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We have some juvie CWD's in a 4ft x 2ft (deep) x 3 (high) which have always spent time arm waving at each other on the odd occasion. Recently tho they have started to argue over their perches..... like spiteful kids would. one will be asleep on the floor, the other basking. Sleepy wil wake up, arm wave and head bob at his pal, then chase him off the branch and claim it for himself, or sit on his head instead. It doesnt really matter which branch it is or which one is on that branch, they both are as bad as each other.

Is that normal when they have two basking lights and about 12 perches? I am assuming this is territorial male behaviour, or is it something else? We have estimated them to be 12 to 18 months, their crests are just beginning to grow a little, but we have found they are definitely not quite old enough to sex yet. so out of interest, is a lot of arm waving and squabbling over perches abnormal? We dont want to stress them any more than is necessary, so if they need separating we will do so ASAP. Just wanted to check before we do so, they have been doing this for about a week now.
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Kel

www.collaredlizards.co.uk
0:0:1 Timor Monitor
2:3:0 Collared Lizards
0:0:2 Chinese Water Dragons
0:0:1 Dune Scorpion
0:0:1 Imperial Scorpion
1:0:0 Desert Hairy Scorpion
0:0:1 Mexican Red Knee Tarantula
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Not necessarily male behavior, just alpha animal behavior. They are getting older and establishing a pecking order. Looks like no-one wants to voluntarily be at the bottom, lol.

A yearling would be about twelve inches in length, tip to tip. You can't tell the sex until about a year and a half, or around 18 inches. Crests can be misleading. You can try looking on the underside of their thighs. If you see a line of black dots, definitely male. A line of flesh color dots, female.

You can change their viv around a bit, with several basking spots, hides, etc. That might distract them temporarily. Just keep an eye on them to make sure they aren't going to hurt eachother.

Two males will eventually have to be separated. Two females may or may not get along, same with a male and female. Depends if the alpha animal starts hurting the other, or if the other animal is too stressed.

Sometimes a larger viv can help, or one with more places to go. Hope this helps.

Hey thanks

Unfortunately cant see a line of any colour on either of them, and as thry have just decided they arent so scared of me naymore, I am reluctant to pick em up and upset them for a while.

I dot think they are going to hurt each other, the worst scenario I have seen is one or both falling off the branch they squabbling over at that particular time. Its only a 3ft high viv so no damage done.
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Kel

www.collaredlizards.co.uk
0:0:1 Timor Monitor
2:3:0 Collared Lizards
0:0:2 Chinese Water Dragons
0:0:1 Dune Scorpion
0:0:1 Imperial Scorpion
1:0:0 Desert Hairy Scorpion
0:0:1 Mexican Red Knee Tarantula
0:0:1 Green Tree Frog
0:0:1 Grey Tree Frog

I have two lady dragons who get along pretty well for the most part, and both will occasionally do the behavior you're describing. Usually though the smaller of the pair will be the submissive. They'll sit on each other pretty regularly, but both eat well and have good color, so I know they're not stressed.
Like clouddancer said, rearranging things might help, but your best bet is to keep an eye on them and if they start to hurt each other seperate them (again, like clouddancer said).

Good luck!

~jenny
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"The python has, and I fib no fibs,
318 pairs of ribs.
In stating this I place reliance
On a seance with one who died for science
This figure is sworn to and attested,
He counted them while being digested."
~Ogden Nash

jenny.thegreenes.org

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