help with females fighting

[SilverMoon]

I've spent countless hours online looking for ideas but to no avail. I've found information that is completely opposite one another (such as 'females get along great together' and 'leopard geckos are ONLY solitary animals') and figured I'd post my questions here, in hopes of putting it to rest, for myself. For the sake of people getting confused I will "name" my geckos female1, female2, etc.

I have female1 currently living with male1. They have gotten along great from day one (been living together with no fights for about a year). (I dropped male1 in with her the day I bought him, before learning about quarantine time)

I bought female2 a while back, of similar weight to female1 and male1. I introduced the three of them and female2 and male1 get along fine but female1 and female2 fight the instant they are together. Both have been known to start the fights and both have been superficially injured. I separate them immediately and female1 lives alone now.

Female1 and male1 have become parents to 2 babies. One of the babies is now a full grown adult female(female3) of similar weight to the parents(female1 and male1) and the female2.

I have female1 and male1 in a 40 gallon breeder tank, and female2 in a separate 40 gallon breeder tank. Female3 is in a 20 gallon tank.

I have tried all combinations of getting them together, female1/female2, female1/female3, female2/female3. Female1 and female2 outright fight one another and have both started fights with female3.

I have tried introducing them into an unfamiliar environment so there is no "territorial" dispute. I have tried introducing them into each others cage, and I have tried introducing them to each other in a hide on the couch with me supervising more closely. I have tried at different times of the year, and tried on a day to day basis.

I got female1 from a friend. I was told she was purchased from a pet store.

I got female2 from a pet store.

I hatched female3.

I got male1 from the same pet store as I got female2.

Yes I am 100% sure about the sex of each one of them.

Is there anything else I can do to get them to live in peace together? I really want to get female3 out of that small 20 gallon tank and into a 40 gallon, but my apartment is simply too small to fit more tanks. (my dining room is full and one wall of my living room is full. I'm out of space lol)

Please be respectful in your answers. I am not trying to waste your time, and I'll ask that you don't waste mine. Thank you in advance.

 

[Wolvenspawn]

I can't say I can help with the fighting.. I house multipile females in all my large tanks with little or no problem. Only had 1 incident with 1 female so I have her by herself. But you could since you have 40 gal. tanks is setup a makeshift divider in them. (a piece of plexiglass or even plastic or something that can seperate one side from the other) That's the best I can say on that one. Good luck to any new endevors you try.

Jamie

 

[im faster]

if they are fight you have to separate them..

 

[SilverMoon]

if they are fight you have to separate them..

They are separated, and have always been, except when I tried to introduce them to one another. Soon as a fight starts I stop and separate them again.

 

[im faster]

I guess what i was saying is in almost all cases once they dont get along its unlikely they will ever..

however.. you could let them go at it for a little bit as long as they are not hurting eachother so to bad.. and let one establish its dominance.
this has worked for me before

 

[SilverMoon]

I guess what i was saying is in almost all cases once they dont get along its unlikely they will ever..

however.. you could let them go at it for a little bit as long as they are not hurting eachother so to bad.. and let one establish its dominance.
this has worked for me before

Ah I see what you're saying now. I have thought about letting them just fight it out but not sure how far I should let it go. They most often go for the tails and leave cuts that sometimes bleed. I really don't want them dropping their tails if I was to let them fight it out.

I appreciate your help though, thank you.

 

[Russellm0704]

20 gallon is plenty space for a Leo. 10 gallon is the minimum. Why do you need to house them together so badly. No 2 female leo's Actually enjoy each other. Some just tolerate each other. If they are fighting then there should be no more questions about it

 

[Thorgecko707]

YOU SHOULD NOT LET THEM FIGHT IT OUT. THEY ARE ANIMALS AND IT WILL NOT END WELL. THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO WATCH YOUR GECKOS KILL EACH OTHER.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

I don't allow mine to fight it out. If they don't do well together, they're separated, no question. Some can live in a communal settings, some cannot. Each gecko has its' own personality. A baby I purchased a few years ago cannot live with another female but does fine with a male. I have several groups of just two. I haven't done well with trios long term. Tanks do take a lot of space and can become limiting. Have you considered some type of rack for overflow geckos? Even a nice looking bookcase can be converted to hold glass setups like 20 longs or 10's.

 

[GeckoDude31]

Usually you can tell right away if there are going to get along. I have two females that despise each other. As soon as you see nipping, separate. It is not worth it if they don't like each other. It's unnecessary stress on them and you. It's always better to separate them then be terrified each time you open the tub.

 

[marauderhex]

I have to agree with the separation. All of mine live in their own "leopard gecko mansions" as my wife refers to them. We use 24"x24"x12" stackable enclosures for our adults and babies live in a rack until they are sold (maximum 1.5 months).

 

[SilverMoon]

Thanks to all of you for your advice.

@Russell I do not NEED them to be together, just would prefer it if there was a way that didn't require fighting it out. I will not allow them to hurt one another and so they will stay separate, just wanted to make sure I simply had no other choice or techniques to try.

Again thank you all, I really appreciate it.

 

[SilverMoon]

I have to agree with the separation. All of mine live in their own "leopard gecko mansions" as my wife refers to them. We use 24"x24"x12" stackable enclosures for our adults and babies live in a rack until they are sold (maximum 1.5 months).

Did you purchase the stackable enclosures? I'd very much like to see them, if you know a link. Thanks

 

[Dimidiata]

i see a gecko shelf in your near future.

 

[SilverMoon]

i see a gecko shelf in your near future.

I hope you're right

 

[Aurorae]

There's only two solutions in my mind:

1) Get both geckos and put them in a totally brand new enclosure that neither of them have ever been in before. By doing this, neither gecko has any territorial claim over the viv as they've never visited it before. Ensure there are multiple hiding spots so they can escape from one another and try and keep their cool.

2) Keep them apart - end of - forever. I have two females in particular who completely hate each other and I'd rather have an extra viv in the room than keep them together to bite chunks out of each other. I think of geckos a tiny bit like people, if you were left in a small room with your arch enemy - you'd not be happy either...however if they live next door to each other, they might just be able to live a happy home life These girls are very strong characters, both happen to be rather skittish and very greedy...says it all really.

Good luck with your girlies x

 

[SilverMoon]

There's only two solutions in my mind:

1) Get both geckos and put them in a totally brand new enclosure that neither of them have ever been in before. By doing this, neither gecko has any territorial claim over the viv as they've never visited it before. Ensure there are multiple hiding spots so they can escape from one another and try and keep their cool.

2) Keep them apart - end of - forever. I have two females in particular who completely hate each other and I'd rather have an extra viv in the room than keep them together to bite chunks out of each other. I think of geckos a tiny bit like people, if you were left in a small room with your arch enemy - you'd not be happy either...however if they live next door to each other, they might just be able to live a happy home life These girls are very strong characters, both happen to be rather skittish and very greedy...says it all really.

Good luck with your girlies x

I tried putting them in a completely unfamiliar tank, but no luck they immediately started fighting, so they will stay separate. Thanks though, I appreciate it.

 

[Russellm0704]

I really wish my females could have been housed together also, they didn't fight but one hogged all the food