Bearded dragons are one of the most popular pet reptiles and of course most people want to have more than one bearded dragon. However, can bearded dragons live together or are they loners?
Bearded dragons are loners and should not be kept together in the same terrarium. Male bearded dragons are territorial and will definitely fight off another male in their territory. Sometimes males and females or multiple females can be kept together, but that depends on the tank size.
Many people can´t believe that, but it is the truth. Before you leave this website now and just think to yourself that I must be wrong, read further to understand why bearded dragons sometimes get along with each other, why pet shops always sell beardies in groups and what you can do if you have two bearded dragons and don´t know what to do.
Can Bearded Dragons Live Together? The Explanation
Before anything else, I want to explain to you why bearded dragons should not be kept together. I know that almost every pet shop happily sells bearded dragons in a group and I also know that many people manage to keep bearded dragons together without any problems.
However, the truth is that bearded dragons do not live in a group in the wild.
Male bearded dragons have their territory in the wild and every other male bearded dragon will be threatened and if needed fought off. That´s why bearded dragons bob their heads and wave and stuff like that.
They communicate mostly with other bearded dragons in their territory.
Think about that, bearded dragons do not warn each other in case of a threat. The only communication they have is dominance and submission (and everything related to mating, but that´s another story).
So bearded dragons do not have any “group language”. They can only say: “I am the boss, get out!” or “You are the boss, I am leaving!”.
A female bearded dragon that enters a male´s territory will be convinced to mate. If the female wants to mate, they mate and then the female bury the eggs and leave. If the female does not want to mate it will leave the territory.
There is no living in a group, there is no partnership – bearded dragons are loners.
Can A Male Bearded Dragon Live With A Female?
From what you have read above you might have noticed that male bearded dragons do not attack female bearded dragons. So does that mean that you can keep female and male bearded dragons together?
The answer is: it depends. Sometimes female and male bearded dragons tolerate each other, however they do not need each other, make no mistake here.
It can also happen that the male bearded dragon harrasses the female bearded dragon because it wants to mate. That means a lot of constant stress for the female bearded dragon. This can ultimately lead to bloody fights and even to the death of one of both bearded dragons.
Some bearded dragon owners keep multiple female with one male because of that. This will make sure that not one and the same female will be bothered constantly.
Can Two Female Bearded Dragons Live Together?
Keeping multiple female bearded dragons in one tank can work. Female bearded dragons normally show no territorial behavior and that makes it easier to keep them in a group. However, even female bearded dragons can start to attack each other.
Are You Sure It Is A Female?
Let´s be honest, are you sure that your female bearded dragon is a female and the male is really a male? Especially when you have bought two babys at a pet shop, you probably just know what the guy in the pet shop told you, but you are not sure.
There are some easy methods to check if your bearded dragon is a male or if it is a female. If you want to check what gender your bearded dragons are, read this article.
However, even if you have checked that, you still can´t be sure that your female is a female and your male a male. Why?
Well, male bearded dragons have the ability to suppress their real gender when they are living with another male bearded dragon that is more dominant then them. This means that you can´t really see their hemipenes and they will always behave submissive.
This can end badly, read below.
You Have More Than One Bearded Dragon And Everything Is Fine?
So maybe you are one of the bearded dragon keepers who keep more than one bearded dragon in one tank and you don´t really believe what I am saying here.
The thing is, it could be that one of your bearded dragon is simply suppressed and that´s why your bearded dragons do not fight. However, as you have read above, this can have heavy consequences.
It can even go so far that one bearded dragon oppresses its own gender out of fear it could get killed by another male bearded dragon. The constant stress weakens the immune system. Oppressed bearded dragons show symptoms of a sick bearded dragon.
They do not eat anymore and are less active. Oppressed bearded dragons hide all the time and show a black beard or show a complete dark coloring the whole day. Many oppressed bearded dragons are smaller than the other beardies.
Many bearded dragons that are kept together have missing toes or tail tips. That is the result of fights and bullying.
What Can You Do If You Already Have More Than One Bearded Dragon?
I know that there is a chance that you already have got more than one bearded dragon, because the pet shop told you that they can be kept in groups.
I am sorry to say that, but most pet shops only want to sell more pets and they do not care about you or the animals. Have a close look at bearded dragon in a pet shops that are kept in large groups.
Many of them have missing toes and tail tips.
So what you can do now? You have several options here, but before you do anything, you should take your bearded dragons to the vet to check what gender your bearded dragons are. This will make it easier to decide what you are going to do next.
You Could Give One Dragon Away
First, you can give one of your bearded dragons away. I know that you probably do not want to do this and I totally understand this. It is just an option and the safest way to avoid problems in the future.
Get A Second Tank Setup
Second, you can separate your bearded dragons. However, this means spending money on a second tank setup and not everbody has the money for that on demand. If you want to get a second setup I can help you with that.
Read this article on how to create a bearded dragon habitat to learn what you need for your tank. This will help you to avoid any mistakes and that you spend money on the wrong equipment.
Get More Bearded Dragons
I know this sounds totally stupid, but if you have a male and a female it could help to add two female to the habitat. This way the male will try to mate with every female from time to time, but it won´t bother the same female over and over again.
How Many Bearded Dragons Can Live Together?
That depends on the size of your habitat and it also depends on your bearded dragons behavior. As long as there is only one male and your other bearded dragons do not get opressed or attacked, it does not really matter.
Still, I recommend to only keep one bearded dragon.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is totally normal that you might have more questions now. I have listed a couple of questions below, but if any of your questions has not been answered, simply leave a message in the comment section below.
Do Bearded Dragons Need Company? I Think It Is Lonely
I actually hear this all the time. Bearded dragon owners are worried that their bearded dragon might be lonely. They feel like their bearded dragons behave weirdly when they are separated and they immediately think that their beardies are lonely.
That´s not true, bearded dragons do not need other bearded dragons to be happy.
But My Bearded Dragons Cuddle All The Time
This is a misinterpreted behavior as well. Your bearded dragons are only making sure that they get their body on temperature. They are looking for the best place under the heating spot. It can also be a sign of oppression or you might not have enough space in your tank.
What Tank Size Do I Need For Two Bearded Dragons?
I recommend to get at least a 100 Gallon tank. Everything below might be too small and might even intensify territorial behavior.
Conclusion
Pet shops only want your money, that´s why bearded dragons are sold in groups. Even if you keep more than one bearded dragon together and everything seems to be fine, you should always keep an eye on your bearded dragons.
Oppressed bearded dragons can become sick quickly, since they are stressed all the time.
I always recommend to keep only one bearded dragon to avoid any problems in the future. So can bearded dragons live together? Sometimes, but they don´t need other bearded dragons.
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