# Female To Male Aggression - General Accounts



## WeirdzandBeardz (May 29, 2017)

Hey All,

Last evening while cleaning a some of my skinks I noticed that my Ctenophorus infans trio (MMF) began to have a scuffle. After managing the conflict and observing the reintroduction I realised the female was the instigator and escalator. They are now happily cohabiting again and being watched carefully... The purpose of this thread isn't to ask for advice or criticism on management (I'm confident in my abilities to manage them), but rather ask others about their experiences with these types of conflict. 

So my question to APS users is what instances (Breeding, out of nowhere, resources hogging, etc) have you witnessed female instigated aggression and what species? I've often heard anecdotal sidenotes about it and I'm just curious to hear your first hand accounts with whatever species. 

Cheers, 

Mitch


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## kittycat17 (May 29, 2017)

My friend witnessed her rather large cape York Python decide she had enough of the much smaller male (was put in there for breeding) she had him pinned in the corner and it probably would have ended badly if my friend wasn't keeping an eye on them.... 


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## longirostris (May 29, 2017)

WeirdzandBeardz said:


> Hey All,
> 
> Last evening while cleaning a some of my skinks I noticed that my Ctenophorus infans trio (MMF) began to have a scuffle. After managing the conflict and observing the reintroduction I realised the female was the instigator and escalator. They are now happily cohabiting again and being watched carefully... The purpose of this thread isn't to ask for advice or criticism on management (I'm confident in my abilities to manage them), but rather ask others about their experiences with these types of conflict.
> 
> ...


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## longirostris (May 29, 2017)

Hi Mitch, 

I have watched this type of behaviour many times across most dragon species. The most recent episode of female to male aggression was only a couple of weeks ago and involved a pair of Ormate dragons that have been housed together for the last 3 years. My wife and I were in the room where I keep the Ornates and were just finishing off cleaning, a water change and some feeding. It was late in the day and the lights had just switched off for the evening to commence. My wife said to me as she was walking past their cage, to have a look quickly as they were fighting. I immediately went to investigate and on first glance I incorrectly called the behaviour, mating. When I took another look after my eyes adjusted to the dark cage I realised it was the female actually harrassing and generally beating up the male. I was quite surprised by this as normally they interact very cordially and never fight. Janice my wife, grabbed her mobile phone whilst I was oooing and aaahhing and had the forsight to actually video some of the scuffle. First time we have ever got this type of behaviour actually recorded. Takes a woman to actually have the sense to get it on video. I've been watching this and other behaviours in dragons for over 25 years and it never even occurred to me to photograph it let alone record it. Generally the behaviour is triggered by the male trying to mate with the female and the female is not interested and fights the male off as was the case with my Ornates this time as well. I have also witnessed short spats where the female is aggressive to the male over food as well, although these fights last about as long as it takes to chuck another cricket or woodie in to the cage. It's interesting to watch though and for me really sparks up an otherwise tedious afternoon of cleaning cages, feeding and watering. 

Mark Hawker


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## WeirdzandBeardz (May 31, 2017)

Hey guys, 

Kittykat17 that's really interesting to hear! I had a contact that had a similar situation occur with Eastern Browns. One day the female flipped on the smaller male and actually killed and consumed it. I'm not nearly as experienced with snakes as I am with lizards, but I do find it somewhat interesting behaviour! 

Mark, what you've described is more or less identical to what occurred with my infans. I was unable to see what prompted it, but I feel there must be some subtle indication I missed before the dragons went down that pathway of conflict. Funny you say that about your wife, when I told my partner her first questions was if I had recorded it or not! 

Cheers, 

Mitch


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