Ok, Ok, Not Really Sure

Need some help with two 11" Male hatchling brothers (less than a year old) bearded dragons living in the same enclosure.

Details of husbandry:


Tank size: 20 gal long
media: Repiti cal sand 2"
lights: Fluor 18" B & a 100W Power Sun Metal Halide
Hot Side of Tank: Basking 93 to 95 F floor of tank 100F below Basking.
Cool Side of Tank: 78 to 85 F
Tank lights: Approximately 13 hours
Light off: Tanks cools to around house temp (68 to 72 f)
Food: 3/4" Crickets (dusted with T-Rex ICB), mixed greens chopped, few mealworms, superworms, and occ. waxworms.
Water: Offered daily, but I've never seen them drink.

Issue:

The Dragon have been doing great. When we got them they were small and grew fast. They were doing great eating a variety of things. They like salad and cricket best. Some weeks they were eat up to 800 1/2" crickets. Benny the biggests was a great eater until the last week or so. Now he doesn't eat much, a little salad, almost no crickets, and a few superworms. He hides more perferring the cool side of the cage. He doesn't seem to pooping as much either. The smaller of the two seems "off" as well.

I am thinking parasites, but I am not sure.

Any help would be appreciated.

It's very possible that being 2 males, they are under extreme stress being housed together......even at under a year old. 2 males should NEVER be housed together. Your basking spot could be a little warmer as well. Parasites are a possibility, it can't hurt to have a fecal done as well to rule that out as a problem.

It IS that time of year, however, and often even dragons that you think are too young to actually brumate will slow down into winter mode, not eat much, and sleep a lot. Keep an eye on them to make sure they aren't losing weight, and just keep offering the food.

I agree with cat, get a fecal , watch them close to see if one is intimadating the other , I have a female that is under a year and she slowed way down about a month ago. When the weather got cooler outside she slowed down. also seeks cool side not eating or pooping as much. Fecal was clean.. Watch them i'm sure they will be fine, But two males may fight with each other..

They seem okay with one another so far. Zero issues there. The bigger of the two does seem a little thinner which is what I am concerned about.

"So far" being the key words there. When they start reaching sexual maturity, they will NOT get along, brothers or not.

That said, if he's looking thin, a good soak and a vet visit would probably be a good idea.

Sounds good. Looks like I should divide the cage I am building also.

Probably a very good idea.

One of the first signs of trouble between 2 males in a single enclosure is weight loss. It usually effects one dragon and he slowly drops weight and hides much of the time. The smaller dragon is intimidated to such a point he won't/can't eat and hides from everything. Eventually the intimidation increases to a point the "bully" will physically attack the smaller dragon. These attacks will continue until one of the dragons is killed. Given the age of your 2 dragons I would recommend an immediate separation.

Add that will all the other great advice given and your dragons should fine.

Good luck,

Great advise, thanks. However, do you still believe your point given that the dragon exhibiting the weight loss was the biggest. He is the more gentle of the two though.

Please take to Repti-Cal Sand out of there! Your dragons can die from it...It can cause clogging and lead to death. I recommend play sand or New Paper.