YAQQ - yet another quick question

[Duke]

This is a hypothetical behavioural question here.
Say I've got a 4 foot tank, and I decide to keep two baby bearded dragons in it, but with a wooden divider in the middle of the tank, so that they each have 2 feet of real estate.

I let them grow healthily on each of their sides, but they can't see each other. We'll say they never know of each other's existance.
Now a year down the track when they're well and truely into their life, I remove the divider to make a large 4 foot enclosure.
Would they suddenly freak out and start a turf war, or would they be happy with their own territories at either end, and live happily together.

For a second discussion, we'll say they're still kept on separate sides, but are allowed to play with each other when away from the tank, say on my bed or whatever.
So they still have their own un-touched domains, but know of each other through regular visits.
Then I remove the divider and they suddenly realise they've lived next door to each other.
Would that be a better option for them, the regular contact?
Or would it not matter, and if they are gonna fight, nothing I do for them in the past will stop that?

A nice little philosophical discussion to get the weekend started

 

[Niomi]

Not that i know anything that will help answer your question, but wouldnt they hear each other scuttling around on the other side fo the tank?

 

[Miss B]

Interesting question!

I'm no expert, but I am pretty sure there is always a risk of them fighting. Depends on the individual temparament/personality of the beardie: either they'll get along or they won't.

As for the whole letting-them-play-together thing, I would *think* that allowing them to socialise would make them more tolerant of one another, but I really couldn't say for sure. I would think it probably best to have at least two enclosures prepared, just in case they don't get along and you need to seperate them. Also, a male-male pair is more likely to fight than say a female-female pair, but there can be territory issues with either gender.

Perhaps one of our resident beardie experts could shine some more light on the matter, I'd be interested to know the answer also

 

[Duke]

Niomi, interesting point.
But hey, this is a discussion. Bring on the arguments.

 

[GrumpyTheSnake]

And surely they would be able to smell each other as well. It would only be a thin divider. And if they know each other's smell, then they should surely recognize each other when they had their playdate on your bed.

 

[Niomi]

Lol "Ha your that ******* iv been smelling for the last week!!"