Stacking?

[NobleDescent]

So I've heard that beardies stacking is a show of dominance, but recently I've seen my smaller female laying on my larger male. Is this still a show of dominance? Because I haven't heard of this before.

 

[brittani299]

Do you house them together? Get them seperated. They can really hurt each when housed together. They need to have their own cages. Beardies aren't social animals with their own kind

 

[NobleDescent]

Do you house them together? Get them seperated. They can really hurt each when housed together. They need to have their own cages. Beardies aren't social animals with their own kind

Well the lady I received them from got them at the same time, when they were babies, and they have yet to harm each other in their two years together. They genuinely don't seem to mind each other, and will often lay together, especially at night. I was just wondering if it was more of affectionate gesture in this situation.

 

[brittani299]

There are a lot of people that say that they where raised together and they won't harm each other. But then they go check on them and the male has bite, killed, or seriously hurt the female. I have read of them being housed together for other a year and then one day one is dead. I am really just trying to help you. It is in the best interest that they are seperated.

 

[sweetpea1981]

It is not affection....here is a link to read, after reading that then you can make your own informed choice and whatever happens will be on your hands.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=154908

 

[NobleDescent]

Well then, by all means, please tell me what I should do, seeing as I have neither the money nor space for another enclosure in my house, and selling one is not an option.

 

[brittani299]

How big is the tank they are in now? Also you can get cheap cages off of Craigslist most of the time or sometimes petco has the $1 per gallon sale which is great.

 

[Erok000]

Well then, by all means, please tell me what I should do, seeing as I have neither the money nor space for another enclosure in my house, and selling one is not an option.

do your research before you buy an animal. You would have learned of the cohabitation issues. :study:

 

[w0554096]

If you're tank is big enough, you can put a divider in it to seperate them. You would need to get another set of lights, but it was save you getting a whole new enclosure. Cohabitation is an ongoing battle of dominance. All the time. So the female on top of the male, the male on top of the female, who gets to the food bowl first, etc, are little dominance quests.
Cohabitation is a very controvertial subject, however there has been substantial evidence that has been collected on how dragons thrive alone vs. being house together.

 

[ohmybandit]

There have been success stories for cohabilitation. And hey, two years together of no issues, that's awesome! You may have a successful pair. Everyone is just trying to look out for everyone's best interest but these are YOUR pets. Not theirs. If you want to keep them together and you don't see bullying or attacks, keep doing what your doing if I had a successful pair together for years, I wouldn't Seperate them just because some people on a forum go after me for it.

 

[Soulwind]

In addition to all the cohabbing issues of dominance, you've also got to worry about breeding.

Put a male and a female together and sooner or later, you're going to have a pregnant female.

If you don't have the room or money for a seperate cage, are you going to have the room or money
for a lay box (pretty much required if you want the female to stay healthy), incubator and enclosures
for several dozen babies (assuming you don't just kill the eggs).

Plus males can and will pester the female to mate too young, too often, never letting her get any rest, etc.

 

[Momomo]

Well then, by all means, please tell me what I should do, seeing as I have neither the money nor space for another enclosure in my house, and selling one is not an option.

You can at least divide the tank if its big enough. If you are not worried about the dominance and possible sudden aggression issues, then what about mating? What will you do if your female becomes pregnant, seeing as you don't have money nor space for the babies?