One of the most demanding aspects of keeping a bearded dragon is figuring out where and how it will live. Purchasing an enclosure and setting out the temperature and humidity can be highly challenging especially if you’re a beginner. However, you may have thought about the possibility of keeping two beardies along the line. Perhaps you would like to adopt another beardie and you’re wondering if two bearded dragons can coexist in the same space.
Bearded dragons can live together under the proper conditions, though it’s not recommended. They are solitary and competitive animals that are known to struggle for anything one has over the other. However, where the resources are satisfactory for both lizards, they can learn to coexist and live happily ever after.
In this article, we’d be addressing the conditions suitable for cohabitation and how to put your beardies in one tank safely and comfortably. Let’s go!
Is It Wrong For Two Beardies To Live In One Tank?
This is a debatable question with two answers; yes and no. The reason why it is not recommended for more than one bearded dragon to live in one enclosure is because they will most likely fight. Bearded dragons are not the most generous or accommodating lizards to themselves. In essence, they make the worst roommates.
For beardies to coexist, there must be plentiful resources and a minimal probability of competition. There would also be a mutual understanding between the dragons deciding which lizard is the dominant or submissive one amongst them.
Where the bearded dragons cannot come to the understanding of hierarchy and accept their roles, they simply will not be able to coexist. So, housing bearded dragons in one enclosure is more of a trial-and-error adventure; you must only do so with resources, skill, and patience. Since beardies have unique personalities, it would depend on each dragon’s docility for the coexistence to work.
4 Critical Points To Consider Before Putting More Than One Dragon In A Tank
Before you put more than one dragon in an enclosure, there are a few critical aspects you must consider about the bearded dragons listed below:
1. The Age Of The Dragons
Younger beardies will be much more susceptible to bullying compared to older dragons. Particularly in a situation where the dynamic is a younger female and mature male dragon, the females can mate and then get egg-bound if they are below the age of sexual maturity at 18 – 20 months. It’s important to put beardies of the same age group in the same tank if you intend to house different sexes.
2. The Sex Of The Beardies
Male bearded dragons are much more dominant than females, and thus, will exert more aggression. I highly do not recommend putting two males in one tank as this can lead to them fighting over dominance. A better situation will be two females or sexually mature females and a male.
3. The Temperament Of The Beardies
Some dragons are simply more aggressive than others, and some don’t show this aggression until they’re faced with other beardies. If you notice any sign of stress or predominant aggression, do not go ahead to place the bearded dragon with other beardies.
4. The Health Status Of Each Dragon
To prevent one sick dragon from infecting the other or the sick one from getting stressed by the situation, you must ensure that all the beardies are healthy and hearty. If one is down with an illness, ensure you treat it properly before introducing it to another dragon.
How To Put Two Bearded Dragons In One Enclosure
For you to successfully place more than one bearded dragon in a tank, there are requirements you must uphold. The following points will help you pull this off safely:
Get A Big, Big Tank
The key to peace in this situation is space. The more space, the better the ordeal for everybody. An ideal tank size for two beardies to live in is 80 – 100 gallons. If you consider more than two dragons, which I highly do not recommend, you must get a tank bigger than the one I have advised. This is to ensure that each beardie has personal space to retrieve into if and when it feels stressed.
Provide Multiple Basking Spots
One major aspect bearded dragons fight over is the basking. Basking spots are used as ranks to signify which dragon is the strongest. The most dominant bearded dragon in the space will assert the highest basking spot and the weakest beardie the lowest. To provide the same amount of heat, which beardies essentially need for their survival, there must be basking spots with durable heat lamps of the same heights at opposite ends of the enclosure. This way, the dragons can coexist while staying healthy.
Ensure The UVB & Temperature Is Correct
The problem with the lamps that provide UVB rays and heat is they limit your bearded dragon to one spot for the UVB rays which is highly dangerous for its skeletal health. Even worse is the case with two or more beardies in the tank. There would be certainly more competition for heat and a terrible depletion of UVB rays for each dragon.
To prevent this problem, use a fluorescent UVB lamp (view on Amazon) that can illuminate every inch of the tank, a basking lamp (view on Amazon), and improvise with ceramic heat emitters (view on Amazon) until the desired temperature is attained. The temperature should not exceed 104° to 107° Fahrenheit in hot areas and 71° to 73° Fahrenheit in shaded areas in the tank.
Provide A Food Bowl For Each Dragon
Each dragon must have its food bowl to prevent attacking one another over food. Beardie fights can get nasty leaving the weaker dragon with injuries and preventing it from feeding as it should. It’s highly crucial to ensure every dragon is feeding as well as possible.
Demarcation Is Welcome
You can make a temporary divide out of a thin non-reflective material to separate the bearded dragons until they get used to seeing themselves. You may let them mingle for a couple of hours at a time before they return to their designated spaces. This method is particularly useful if you’re interested in breeding your dragons. As long as you pay close attention to their activities, you’d enjoy the process.
Be Highly Attentive To The Dragons
Beardies can easily be stressed from situations that they are not used to. In these conditions, they will display signs of stress such as darkening of the beard, lethargy, loss of appetite, and the appearance of stress marks around the body. If you notice any of the beardies looking darker than usual or behaving abnormally, quickly remove it from the tank and isolate it.
How Can I Get My Beardies To Like One Other?
For bearded dragons to display acceptance toward one another, they must feel safe and content. Beardies see themselves as competition, and in situations where there are minimal resources, there would be no room to bond. So, you must ensure that there is no room for competition. From there, your bearded dragons can attempt to bond and like each other.
You must also give enough space and time for your beardies to grow used to themselves. Start by gradually introducing your beardies to themselves for a few hours at a time, then progressively stretch the time until you realize they’re comfortable.
How Can I Tell If One Dragon Is Getting Bullied?
If you have more than one dragon living in the same enclosure, there is a possibility of one dragon getting bullied by the more dominant ones. In this case, you should look closer for the signs that display submission as listed below:
- Hand waving
- Stress marks
- Glass surfing
- Loss of appetite
- Hiding away excessively
Can I Raise Two Baby Dragons In The Same Tank Till Adulthood?
Baby dragons can coexist peacefully in the same tank, but when they grow to the sub-adult stage, their instincts start to kick in. In a few cases, the baby beardies can grow to enjoy each other’s company without any hassle. Provided there are all the resources needed, it should go smoothly. However, you must be watchful of their progress; if you notice a negative change in demeanor amongst the dragons, quickly put them in separate tanks for their protection.
