Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have a male full grown bearded dragon in a 55 gallon tank. If i get a little pool in the tank that the lizard couldn't drowned in, could i put a red eared slider turtle in with my beardie? COULD THEY CO-EXIST?

please don't try that. Both can carry parasites that could be deadly to the other, not to mention the injuries that can happen and the difference in habitats. Beardies are a desert species the water in its cage can cause serious respitory problems. Keep them seperate..

Considering that 55 gallons would be the among the minimum adequate size for both species, no, you couldn't. I would also think that the RES would nip at the beardie when it ran by the pool. It would also be difficult to run a filter in a portion of a tank. The standing water might breed bacteria, especially with the turtle pooping in it, and quite possibly the beardie. This doesn't even include the fact that they have different requirements.

Deffinitely a very bad ideal. For one thing a 55 Gal tank is the minimal tank size for an adult beardie. I would also feel it is minimal if not too small for an adult slider. Also, Red eared sliders are a wetland species of reptile, living mostly in and around water. Bearded dragons are more arid inhabitants, preferring dry sandy conditions with shrubs and low trees, and rocks.

Not sure what temperatures the RES requires but I suspect the higher temps a beardie needs would be too hot for the turtle. (ambient temperature in mid 80s, with basking site 95F-110F). Then there is the chance of parasites and bacteria being transferred from one to the other, and other diseases.

Put both in their own separate cages and both would be happier and healthier.

Let's say all anyone gave you to drink was turtle water. Would you be happy?
They might not actively kill each other, but they'd both be dead within weeks.

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-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

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