Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it ok to put dragons in with similar size sulcatta tortoises

here's a general answer

Mixing Species in One Enclosure?

Someone will say, "Well, there are lizards, geckos, turtles, frogs, and snakes all living together in the wild - why can't I put them all in my tank?" There is no way for a little gecko to climb a tall branch and blend in with leaves to get away from a hungry predator in a small artificial enclosure. The bigger predator will eat the little one. The biggest, most aggressive species in the tank will be the lone survivor. Even if they don’t kill each other the stress levels will be high enough to make them sick.

Another good reason for not mixing species outside of the obvious (one thinking the other is a snack) is bacteria and parasites. What is naturally found in one species and excreted out can pass to the other species and be deadly. Coccidia is thought to be a natural parasite (in minimal amounts) in a bearded dragon and that the dragons own gut fauna controls it and keeps a balance; until a dragon gets stressed or some other illness allows that to bloom and get out of control. Another species may walk in the feces or consume something that walked in it and have no bacteria to combat it. Coccidia will then multiply quickly, in turn infecting the bearded dragon with an overload of parasites the other species excrete out.

The environmental and nutritional needs May also vary greatly, what one thrives in, could be harmful to the other. Animals may come from different environments (countries, climates, temperatures etc). Climates can even vary greatly, even for animals from the same region. A Uro requires a 115°F -130°F degree basking site. That would dehydrate and cook a dragon in no time. There Brumation temps can also be substantially different.

Last but not least, is that they might be active during different hours diurnal/nocturnal.
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Bennett

Home of the Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com