Introducing A New Ackie?

[PhilK]

G'day all

I have had two ackies for some time now. One has always been smaller, a worse feeder and very nervous. The other week it died, which is a real shame because I thought she was a female and was hoping to breed them, and she had been becoming more brave and feeding better. They are still at mum and dad's and I would have been keen to do a PM but mum threw her out before I came home for the weekend.

I have a (suspected) male now by himself and am wondering how they go being introduced to a new ackie. He had always gotten along with the other (apart from the odd blue over food) but they had been together since hatchies. Anybody got experience introducing a new ackie as adults? I will not be keeping them in separate enclosures so if it can't be done he will just live as a bachelor.

Cheers

 

[Robo1]

Sorry to hear about the ackie you lost.

Obviously introducing a new ackie has risks and it depends a lot on the ackies themselves. I've done it successfully following advice I remembered reading on this forum (sorry, I can't remember the original poster), but it does require a second (at least temporary) enclosure. The basics were to house them separately until the new ackie has settled into the new environment. Then swap them, for about a week, to allow them to sent each other. Swap them again if need be before introducing the dominant ackie into the others enclosure.