Reptile & Amphibian Forums

im am going to get a beardie this weekend for about $60. but my pet store has bd. that are only about 3 inches long. i have a ten gallon tank. do u think it would be alright to get 2 of them. and how would i sex em

Hi,
I'm not an expert and I'm sure someone else here will post some additional info... and correct me vigerously if I am wrong...

I would say, why do you want 2? Just because they will fit into the tank? Keep in mind that you will have to seperate them into their own tanks when they get bigger (you can't sex them until they are much larger than 3"!) Do you have space in your home and the money to completely outfit two 55 gallon tanks with heat/light, etc..?

On a totally seperate comment ... are you talking about 3" TOTAL length in size or 3" body only? 3" on a new hatchling even sounds small to me! (I thought I read some place that they should be around 5" out of egg?) I would be VERY leary of the health and back ground on these beardies from a pet store if they are this small. Have they been given the correct light and supplimentation for their growth? Are they eatting well? Have they been repeatedly inbred and their genetics weakened?

But that's just my opinion ... I could be completely off base.

Good luck!
-Bonnie

personally i have learned from researching and people on this board that 1 is the way to go. Babies are stressed enough as it is. One might out eat the other. If one gets sick you can count on the other getting sick. Like bonnie said they will need their own homes in the future.

I'd even think about buying online from a well known breeder. They know more about their animals than someone at a shop (most of the time anyways)

Also the younger the beardie the harder it is to keep happy and healthy until more mature. Most breeders don't sell their Bd's until they are at least 6" total length

Stick with one. 3 inches?! That is TINY...I've seen bigger hatchlings! Since you seem to be new to this, please get a well established baby at LEAST 6 inches long, preferably 7 or 8. They are very fragile when young and small. There are many sexing sites out there...just have to look. If you do get a beardie, I would wait until it's older before you try to sex it. Like I said, babies are fragile and you have to be experienced before you can try to sex them under 8 in.. And you can always be wrong, babies can be difficult to sex. Anyway, that's about all I have to say, that and to pretty much agree with everything MejaNica wrote. Good luck with getting a dragon and plleeeaaasse don't get one that small.
-Nicky
-----
We chase misprinted lies
We face the path of time
And yet I fight...
And yet I fight
This battle all alone
No one to cry to
No place to call home
-Alice In Chains-
1.1 Bearded Dragons: Gordo & Chiquita
2.2 Cats: Zeus, Remi, Kiki & Delilah