timelessdave
Bearded Dragon Egg
- Messages
- 1
Hello All,
I've been a happy owner of Alan Maestro, a male dragon, for 3 and 1/2 years. We recently found a beautiful female adult snow dragon to join the family. They have been getting along quite well and are affectionate and respectful of each other's space. I give them plenty of backyard time in the sun.
The one catch I need help with is the mating instinct. They mated right away and kept at it at least once a day. After 2 weeks, Alan showed no signs of the breeding mode subsiding ... head bobbing, running around, black beard, etc. He became uninterested in food, lost weight, and seemed lethargic.
A vet told me bearded dragons can breed themselves into the ground, that it's very hard on both animals. I've separated them for 4 days, and Alan has regained his old color and temperment. But they've had completely separate lives, which feels like it defeats the point . I brought him into the yard today after she had her turn in the sun, and he seemed to know she'd been there, and again switched right back to mating mode... black beard, head bobbing etc.
Has anyone else been through this? Does that mating instinct subside? Is it unfair and hard on them to keep them under one roof? Alan spent his 3 years alone since the pet store... I'd hoped to extend the family, and it felt like they were getting along. I don't mind them living in separate enclosures, but I don't want to own two dragons if we can't all be together at the same time, and of course, I want to do the right thing as their guardian.
Any advice would be appreciated,
Thanks so much,
Dave
I've been a happy owner of Alan Maestro, a male dragon, for 3 and 1/2 years. We recently found a beautiful female adult snow dragon to join the family. They have been getting along quite well and are affectionate and respectful of each other's space. I give them plenty of backyard time in the sun.
The one catch I need help with is the mating instinct. They mated right away and kept at it at least once a day. After 2 weeks, Alan showed no signs of the breeding mode subsiding ... head bobbing, running around, black beard, etc. He became uninterested in food, lost weight, and seemed lethargic.
A vet told me bearded dragons can breed themselves into the ground, that it's very hard on both animals. I've separated them for 4 days, and Alan has regained his old color and temperment. But they've had completely separate lives, which feels like it defeats the point . I brought him into the yard today after she had her turn in the sun, and he seemed to know she'd been there, and again switched right back to mating mode... black beard, head bobbing etc.
Has anyone else been through this? Does that mating instinct subside? Is it unfair and hard on them to keep them under one roof? Alan spent his 3 years alone since the pet store... I'd hoped to extend the family, and it felt like they were getting along. I don't mind them living in separate enclosures, but I don't want to own two dragons if we can't all be together at the same time, and of course, I want to do the right thing as their guardian.
Any advice would be appreciated,
Thanks so much,
Dave
