Introducing ackie?

[Trewin]

So i got two ackies from seperate breeders and tried to introduce them. One is 6 weeks old and the other about 12 weeks. I got home from school early one day (lucky) to find that the smaller one had found its way into the bigger ones enclosure. When i looked in the enclosure i saw the big one had the smaller on eby the neck and was thrashing him against the wall. I hwas using thermometers, and the only way he could have got into the other ones cage was to climb the flimsy cord, through the wire, and fell into the other cage. He surly would have died if i hadnt have come home from school earlier. I need to introduce them when young, so my question is what do i do? Any tips to introduce them without one of them dieing? Thanks


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[Stuart]

You just witnessed firsthand what an introduction between those 2 would result in. However they got together is irrelevant however the outcome clearly shows that you either need to wait until they are much older and you have more time & experience to properly introduce them or just keep them separate. Either way, its cheaper in the long run as a dead ackie isnt a good end point. Maybe move them further away from one another as quarantine should be a thought too....

Good luck, hopefully someone else here can confirm the above or elsewise.

 

[Trewin]

Alright thanks. I just read that its harder to introduce adults together than raising little ones together. I might try swapping cages so they get used to scent, and maybe introducing them under my supervision for a little bit at a time


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[Micksreps]

You have said that one is 6 weeks old and the other is 12 weeks, let me guess the older one was the one trying to eat the smaller one?
That is your problem right there. You need to try get them both to equal size then introduce them with extreme caution.
Also make sure when you introduce them that there are multiple hide places and basking rocks/branches.

Also all ackies are escape artists, they will get out of a seemingly escape proof enclosure.
I name then Houdini.

 

[mummabear]

Size would probably be the factor now but could also be same sex aggression. Ackie males are not very fond of each other.

 

[pinefamily]

I was told that you should only keep ackies together from the same clutch. Otherwise only introduce them for breeding purposes.

 

[Trewin]

Yea that sucks, because iv built a really nice enclosure for them both. I got them from a different clutches so that they would be un related, i intended for them to be as close to age as possible but it didn't work out like that. I will swap their enclosures so they get used to the others scent, then ill introduce them into an enclosure neither of them has seen before. This way the bigger one doesn't feel like 'i need to defend my territory' Of course when i introduce them i will watch very carefully. Hipefully it works


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[Micksreps]

I was told that you should only keep ackies together from the same clutch. Otherwise only introduce them for breeding purposes.

I believe this is recommended but not totally necessary, when my female reached adult i purchased an adult male totally unrelated and introduced them together but kept a very close eye on them for several weeks, only saw mating behavior from each one, yes the female was mating the male but this would of been a dominating response and i put it down to it being her way of telling the male to **** off as she was not ready.
Both animals were of equal size and weight and i also had them in a 1200x600x600 enclosure with plenty of hide areas and 2 basking areas, this is what i believe to be the reasons why they were ok as they were of equal size and they could retreat and hide away when needed and also bask separately when needed.
Although they were mating constantly from September through to November the female only became gravid in December and laid her first clutch of eggs on 30th December and her second clutch 6 weeks later.
The first clutch hatched 2 weeks ago and the second are still incubating.

 

[Sheldoncooper]

I wonder if the bigger one knows the sex of the smaller one before before we do

 

[Micksreps]

I wonder if the bigger one knows the sex of the smaller one before before we do

They would certainly know the sex long before we can tell, but at 6 and 12 weeks of age i dont believe they have worked out their own sex let alone another.

 

[ronhalling]

Alright thanks. I just read that its harder to introduce adults together than raising little ones together. I might try swapping cages so they get used to scent, and maybe introducing them under my supervision for a little bit at a time


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There was 1 big point that [MENTION=27815]Stuart[/MENTION] made in his answer and that is 1 of "quarantine", you have said you got them from different breeders, so does this not make quarantine a joke if you just swap enclosures? it is not only the other Ackie's scent that might be left behind, most reptile diseases can take up to 6 months to show their ugly heads, so i would be worrying more about quarantine at the moment before you worry about introductions. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) -ronhalling

 

[Trewin]

Ok, i just read its hard to introduce em when they're older


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[pinefamily]

Ok, i just read its hard to introduce em when they're older


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See Micksreps post above. You just have to careful, and keep a close eye on them. And make sure they are of similar size.