Bearded dragons are one of the most interesting pets anyone could have. They are great for anyone new to reptiles and are pretty low maintenance in all the reptilian pets. However, you might be wondering if these docile creatures will do great with your previous furry fellows. Or you want to add other amphibians and reptiles to the family and are worried if they could get along.
In this article, we have talked all about the behavior of bearded dragons with other pets. Which animals are a potential threat to their existence or their predators? Which animals can be threatened by them or are their prey? Let us learn in detail. Do not forget to note down the key points in your pet diary.
Table of Contents
Can Bearded Dragon Live With Other Pets?
Yes, bearded dragons can happily live with other pets. They can have an amiable relation with other reptile species, including lizards, turtles, and tortoises. Moreover, they also get along very well with furry fellows, including cats and dogs.
Bearded dragons are very docile pets. They may look frightening but are pretty welcoming and loving for all. However, the development of aggressive behaviors is natural if any species is suppressing it or become a threat to its existence. Moreover, if something is bothering it all the time or your pet is not feeling comfortable in its presence, it will try to get rid of it.
Here we will discuss the possible options you can have if you think of getting bearded dragon a partner:
Important Considerations While Inhabiting different species:
These are the important considerations you need to take care when co-inhabiting more than one species.
- If you keep more than one specie in a room, make sure they can thrive in the same climate.
- Although it is not recommended to allow different species to share one tank, it can be done temporarily.
- If you are making different species share the housing, make sure it is wide enough to accommodate both.
- The species in the same housing must not be in a predator or prey relationship.
- The housing which more than one individual of the same specie or different species is sharing must have the same conditions in every corner. By conditions, I mean providing equal light, heat, more basking spots, twigs, aquatic areas to all individuals. Otherwise, there is a high chance of competition between them.
- Make sure you do not leave the animals sharing the single housing unattended—moreover, no leftover food in the tank.
- The species sharing housing must be mild in temperament and almost equal to age and strength.
- It is better to avoid letting two adult males share the housing.
- If you need to house together, a better option is always grouping herbivores while keeping carnivores separately.
- The housing for a single bearded dragon is 50-80 gallons. So, if you want to place any other species inside, make sure the space is large enough to house them well. For example: If you want to place two bearded dragons in a tank, you need to have at least 120 gallons of space.
- Housing more animals in a single place call for more often cleaning the terrarium. Bearded dragons are very prone to parasites and infections. So, it would be best to make sure the substrate and every corner of the tank are clean. Do spot cleaning twice daily, rough cleaning every other day, and deep cleaning once a week if you have more than one animal in a tank.
- Always quarantine a new pet(even if it is of the same species) for 15 to 30 days before introducing it to a bearded dragon. By quarantining, I mean keeping it in a separate room for a time and then allowing it to contact your already existing pets.
The ideal situation is giving your pets different housing even if they are in the same room. The temporary encounters seem more tolerable than continuous ones where individuals have to share things.
Can Bearded Dragons Live With Other Bearded Dragons?
Bearded dragons are not very social. However, owing to their mild temperament, they can live well with other pets.
When it comes to their relationship with other bearded dragons, it is not very recommended.
Keeping Two Male Bearded Dragons:
Two male bearded dragons in one tank do not get along!
It is because there are more chances of competition over everything and territorial behaviors. The healthier and elder bearded dragon will always win, causing others to starve to death. Also, owing to these dominant behaviors, they will be indulged in constant fights causing severe injuries to both.
Learn more about bearded dragons biting behaviors in another article: Do bearded dragons Bite?
If you want to keep more than one bearded dragon, make sure you give each of them separate living space. Moreover, they should avoid contact as much as possible.
Keeping Two Female Bearded Dragons:
Well, in female beardies, there are much fewer chances of the fight. They do not have dominant behaviors. However, they can still indulge in aggressive moves. So, it is better to avoid keeping them together.
However, if you want to keep them temporarily until you arrange a new home, that is completely fine. Do not forget to keep an eye on them when they are staying together.
Keeping A Female And A Male Bearded Dragon Together:
If you want to keep two bearded dragons in a tank, the best choice is to keep a male and a female bearded dragon. However, if your beardies are not neutered or spayed, controlling the reproduction rate won’t be easy.
So, if you aim to breed your bearded dragons, then keeping two opposite genders together for the time being and then giving them a separate home is a good idea. If you want to control the reproduction rate, go for desexing your bearded dragon.
Tortoises
Tortoises are one of the safest bets if you will house any other reptile species with bearded dragons. Well, bearded dragons seem to like them. Almost no cases are reported in which there is any severe or lethal fight between the two. The casual fights for food or space may run on.
Moreover, the area must be spacious enough for the two. You can work it by supervising it continously when they are sharing the space. Make sure to house the tortoise breed having the same habitat as bearded dragon. The best tortoises to be co inhabited with bearded dragons are Russian tortoises, spurred tortoises, and leopard tortoises.
