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Q: Coexisting Bearded Dragons?
Posted By:

Leiren

In Relation To:

Stumpy

Long story short my mom picked up a bearded dragon this weekend for herself and now im officially hooked and I want one for myself.

I have done some research and it does say I can have more than one bearded dragon (adults and babies) housed together,so I was curious how this works. I know you can't house two males together and all that but is there any special way that I need to introduce two bearded dragons to each other? Is it okay for a bigger bearded dragon to live with even a teeny tiny baby or will the bigger one pick on him? Does the "no more than one male" rule apply to babies/teenage beardies or just adults that are sexually mature.

I mean basically could I just go back to the show next month and pick up a new baby and pop it in the tank with the other one and it all be okay,or should I just set up a new tank for it to beon the safe side anyways?
Points: 50
Topics: General Health , Caging
Tags: Caging, Cohabitation, Size
Species: Lizards > Lizards > Pogona vitticeps
Administrative: Show/Hide
Member Comment 9/21/2009 8:56:44 AM

Krestie Kate
As far as I know No you can't put babays with adults. In crested geckos the adults will eat the babys. i'm assumeing the same rule would aply with beardies. Also the larger animals will bully and try and eat as much food as possible leaveing none for the little guy.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 10:12:38 AM

Sonja K. Reptiles
When I got my beardie, I was told that they had to be of equivalent/similar size. That's what I did, and they've done fine. I haven't seen agressive behavior between my male and female except when I feed them the occasional roaches or pinky. I have to separate them for that. Veggies they eat fine together. I should also say, that my pair were a little over a year old when I got them, so not sure how it'd be with younger ones.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 2:02:28 PM

GarbrechtRE
I have a few friends who breed beardies and they keep them all 1:2 adults.
 
Author Comment 9/21/2009 2:24:14 PM

Leiren
haha yeah I haven't found any websites that explain it very well so now im just asking out of experience.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 2:42:07 PM

shellboa
I have successfully introduced a new female into an exsisting pair of older dragons. I have also raised two males together until about 1 1/2 years before they needed to be seperated.  If the older dragon is less than 1/3 larger than the new dragon it should be ok if they are opposite sexes. An older female will generally be more tolerant of a smaller male or female. An older male will be territorial no matter what. You might try a temporary set up for the new one and introduce them out of the cage for a while before trying to integrate them. That is how I got my new female in with the pair.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 4:26:17 PM

Floof
I've heard it both ways... "NEVER co-hab beardies" and "They'll be fine!" My advice is to play it safe and keep them separate.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 5:09:41 PM

Sparkle
At the shows, they put a towel or piece of cardboard between the adult tank and the babies' tanks, because the adults will go nuts trying to get at the babies to eat them.  And that's all I know about beardies!  :)  I'd tend to agree with Kate, anything that's small enough to fit in the mouth of the adult probably WILL, at some point.  All the beardies I've ever seen together are around similar size.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 5:28:32 PM

dalvers63
this is one of those situations that just because you CAN do it, doen'st mean that it would be a good idea. Definitely never put a youngster in with an adult, cause they will get eaten. Even larger babies will prey on their smaller siblings if possible.

If you want to house them together, make sure that the cage is big enough and then watch them. Be prepared to have to house them seperately and if all goes well you won't have to do so.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 5:37:07 PM

Joseph Jenkins
You would need a large cage to cohab, 7-9 square feet.

MUST be same size beardies.

If older than 6 months or longer than 12-14 inches, they will need to be seperated unless you have female and female.
Males will mate with the females which shouldn't be done if the female is less than 2 years old.  Males will fight.

So if u don't have 2 females or the appropriate cage size, then u will be better off housing seperately.
 
Member Comment 9/21/2009 10:53:55 PM

Geckofactor
I'd keep them seperate.  I've had babies eat each others tails and toes and had adults beat each other up over food or just out of being in a bad mood.  Also beardie breeding can get pretty violent and you don't want a male and female together constantly because the male will beat the crap out out the female always trying to breed unless you get a really dominant female or a really submissive male.
 
Author Comment 9/22/2009 1:06:12 AM

Leiren
Okay so,bigger beardie with smaller baby = no,

but is two babies together okay,just two babies and not like a older one with them?
 
