Lost interest?

[some_lizard_guy]

My male has lost interest with the female dragons I wish to breed him with... The first time I introduced him to them, he went insane with head bobs and a black beard, they were very receptive with arm waving, but they still never mated... About 6 weeks later, I tried seperating the male for nearly 2 weeks... He is now back with them, but hasn't even shown a black beard... Any ideas about how to renew his interest??? I have never heard of anything like this and have no idea what to do...
-Drew

 

[SnowWhite]

Do you have any males to put near the other (like outside its tank)? I read on one of these forums that sometimes if a male see's another one it peaks its own interest in breeding. I know my two males will get very aggressive with breeding signs when the females are around but not as much if the males dont see each other. Worth a try.

 

[some_lizard_guy]

He is my only male... I tried putting a mirror in the cage, so he might think he had some competition, but that didn't work either... Any other ideas?

 

[rujonesin]

I never house my males with the females for more than two or three days at a time. When they are housed together for long periods breeding is not as "excitable". I believe it still happens but usually when your not around. Try keeping them separate for about a week. Take both of them out of their cages and put them on the floor together. Make sure you have a flood light to shine on the floor. Let them run around together openly in the room. This will normally work.

A note on the second male theory. While placing another male nearby will usually get the males excited, my experience has been that rather than breeding the female he will fight with her. By agitating him with another male he can't get to, many times he will take it out on the female. I have tried it in the past but seen too many females get bitten on the legs or tail because he was pissed off, so I don't use the second male.

I think by keeping them separate and placing them together for short periods you get better success. Males are far better breeders their second season than the first. I will usually cool my males around 14-18 months old and after brumation watch out! They're usually like little dogs and you have to kick them off your leg. They will usually lose their appetites after brumation as well, frequently causing temporary weight loss until they remember they have to eat too.

Good luck!

 

[some_lizard_guy]

I tried seperating him for nearly two weeks, but they still didn't do anything when I reintroduced him. I recently tried putting them together outside of the cage, but maybe it was too late afterwards, as it was nearly a week after I reintroduced him to the females...