However, the best way to keep both in healthy condition is to provide both with different living spaces even if they are under the same roof.
You also need to know other important considerations if you are keeping a tortoise and a bearded dragon in the same home. We have a detailed discussion on that in another article: Can Bearded dragons live with tortoises?
Lizards
Other pets that can get along with bearded dragons are lizards. You can include multiple types of them, but the best is to include the herbivores and nocturnal ones. Nocturnal lizards have the benefit over others owing to their different activity time.
While bearded dragons are most active during the day, nocturnal lizards wake up at night. However, that calls for more living space, so no species disturbs the resting time of any. The limited interaction time will limit the chances of the fight between both species.
While getting any lizard, make sure they share the same habitat with your bearded dragon. So, in this respect, getting geckos will be the best option.
The lizard species don’t necessarily need to be nocturnal in its activity pattern to live well with a bearded dragon. Any mild temperament lizard can do great.
Many zoo owners have housed blue Tongue skinks and Shingleback lizards with bearded dragons.
To have more knowledge about lizards, the nocturnal ones and the ones who have the closest habitat to that of bearded dragons, you can check the article: Lizards as Pets
Cats And Dogs
If you are wondering about getting a furry fellow to live with a bearded dragon, it might work. However, due to their huge size, bearded dragons will instinctively think of dogs and cats as predators. So, you need to be smart when you introduce the two pets to each other.
Always keep it slow and gradual. The first meet must be for few minutes. Let the two species explore and sniff each other. Once they get used to each other, they will know that they pose no harm. You can increase the meet time every day by 2-3 minutes.
Never allow your pets to come close in your absence. No matter how mild the temperament is or how well behaved they are in your presence. Pets are very unpredictable. One moment they are all lovey-dovey, the very next moment, they are ready to kill each other over a small thing. So, always supervise your pets when they are near to each other to avoid any unpleasant happening.
Always look for the signs of aggression in your pet. In dogs, it can be barking, stretching the body, etc. In bearded dragons, it can be hissing and puffing. So, look for any of the signs that show your pet is uncomfortable in the presence of any. Separate them from each other the very instant.
Most of the time, the attacking side is that of your furry fellow. So, watch out! They are big, have more power and can cause more damage.
How To Add Another Reptile
Once you have to make sure you have all the right accessories to keep another pet with your bearded dragon, you are ready to introduce one in the tank.
However, you can‘t just grab and hop a new one in front of an existing one.
Make sure you quarantine your new pet for a fortnight or a month, depending on the type of species. It would be best if you also had the new species completely examined by your pet to avoid the chance of the spread of infection between the two.
Now, recheck the humidity and heat requirement for both the pets, and check on the indicators.
Now, it is the time of formal introduction. Introduce the pets outside the tank for the first time. Let them check each other. First, keep the introduction time short. You can then increase it.
Learning your pet’s behaviors towards each other, you can then start their introduction in the tank. Remember, keeping it gradual is the key. Do not force anything on any of them. Let them know each other at their own pace. If one is not comfortable in anyone others presence, or the two fight with each other, keep them separate for another week. You can then again introduce them to each other.
Have patience. It will be worth it.
Do Bearded Dragons Need A Tank Mate?
Bearded dragons are not very social creatures like most reptiles. They do not need other partners to live happily.
In the wild, too, bearded dragons usually live individually, except for the mating seasons. Introducing a new species or more bearded dragon in the tank is completely your choice.
However, make sure you don’t compromise with the space and living essentials in doing all this. Let both pets live happily separately, even if they are housed at the same place.
Conclusion
Many pet species with mild temperaments do well with bearded dragons. However, you have to know the living conditions of the other pets and their behaviors completely before you introduce them to each other. As far as the likeness depends, bearded dragons get habitual and mean no harm to other fellows. If you think it’s likeness, then yes. Bearded dragons do not mind sharing the housing with other fellows. However, if any of them calls for the threat to their existence, they will respond too.
I hope this article helped you make a wise choice. In case of any query, you may comment down below. We would be happy to help.
I am a graduate of a veterinary university. Dealing with all the kinds of pets from the dawn to dusk, it’s like understanding their language. That is the best time ever, I must say!
Writing has always been my orphenadrine. I love to share my experience and talk about the most common issues people have been facing with their pets. My writing career began in 2015. I aimed to work for pets to share my experience and make pet humans relation a lot better. I usually talk about the most significant or recurrent cases of the day. During my practice at pet centre, I face a lot of questions by pet owners. Moreover, I also own a variety of pets myself including different species of mammals, birds and reptiles.
Therefore, I have decided to educate all the pet owners about their little friends who can’t talk the way we do. Understanding what they are telling us is all we need to do. And most of us fail to perceive.
So, I am here to serve the purpose. Let’s help each other in better understanding the needs, behaviours, and problems of our best friends with the best possible solutions!