Member Comment 9/22/2009 7:51:20 AM

Krestie Kate
only if there both female.
 
Member Comment 9/22/2009 8:23:10 AM

Kingsnake King
    When I was breeding them I would keep 5 together 2 males and 3 females but I would look for a sub. male to finish the group. I never had any problems as long as there was plenty of food, but thats alot of food at one time. Plus they were in cages that were 4 feet x 8 feet x 2 feet tall with many basking spots and places to sit . If you are gone for big parts of the day, dont put them together untill you have 2 days to watch them, and everyone is right, a baby beardie is food for an adult. 
 
Member Comment 9/25/2009 7:50:42 PM

jenerallizationn
I keep an adult male and female together in a 75 gallon...I raised the male from birth and the female I obtained as an adult.  After some introducing they were best buds, although the female is the dominant one and my male shows no signs of ever attempting to mate.  I do feed them seperately so there are no fights over meals, but from my experience I've had no problems raising a male and a female of similar size with decent temperaments together.  They cuddle and it's actually quite cute :).  And housing babies with adults is definately a big no no.  I would try housing 2 of similar size together, but have another tank as a back-up in case they start fighting. 
 
Member Comment 9/25/2009 9:47:31 PM

dalvers63
Reptiles don't "cuddle", they aren't mammals. What they're doing is competing for resources, be it hiding spots, basking spots, etc. Though you haven't had any problems yet I have talked to enough people to decide that it's just not a good idea to keep them together.
 
Member Comment 9/26/2009 3:59:56 PM

jenerallizationn
In reply to the above post, although I realize that they are sharing a basking spot etc, it does look like they are cuddling together in the hammock I set up and I do think I have a right to imagine they are and it's enjoyable for many to watch. Also, if you follow the general rules of housing/adequate resources/same size/females/even 1 male to tank, it's rarely a problem keeping them together, and I don't anticipate problems as mine are basically done maturing.  I'm not sure who you talked to, but many of the people who posted above me agree they can coexist under certain conditions, and after actually HAVING the experience of owning them, I'm pretty sure I have a valid opinion and would know enough to not house them together if there were problems to be expected. 
 
Member Comment 9/27/2009 11:38:30 AM

titus
Though it can and has been done, there's lots to think about. Female with female is your idea pairing if want to keep them in the same cage but even this can be a hard depending on the dragons additued. You will have to provided them with plenty of space and two of everything including basking areas. Your going to want to keep them from fighting for the best hide, basking area, and food bowl. Last thing to think of is health issues, if one gets sick you'll end up having to treat them both or at least put one in quarintene, All in all you'll end up needing another cage anyway, unless your years with them are compleatly problem free. I'm not saying at all that you can't keep them together. It's just best if you at least have another cage there, incase one gets sick or they don't get along.
 
Accepted Answer 9/27/2009 10:59:12 PM

ChelsBrown
I don't think I'd ever try to put my beardy with another, but I know plenty of people has success with it.
Here are some general rules about housing any reptiles together.

1.) NO babies with adults, ALWAYS make sure they're of similar size (and same species)
2.) NEVER two males together
3.) If you're going to try it, make sure you have a plan b (extra enclosure) incase a fight breaks out and you need to seperate, these things can go horribly wrong.

and lastly, Remember they WILL compete for resources, so even if they are peaceful together it's important they have there own space (hides, basking spots) and enough food to go around (try seperate dishes). Also, the enclosure is going to have to be pretty large.
 
Member Comment 1/17/2011 7:42:38 AM

abi21491

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Member Comment 7/6/2011 3:02:31 PM

4loveofdragons

If they are *very* close in size it might work.  Only if they have a TON of space, multiple basking spots (so there is no need to fight), copious food options, seperate hides, or a really big one. I wouldn't recommend it if they are any more than two inches difference in size. And certainly do not put a full grown anywhere near a baby! We don't even let our 5 month go near our 2 month olds. 

I am having success thus far with housing my two babies, clem and cosmas, in the same tank but we are sure to give them plenty of space, despite this they still hang around each other all day and we have never had a fight. Except in the beginning, there was a lot of head bobbing and waving, standing on one another and all that beardie socialization stuff. We only did it because they are so close in size and so very young.  I have read that if they are raised together they will be fine in the same tank and so far they are.
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