I have 2 new female 8 mth old bearded dragons. One has settled in well but the other is kind of frantic. She spends all day hiding, digging or clawing at the glass and is reluctant to eat. She does not move around to regulate her body temp. How can I help her settle in? I tried putting her in an outdoor enclosure like he had her in during the day but she was no happier. She was ever rubbing her head on the mesh or staying in 50degree sun making no effort to shade herself (shade is significantly cooler).
Unhappy bearded dragon
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mysnakesau
Almost Legendary
Sounds like she be being dominated by the other. Maybe she has been picked on and is hiding in fear of the other. Maybe you could separate them. To keep them together, she will only become weaker until she dies. That is, of course, that THAT is the problem.
Separating won't show overnight results. It may take quite some time for her to realise that nothing will hurt her. Eventually she will come out and feel safe and happy.
Separating won't show overnight results. It may take quite some time for her to realise that nothing will hurt her. Eventually she will come out and feel safe and happy.
They were together before I got them, and today I have separated them and her behaviour has not changed. She just took a bit of mango from my hand and then resumed hiding in the corner and scrambling at the glass. I have never seen any aggression between them. They largely ignore each other
L
LizardLady
Guest
Domination/intimidation/stress etc doesn't "have" to be physically obvious... Please separate them (especially at this age), and KEEP them separate... The fact that the little one took mango is a good step, but, as Kathy said, it will take time for her to realise she's not going to be "picked on" any longer, and that she can relax and feel safe.
As for them being kept together to this point, it goes with their age bracket. Keeping young dragons - cage mates/siblings etc - together from three months of age onward is asking for trouble.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Carolyn
As for them being kept together to this point, it goes with their age bracket. Keeping young dragons - cage mates/siblings etc - together from three months of age onward is asking for trouble.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Carolyn
Ok no problem. I will keep them separate and see how she goes then. Do you think it will be possible to reintegrate them once she is settled given that they are both female?
I really want to get this right. Im just getting my head around what I can and can't do. The guy we got them from led us to believe that in a large enclosure we could keep 2 girls and a boy ok... Is that not the case?
I really want to get this right. Im just getting my head around what I can and can't do. The guy we got them from led us to believe that in a large enclosure we could keep 2 girls and a boy ok... Is that not the case?
mysnakesau
Almost Legendary
Even if your other beardy isn't picking on the other one, she only needs to feel intimidated and that will be enough to stress her out. Whether or not you could ever re-unite them is a total individual thing between the lizzies but I really doubt that you could. Many ppl do keep more than one together, but there also ones that need to be separated. And in your case, separation sounds like the best step for this little girl. As Lizardlady said, her taking the mango is a great start. Once out on her own, you will eventually be able to coax her out of hiding with food, or she will come out in her own time, when she is ready. But to eat is good. MEans she has a better chance of not going downhill from her stresses.
mysnakesau
Almost Legendary
Don't be too disheartened if it takes longer. Small steps, no matter how tiny, is a great step forward. 
definately keep them seperated (from what l have been reading), are they still outdoors? Make sure that the temps in the indoor enclosure are around the 38-40 basking area. Offer he some food treats like strawberries, they love dandelion flowers and leaves, rocket, a little capsicum, button squash. Also things like rose petals, pansy flowers, mint and some parsley. Make sure crickets are no bigger than the space between their eyes and i tend to mist evey second day as mine doesn't like to drink from a water bowl.
But i found that the temps are the biggest thing. Don't worry about the grass crawling (scratching) most do it, wether it is because they want to come out and explore because they have seem something that has caught their eye.
But i found that the temps are the biggest thing. Don't worry about the grass crawling (scratching) most do it, wether it is because they want to come out and explore because they have seem something that has caught their eye.
How stressful. I just want her to look more comfortable. Rose petals I can do! I have heaps of those around, and will be cutting a capsicum for our dinner tonight. She can have some of that. She is inside and her sister outside. Outside it's about 30c in the shade, more like 40 in the sun. Basking temp inside 36. She took a bit of broccoli this morning and coloured up for a little while.
Today she looks quite good. She has been coloured up all day and has eaten bok Choy, capsicum and slaters. She has been alert and moving in and out of the heat as needed.
her sister on the other hand looks terrible now. She looks as bad as this girl did a few days ago. I'm hoping she follows the same path and perks up soon!
Test
Today she looks quite good. She has been coloured up all day and has eaten bok Choy, capsicum and slaters. She has been alert and moving in and out of the heat as needed.
her sister on the other hand looks terrible now. She looks as bad as this girl did a few days ago. I'm hoping she follows the same path and perks up soon!
Test
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