Should I separate beardies?

[Bigbird]

Hi all

I have two beardies that are six months old (Bill and Ted). After some initial teething problems with feeding when I first got them, they have both been eating well on roaches. Up until about a month ago, they were both eating about 40 roaches a day (over two meals and they are fed separately in another box , outside of their enclosure) and a fair amount of veg too.

However, over the past three to four weeks Bill has stopped eating as many roaches and has gone from forty a day to maybe ten to fifteen on an average day and twenty if I'm lucky. Whenever I put him in the feeding box, he eats for a little while and then just tries to climb out. I have also noticed that he tries to hide a fair bit. He used to get behind a log that's in the enclosure, but would ending up staying there for hours (I think he got stuck because it's a pretty small space he would get into!) so I blocked up the hole. There is another hide in there, but as Ted sleeps in there most nights, I think Bill is reluctant to go in there when he wants to hide.

They were both pretty even in size until about a month ago when Ted grew more than Bill and is now about forty grams heavier. I have noticed on occasion that he will attack Bill and based on what I have read in other threads I think I may have to separate them. Ted hasn't injured Bill in anyway that I have noticed. I also think that they are both male, but I haven't had it confirmed by a vet yet.

Their enclosure is 4' x 2' x 2' and the basking spot ranges between 35 and 43 degrees and the cooler end is between 25 and 29 degrees and they have a repti-glo 10.00 UVB bulb that they can get within 20cms of.

Is separation my only option or is there any way around it? Of course I want to do what best for my beardies, but we live in a very small unit so trying to fit another 4' x 2' x 2' enclosure in there will be very tricky. Any advice, as always, is greatly appreciated.

[Tatelina]

I have two young beardies in a 4foot tank with a divider in the middle. Not sure what I'm going to do when they are full grown but for now that was the best thing to do as I noticed that the smaller one wasn't eating much at all until I seperated them... Now they are both greedy guts again as they've got their own space and aren't being bullied.

[Bigbird]

I did think of that, but not sure how I would divide the tank equally so they would both get enough basking spot and UVB??

[Dragoness]

I had to seperate my guys because the same thing was happening. Luckily though I live in my own house and had more than enough room to buy another 4ft tank. You will find that most of the time, if the smaller one can still see the bigger onw, even from across the room, this will be enough to stress him and stop him eating, so if they are seperated, they need to out of vision of each other.
My guys have been seperated for about 4 months now and the smaller one has just started to eat without being force fed now (thankgod!!!) Im hoping as spring gets closer he will eat more and more (my other one is 3 times the size of the smaller one)

Cheers

[ace#74]

iv had the same thing happen with blueys i just took the samller one out and feed it up until it was about the same size as the big one and now its stealing food of the big one

[Bigbird]

Well last night Bill ate about fifteen roaches and this morning another twenty, which is the most he's eaten in a couple of weeks so I am going to see how he goes over the next few days, but I am getting quotes for new enclosures in case I have to separate them.

[JKretzs613]

Hello,

I would say definitely separate especially since they are both males. Eventually, they will start fighting. Unfortunately, males usually cannot be housed together peacefully, sorry.

Tracie

[Mystery]

I would definately be separating them. I had a male and female in a 4 foot enclosure. The male nearly took the females leg off. I never thought it would happen male/female. He was a big dominant boy. Keep a close eye on them.

[Bigbird]

Yep, I am now definitely going to separate them, but I am finding it a bit tricky to find somewhere to buy a bank of two enclosures together, one on top of the other (would also preferably like a small cupboard at the bottom too). Parker's Enclosures had an ideal one, but the cost of transporting the enclosure from NSW to Melbourne was too high.

If anyone knows of anyone in / around Melbourne who sells / makes enclosures, please let me know.

[Tatelina]

Originally Posted by Bigbird

I did think of that, but not sure how I would divide the tank equally so they would both get enough basking spot and UVB??

I have a fluro light holder than goes across the whole thing, and they each have a basking lamp.