetie, but read through it and knew, from being a member on this site, that there were no many inaccuracies, that it wasn't worth the money. I stuck with asking questions on here and sticking with what the keepers on here told me. As a result I have very healthy dragons, even if alot are rescued, adopted or fostered. I have a good local reptile vet and I've learned alot. Even though I have 5 male dragons, they all have their own tanks, which is their own space, decorated the way they want as every one of them is different.

 

[uberglasses]

I'll admit that I wanted another bearded dragon to live with my new one and even went to the pet store yesterday to check them out. But reading this thread and seeing the pictures has convinced me otherwise, so I thank everyone who has contributed to this thread for steering me in the opposite direction. Perhaps in the future when I have more money for another enclosure and space to fit it, I'll get another. As for now, Slayer's enough for me

 

[sweetiepie9]

Hi Ben, we never want to change people's minds, but having lived through three of my beardies being munched on because of sharing tanks and having to care for them while they got better, changed my mind, too. So, even though it means another tank and set up, it's really worth the health of the new dragon, too.

 

[amandatyler09]

I HAVE 2 BEARDIES IN ONE CAGE...

TWO FEMALES CAN THO... RIGHT??

 

[Germ]

Two females housed together can sometimes be successful, but more times than not, also eventually fails [Very first photo, in the first post of this thread]. The plain & simple fact is that these are solitary creatures, forced cohabitation of any kind is only for the keeper's selfish benefit & is in no way ever in the best interests of the involved BDs' health & wellbeing ...

Good Luck!

 

[tonebonepi]

I wish i would have saw this before getting that baby.
i have a sub-adult proly close to 18 months old. Was at Petco looking at babies, when I asked the sales guy if they'll be alright? He said oh sure they are vary social animals. Never take advice from a DOG TRAINER about lizards should have been my first thought. Anyway got home and My big guy snatched the baby right out of my wife's hand by the head. Result was death. My questions is now i got a replacement From Petco for that. How far apart should there tanks be? Right now they are right next to each other with a board game board between them. He still knows the little one is there, he keeps moving around his tank bobbing his head. Also i dont want the little one all stressed out knowing next door is the King.

 

[Germ]

Sorry to hear of you & the baby's misfortune, caused by Pet Store's notorious flow of 'Crap' info.

To avoid the stress that may affect one or both BDs, I would not be overly concerned about distance or proximity, but i would recommend keeping the enclosures oriented so they are out of each other's view under normal conditions.

Good Luck

 

[Rukia1988]

I have kept all three of my females together for several years and no one ever had any problems.....around ovulation time they mimic the sexual aspect but they never hurt each other....I individually feed though