Stacking and young beardie sleeping habits

[JayDrinksMilk]

Okay first off I know beardies are NOT to be housed together. I just got my second (they’re both still very young, the oldest is less than 3 months) and I’m getting another tank tomorrow so it’s not like I’m planning on keeping them in the same tank for very long, I definitely have seen all the horror stories.
I’m just curious why stacking is even a thing they do? Like supposedly it’s a dominance thing but then why is it always the smaller lizard on top? My slightly older lizard actually is sleeping right now in a spot she normally doesn’t specifically because the other one was there and I checked and the smaller one was sleeping on top of her? I know it’s not affection because they aren’t wired like that, but I just can’t seem to find a reason that the bigger lizard would let smaller ones do this if they’re so territorial and dominance-focused.

 

[Claudiusx]

It's a good question and I'm not sure we actually know. We can all come up with theories, but I haven't seen any concrete reasoning like we have with other behavior we see.

If I were to guess, I'd say it has something to do with the larger one just not really caring. The larger one usually takes the prime spot. And maybe as long as he or she has that spot, thats all they care about.

I dont think they really mind things crawling on them as long as it's not their face or hands. You can see this with crickets or dubias walking all over their back (assuming they dont want to eat them!lol)

-Brandon

 

[AHBD]

I agree with Brandon. The dominance thing is not really true, it's just a matter of convenience. Dragons that are kept together for one reason or another [ raising babies] will take turns + don't seem bothered by their positions. Similar to how they sleep in the oddest position that we would view as very uncomfortable. Here are a few babies back when I was raising them yeas ago. They did this on their own, you couldn't have posed them any better.



https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/30020/full

 

[Claudiusx]

Omg that photo is great!
How can you look at that and not smile!

-Brandon

 

[AHBD]

I know, sweet little dudes.

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[kingofnobbys]

I have Cleo and Caesar ( from the same breeder , but different clutches , Cleo is about 3 weeks younger than Caesar and half his size, but she's the dominant of the two ) housed together in a 120 L rearing tube , two hides , two basking spots and I never feed them together. So far so good , the pair are 6 months old and seem to get on very nicely together.

I don't think this will last , but keep a very close eye on things , the instant I see any physical stuff they will be separated.
I have a spare 120L rearing tub ready set up and ready to go as soon as need it. And have Peppa and Toothless's old 4ft x 2ft tanks mothballed ( and ready to be replaced when I get some home improvements done ( new DIYS aluminium CONNECTIT framed double decker 2 bay tank is in the future for Caesar and Cleo ).

When young , you can often get away with housing multiple hatchlings and juveniles together if you are careful to provide more than one hides, basking spots and more food than they need per meal to ensure everyone get's their needs.

 

[AHBD]

Babies raised together for a while is perfectly acceptable as they hatch out 20 -30 + at a time but you need to set them up in groups of 5-8 at most in large tubs with plenty of basking areas like you said. Here's a typical set up, and I fed them directly in the tub.

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29895/full

Out in the sun in a kiddie pool ! They need a lot of partial to full shade to prevent overheating, don't be fooled.

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29981/full

KON, I would be super careful of having a larger juvie male with a female, they can become hormonal + try to mate before you know it and harm a smaller dragon of either sex but I'm sure you're keeping an eye on them. Get the new tub ready ! .

 

[kingofnobbys]

Babies raised together for a while is perfectly acceptable as they hatch out 20 -30 + at a time but you need to set them up in groups of 5-8 at most in large tubs with plenty of basking areas like you said. Here's a typical set up, and I fed them directly in the tub.

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29895/full

Out in the sun in a kiddie pool ! They need a lot of partial to full shade to prevent overheating, don't be fooled.

https://www.beardeddragon.org/media/29981/full

KON, I would be super careful of having a larger juvie male with a female, they can become hormonal + try to mate before you know it and harm a smaller dragon of either sex but I'm sure you're keeping an eye on them. Get the new tub ready ! .

I'm keeping a very close eye on Caesar , moving towards spring here soon and I will be separating them the moment she starts armwaving and he starts headbobbing.
So far it been Caesar doing all the armwaving at her and the big and little skinks ( I think he's a bit scared of Fluffy , all she has to do is give him a cursory head nod and he wants back in the tub and heads under one of the hides.... he's a real sook ).
Cleo on the other hand is fascinated by the skinks and wont go back into her shared tub unless I let her say hello to the BT, Fluffy and yes she's noticed Itchy & Scratchy.


Tub is ready , all it needs is to be plugged in.

 

[JayDrinksMilk]

I just got the 55 gallon for mi and am keeping sky in the 20 gallon and they’re already doing better. Even juveniles can be very aggressive and should be separated as soon as you can. My two babies (one about 1 month and the other 3) had already started showing aggressive behavior. I found sky’s (the younger one) foot slightly damage when I got home from picking up the tank.
Please for your beardies health, don’t keep them together longer than absolutely necessary! It can often come at random times for seemingly random reasons.

 

[AHBD]

Definitely the right move. As babies that are hatched in large groups they are always raised together to a certain size but once they begin outgrowing each other the separation according to size is very important. If an owner just has a few dragons it's a must to separate male + female especially .