I made a post in the Leo forum a while ago about mixed species vivaria that I will include here. I personally would not mix the two species in question. Not for the reasons mentioned really, but because of the way I keep my uros. I keep them on a foot and a half of a soil mix that they actively burrow into. I would think BD's would destroy the burrows. I plan on setting up a mixed species vivarium in the summer that will include two species of Rhacodactylus and a pink-tongued skink(if I can find a captive born one). Here is the post from the leo forum



>>> I would like to add a few comments in addition to what terrapene posted below: "In the book "The Leopard Gecko Manual" by Advanced Vivarium Systems (1998 Vosjoli, Viets, Tremper, Klingenberg) under the section "Other Animals" reads: "I have successfully maintained pairs of collared lizards (Chrotaphytus) with these geckos". He also mentions that South African Flat lizards and small girdle-tailed lizards have been kept successfully with leopard geckoes..."



In his book "Desert Vivaria" (1996) de Vosjoli says that, "You can mix various species of lizards in large desert vivaria, as long as you give care to selecting animals of more or less the same size that will inhabit different vavarium niches. For example, those geckos that dwell on rocks or walls will be compatible with many terrestrial species. Nocturnal geckos, which emerge at night , will be compatible with diurnal species of lizards of similar size".



In the book "Rhacodactylus:The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care" (de Vosjoli, Fast , and Repashy) the authors have this to say about mixing species..."At the onset, let us state that we do not agree with the righteous, narrow-minded assertions by 'experts' that these geckos and other reptile species should never be kept with other species. The highest form of herpetoculture involves creating large complex vivarium systems where several species of animals, including invertebrates, will cohabit and breed"



This pretty much sums up how I feel about the idea of mixing species. The authors go on in that book to talk about the basic theories behind establishing these kinds of set-ups. I plan on doing a mixed species set-up in the spring with Rhacs and a pink tongued skink if I can get a hold of one. I know of at least one other forum member that is interested in doing the same...



What I would say to people who have asked the question here before about mixing species, to try and find people who have done so successfully and ask questions. There are many Naturalistic vivarium keepers that have done so for a while now."
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Bill DiFabio

Garden State Herpetoculture...website to follow...

Email Me

"The poetry that comes from the squaring off between,

And the circling is worth it.

Finding beauty in the dissonance." - Maynard James Keenan

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