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Hello-
I have two alligator lizards both about seven or eight inches long each. One has much more of the burnt orange in it's coloration than the other, which is more in the tan spectrum. I have had one of them for about six months and the other I just caught last week. Both captured in the Hollywood Hills.

I am wondering if I can put both of them in the same aquarium. I have the newer one quarantined in another aquarium which I was planning on keeping there for about a month to make sure it's healthy. (It seems to be to this point)

My question is can I put both in the same aquarium even if they are both males? I think from what I have read online that they may both be female based on the width of the jaw, but I am not sure. I do not want to put them together if they are going to hurt each other, but I would really like to have them in the same enclosure. I can submit pictures if necessary, but just in general, would two males fight?

Forgot to mention I am almost sure they are both Southern Alligator Lizards.

I'm trying to be patient. These are the first lizards I have had and would appreciate somebody to give an opinion on my question. (up to this point i've been all frogs and fish)

Thank you in advance

Have you read some care sheets on these lizards? Are you using a UVB bulb and do you have a basking area where the temps on the surface are 90-95 degrees? Are you using calcium and vitamin supplements?

As to putting them together, it is not wise if you don't know the sex as males should never be housed together. If you are going to be there to watch them for awhile, then you can try and see how they act toward each other, or the safest thing to do would be to put the tanks together and see how they act with glass between to keep them from fighting.

Can you post pics of them? Post a pic from above if you can.

Thank you so much for responding.

Yes on the UV bulb and yes on dusting the crickets i've been feeding them with a supplement for lizards. Also, there is a large basking rock under the uv bulb for both enclosures.

From what I have read here and elsewhere I think, from the shape of their heads, the back of the jawline, that they are both female. But I would like other opinions on this before I think about putting them together. I have both aquariums side by side so they can see each other and they have been this way since I got the second one. They are aware of each other and just look at each other, kind of watching each other, but they don't seem overly concerned with each other.

I have found that I am enjoying watching them and feeding them more than my frogs. (don't tell them

I will see if I can post pictures of them when I get home from work.

Thanks again!

here are two pictures of each, i tried one wider and one tight

They look like they are the same sex, whatever that is. If you are going to be home, you can try putting them together and see how they act. I just don't know. I keep one that I raised from a hatchling, so I am not as familiar with this species as I am other lizard species. Hopefully someone who knows a bit more will comment. This is a somewhat slow forum, so be patient!LOL

I would say the bottom one is definitely female. A little hard to tell on the one above. I would put them together when you have a while to observe them. You could have two females, or a male and a female. Feed them well before you put them in together just to avoid squabbles over food. I'm no expert on these guys, but have kept several in the past. The males generally have recognizably wider jaws!

thank you everyone for your responses! i will be putting them together some time this week when i have enough time to be around and watch their interaction for an extended period. i will post with more info afterwards.

thanks again all!

I'm pretty sure both your als are females so they should be fine together. I'd strongly recommend dusting with a calcium supplement with vitamin D3 at least every other feeding as these guys seem to be prone to develop metabolic bone disease without it (even with UVB lighting).

In terms of keeping two males together, it's a bit of a toss up. You have to watch and see. Some males are fine with one another, some aren't. The male I have right now is so aggressive that he can't even co-habitate with a female.

See pic for a pair of southern als. The male (the guy on the left) has a much broader more triangular head than the female. It takes about 4 years for the dimorphism to become this marked. Up until 2 years of age sexes can be very difficult to tell apart and captive bred / hatched females or females that have been in captivity from an early age will often have much broader heads than their wild couterparts.

-Alice

Well, I put them together this afternoon and after some gentle inquisitive gazes, the two of them seem to be very happy to be together. After a couple hours, one of them seemed to sort of dominate the other one by climbing a bit on top of it and then getting off after a moment. Perhaps a male and a female?

I will post pictures this weekend when I have more time. Thanks again to all those who posted with advice.

I have had a lot of experience with these in the past, and while this may seem a little awkward, if you rile up your lizards individually, and get them upset and pick them up, if they get upset, the males will extend their hemi-penis I have sexed alligator lizards upon capture this way when they are wild and upset. You may be able to get them to do this and probably be able to sex them, instead of guessing the jaw. Just a thought.
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I looked at your pictures and Alice is right they can be tricky, but I think you have a male and a female....the short tail has a wider head and looks male to me. Again if you can sort roughly handle your lizard (short tail) and get him upset he may extend his hemipenis, this would be proof.
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