chemgrl08
Hatchling Member
Hi all. I have a question about housing a male and female together. It's been a while since I've had a beardie, but I have an eye on these two beardies that are listed on the facebook marketplace by what seems to be an incompetent owner. :x She says they have MBD, and I've asked her for more info, but until then I want to make sure I have the ability to care for them long term before committing to them. They are supposedly "juveniles," one is male, the other female, and they are housed together in a 20gal, (but I have a larger 50 gal that they would be transferred to.) I am worried that having both of them together will cause problems. Namely,
1.) Stress (particularly to the female) due to breeding attempts by the male once they are sexually mature
2.) unwanted batches of eggs
3.) possible increased risk of becoming egg-bound to the female
4.) dominance/"relationship" issues
Is it reasonable to expect a 50 gal to comfortably accommodate two adult beardies? Is it safe/relatively stress-free to house a male and a female together, without the intent of breeding? (There are too many unwanted beardies as it is, and I have no history on these guys whatsoever. I expect the owner bought them on an impulse from some big pet place like Petco or Petsmart.)
I'll be happy to offer more info once the current owner messages me. (Its possible she has already given them away.) I'm aware that I'll need to treat them for MBD, possibly parasites, malnutrition, and a whole scheme of other problems, but I'm going to deal with that in a separate thread and if/when the time comes (and I get more info.) For now, any info on the housing and stress questions will be helpful. Thanks so much!
1.) Stress (particularly to the female) due to breeding attempts by the male once they are sexually mature
2.) unwanted batches of eggs
3.) possible increased risk of becoming egg-bound to the female
4.) dominance/"relationship" issues
Is it reasonable to expect a 50 gal to comfortably accommodate two adult beardies? Is it safe/relatively stress-free to house a male and a female together, without the intent of breeding? (There are too many unwanted beardies as it is, and I have no history on these guys whatsoever. I expect the owner bought them on an impulse from some big pet place like Petco or Petsmart.)
I'll be happy to offer more info once the current owner messages me. (Its possible she has already given them away.) I'm aware that I'll need to treat them for MBD, possibly parasites, malnutrition, and a whole scheme of other problems, but I'm going to deal with that in a separate thread and if/when the time comes (and I get more info.) For now, any info on the housing and stress questions will be helpful. Thanks so much!