Do bearded dragons get lonely?
Do bearded dragons get lonely? No, bearded dragons like other reptiles are adapted to a life of solitary. Humans and mammals at large have developed parts of the brains that reward them for social interactions. Bearded dragons do not need to form associations and trust in groups as they are well adapted to living on their own.
Wild bearded dragons, for instance, are creatures of the wild who love on their own. They do not form any groups, and they enjoy going about their businesses all by themselves. Even without interacting with others, these creatures do well on their own and are healthy and content. Since being alone is their way of line, bearded dragons do not get lonely.
Can you keep two bearded dragons together in a shared aquarium or tank?
Bearded dragons do not have developed parts of the brain that thrive on brotherhood and creating groups. However, these reptiles can tolerate each other as much as possible. You will, however, notice that they will spend all day competing. Expect frequent fights over the warmest corner of the tank. You may also have to give up leaving food in the cage as they will fight for the food, and one may starve.
Male and female bearded dragons- when a male and a female are enclosed in the same tank, they will breed, of course. It’s a great option if you are trying to start a nursery f bearded dragon or something. However, the male will breed the female beardie so much that she will become malnutrition from too much egg-laying. The female may also exhibit high levels of stress, which may be detrimental or even lead to death. So, after breeding a couple of times if necessary, male and female beardies should be separated.
Male and male- this is possibly the worst arrangement you can think of for a pair of bearded dragons. Bearded dragons are very territorial. As soon as you introduce two male bearded dragons, they will kill each other. If they are patient enough, time will tell, but the end result is always extreme harm or death. Beardies are likely to fight over territories also as each will want a share of the warmest area or water bowl.
Female and female- females always find a way to coexists. It is, therefore, safe to keep two female bearded dragons together. However, since bearded dragons are generally aggressive and territorial in nature, fights may arise every now and then. Female beardies can also be very aggressive when they are stressed, and they may harm the other.
Another arrangement that can work is two females and male bearded dragons in the same tank. That way, no single female will be exhausted from overbreeding. However, never keep two boys together for the safety of both.
Factors to consider when keeping two bearded dragons together
Gender- two male bearded dragons should never be made to share a single aquarium tank. Females coexist peacefully, and so do a male and female or two. You should also never house a female below two years in a tank with a male. Also, if you do not want your bearded dragon to reproduce, do not keep them in the same tank unless they are not of sexual maturity age.
The size- never introduce two bearded dragons with different sizes to live together. The bigger bearded dragon can pause as a significant challenge to the smaller one. If fights occur, there is no telling how hurt the smaller one will be. Also, the bigger dragon is likely to snatch up all the food from the small fellow, and that could lead to starvation.
Newbies- new bearded dragons who are just being introduced should never be kept in the same tank as old ones for at least 30 days. Remember that newbies are still shy and need time to come out of their shells. Also, it’s a way of protecting the other dragons from contacting health complications the new dragon may have.
Watch out for signs of aggression- bearded dragons are very aggressive. You should, therefore, watch out for signs like bobbing their heads, puffed up beards, and hissing at each other. You may separate them if they are doing too much harm to each other. You can also increase the duration of each encounter the two bearded dragons have until it is safe for you to leave them on their own.
What is a suitable environment to support bearded dragons living together?
Beardies are not the simplest to keep in the same aquarium or tank. If you must house them together, here are a few guidelines for a successful coexisting.
Ensure that you are housing them in a large enclosure- as we had mentioned earlier, bearded dragons are very territorial animals. They like to have their own ample space and resources. A large tank or aquarium will ensure everyone can stay in their own corner without ever meeting.
Provide sufficient basking spots and water- if you are housing two bearded dragons, especially, it’s essential to provide enough amenities. You should offer more basking spots that are far from each other, if possible. You can also offer different water and feeding points as these reptiles are very territorial. You need to ensure that each of them is getting ample space to avoid quarrels.
Provide enough food- for you to prevent fights over food, provide more than enough food for your beardies. You should also spread the food out to different corners to avoid competition over territories. You can also increase your eating duration.
Bonding with your bearded dragon
Even though we have seen that beardies are not very social creatures, you should look for ways to bond with them as their pet parent. Pet beardies are more welcoming compared to the wild ones.
- Handling your pet
As a newbie pet owner, you may feel like your bearded dragon is getting lonely because of staying alone all day in the cage. Even though they are not precisely lonely, bearded dragons are one reptile that loves being handled. It’s like they enjoy the heat for your body.
One of the many reasons bearded dragons are recommended for newbies is because of their ease to handle. A bearded dragon will enjoy sitting on your shoulder and being massaged on the head. They love being taken out of their vivarium once in a while and taken to the sun to bask.
However, remember, just like human beings and other mammals, every bearded dragon or reptile at that has its own behaviors and personality. Bearded dragons will often express themselves. You should be in a position to understand when your beardie does not want to be handled or when they are showing aggressive behavior.
If you want to know that your bearded dragon is enjoying your company, they will bob their heads when being petted, remain still when you hold them in your hand, sleep with their eyes closed when you are around them or holding them and stay close to you when you take them out of the tank. Even when you set them on the ground when they are out of their tank, they will find their way to you and climb onto your hands or foot. These reptiles thrive for human attention and love.
If you have just got your bearded dragon from a shelter or pet store, they may not take handling too well at first. You can slowly introduce them to petting by holding them in your hands for short periods, say 10-15 minutes as they adapt to it. You can pet them for more extended periods and even multiple times a day. However, remember that not all bearded dragons enjoy being handled.
It’s also important to remember to wash your hand before and after handling the bearded dragon. Reptiles carry some form of salmonella, which is transmittable to humans. You may also carry bacteria to your bearded dragon.
- Spend time together
Apart from taking them out of their shelter to sit on your shoulder, creating a hobby can be a great idea. A bearded dragon is a playful and active reptile, so whatever hobby you pick will not be much of a problem.
You can also customize their asks for them to play on their own. Instead of setting up a bowl in the corner alone, you should create places for them to hide and lean against, such as placing a tree branch inside. They can climb on the smaller branches and play on it. It also helps them in developing their muscles and body parts.
By giving them away to play and enjoy themselves, even when they are not in your hands, you can watch them play. That is a way of bonding on itself. You can also take them outside but be watchful, or they may disappear.
Your bearded dragon will not get lonely or upset fir that matter because they do not have a friend. On the contrary, that is their joy. Bearded dragons should not, therefore, be made to share their homes or enclosure with any other animal. You can get rid of that fear right now!