Can Bearded Dragons Live Together? 3 Risk
Nowadays, it is a trend to own bearded dragons worldwide, and they are one of the most popular pets in reptiles. People consider having multiple bearded dragons and keeping them in the same tank.
When you purchase a bearded dragon, pet shop owners always try to sell them in groups. They always say these creature love to live together, but is it true? Do they love to live together? Many people trust them and purchase bearded dragons in a group.
However, the question here is, can bearded dragons live together? Let’s know about it.
Can Bearded Dragons Live Together?
No, and they cannot live together. However, many people manage to keep them together without any problems but not all.
It would help if you did not keep bearded dragons together. These creatures are solitary reptiles by nature and are also loners and do not prefer company.
Therefore, housing more than one reptile is dangerous because they create problems like fights, battles for dominance, etc. Especially male bearded dragons are aggressive and territorial, fighting for their territories. However, you can think of keeping male and female bearded dragons together if you have a large tank.
3 Risks of Keeping Bearded Dragons Together
There are many reasons why two or more bearded dragons should not live together. Keeping more bearded dragons in an identical tank is acceptable for some time, but only for a short time. In the beginning, you will not witness any problems, but later it will be risky. As you know, these reptiles live and hunt alone in the wild and prefer to be alone.
Let us look at problems bearded dragons can create while living together in the same tank.
1: Fight for Dominance
Bearded dragons are solitary reptiles, and they get angry if these reptiles are suddenly forced to live with another bearded dragon. If they live together, there will often be a fight for dominance, and male bearded dragons can quickly start a war and harm each other. However, on the other hand, female bearded dragons can live with another female beardie.
Even there can be fights between a young and adult bearded dragon because adult beardies usually bully young ones.
2: Living Together Can Cause Stress
If bearded dragons live together, they indeed will fight for dominance. These fights for dominance will cause stress. It can be stressful for both the bearded dragons fighting for dominance.
The pressure can lead to loss of appetite, and sometimes the less dominant bearded dragon may get sick. It can be harmful to bearded dragons because they can even die due to a lack of food. Food is the only thing that supports all the growth.
3: Fight for Food
When Bearded Dragons live together, they start fighting. They fight for everything, especially food.
Big and more dominant dragons bully the small ones and even take most of the food offered. Due to these fights, the other Dragon has nothing to eat.
If you want to keep two dragons, put them in separate enclosures. If you keep them in the same space, make sure to hand-feed both of your bearded Dragons.
6 Ways to Protect Bearded Dragons Living Together
It is difficult to monitor the behavior of bearded dragons living together, and these creatures can fight even under observation. You must be very careful while monitoring and watching the behaviors of bearded dragons living together. Below are a few steps to follow to keep the bearded dragons together without harm.
1: Never Keep Males Together
Always remember you should never keep male bearded dragons together. The male is aggressive, and they fight for their territory. They even become aggressively territorial when defending their breeding rights in the summer and fall. It doesn’t matter if they are siblings or grew up together; they will fight each other. The fight between bearded dragons is severe, or one might get injured.
2: Keep Different Size Bearded Dragons Separate
You should keep small bearded dragons away from adult bearded dragons. Baby bearded dragons usually get bullied by adults. Apart from that, small dragons need their resources. Additionally, minors suffer far more damage from an attack.
3: Keep Bearded Dragons in Large Enclosures
Bearded dragons need a prominent place to live. Providing large indoor and outdoor enclosures is good for them. Bearded dragons are active when young, so they need a vast area to move around. For giant bearded dragons, there are more opportunities to find respite when in danger. Therefore, make sure to provide a big enclosure for your bearded dragon.
4: Multiple Basking Spots
Beaded dragons need a proper space for basking. Reptiles can detect minute variations in rock and branch heights and locations and access to elevated basking areas that would go unnoticed by humans. They can adjust at various sizes without competing if several base places have variable heights.
5: Provide Refuge
Several caves, crannies, and cracks with entrances and exits can use as hiding spots and escape routes. You may create hiding spots with branches, rocks, grass, and other things. So your bearded dragon can find a place to hide.
6: Reduce Food Competition
It will help if you establish a feeding schedule for your bearded dragons to prevent rivalry. Distribute the food so they can eat whenever they feel to it. It will avoid fights between bearded dragons.
Conclusion
Can bearded dragons live together? Bearded dragons love to live alone. However, you can see bearded dragons live together in zoos. There they are given a vast area to live. There they live together because the place is enormous, and all the bearded dragons have their territories there.
At home, you can not provide ample space like a zoo. Therefore, never keep two or more bearded dragons together in the same tank. If you want more than one bearded dragon, put them in separate tanks to prevent fights.
FAQs
Can two male bearded dragons live together?
You should avoid keeping male beardies together if you want peace. Male bearded dragons are aggressive and territorial, and you can see the most fierce and violent fight over dominance. Male bearded dragons usually like to live alone because they want their territory. Keeping them together harms one of them because their battles typically end with severely injuring one or both reptiles.
Can a male and female bearded dragon live together?
You can put a male and female bearded dragon together. However, you need to be aware of a few things and some potential issues.
Can two female bearded dragons live together?
It is safe to keep two female bearded dragons in one tank, and it will work because female bearded dragons are not aggressive and usually show no territorial behavior. However, in rear cases, even female bearded dragons can start to attack each other.
Can adult and baby bearded dragons live together?
It is not a good idea if you plan to put a baby bearded dragon in the same tank along with an adult bearded dragon. You are putting your baby reptile in danger, and it will get bullied and intimidated by the adult bearded dragon.
Therefore, always put a baby dragon away from the adult.
Can two baby bearded dragons live together?
If you want to put two baby bearded dragons together, you should know a few things. At first, both baby bearded dragons will get along well in the same enclosure. However, they become aggressive over time. As soon as they become aggressive, it would help if you separate them.