I have a problem with use of the term “amateur” keeper. Are you implying you are a professional and he is not? Or just using the term to give false weight to your statements? Care to explain?
It is something that is very much discouraged with a wide number of snakes due to their propensity to eat other snakes of even similar size. In fact, with some it is risking it keeping more than one of the same species in an enclosure.
Most lizards are different in this respect. Rob Bredl used to have a pit in his reptile park with half a dozen or so different dragon species happily co-existing. As far know, Rob would have been classified as a professional keeper because he did it for a living.
As for exact opposite habitats and very different locations... when people are giving advice on housing, I have seen very little of the latter being taken into account and virtually zero of the former. I don’t think I have ever heard it mentioned for a Gould’s Monitor (Sand Goanna), which is found Australia wide. Similarly with Shinglebacks, Eastern Bluetongues, Coastal Carpets, even EWDs. Same story with Jackies, Nobbi Dragons, Nephrurus laevis laevi and the list goes on. Wide-ranging species found either the length or breadth, or both, of Australia. What is required is an understanding of how to meet the animal’s needs in captivity, not the ability to exactly recreate the habitat. It is much more about providing a suitable micro-habitat.
jack, you are dead right about the two species co-existing. Mountain dragons tend to hang on rock surrounded by dense bushes and once warmed up will forage on more open ground. Jackies tended to be found in or on the tops of bushes and fallen branches. The Mountain dragons were in higher numbers where they did occur. Any sudden movements and they would disappear into the base of the shrubs.
Blue