Housing 2 females together

[BadKelpie]

I might be getting a new leo tomorrow. I answered an ad on craigslist . 2.5 year old female gecko, with tank and heat light (I'd get a UTH), $35. I assume 10 gallon tank.

Echo is in a 10 gallon tank, and I was going to move her to my empty 29 gallon (same footprint as a 20 long). Is there any chance I could put both in there? Assuming the new one is actually a female? Echo is 2 or 3 months old.

If not, no biggie, I can always put the new one in the big tank, and get a bigger tank for Echo later on.

 

[roger]

I might be getting a new leo tomorrow. I answered an ad on craigslist . 2.5 year old female gecko, with tank and heat light (I'd get a UTH), $35. I assume 10 gallon tank.

Echo is in a 10 gallon tank, and I was going to move her to my empty 29 gallon (same footprint as a 20 long). Is there any chance I could put both in there? Assuming the new one is actually a female? Echo is 2 or 3 months old.

If not, no biggie, I can always put the new one in the big tank, and get a bigger tank for Echo later on.

First off you need to make sure before you buy it that its the sex you want.I would never house 2 leos together.Too much of a chance of bullying.

 

[bohannbj]

I have found that often times multiple females will encourage feeding. This has been confirmed with other members I have spoken with. I have never had a problem with keeping females together; even juvies and adults. The only issue I can see is if they are eating different sized foods. As long as there is ample smaller foods for the juvie then it shouldn't be a problem. Also make sure there are 3 hides in the 29. I like to do 2 in the heat and one in the cold. You never now when the bigger girls wants a day to herself.

 

[BadKelpie]

Echo is growing awfully fast (she sheds exactly every 10 days), she takes dubias close to big cricket size, so she'll likely be able to eat close to the same things as the new one. And my mealworm colony exploded, so no shortage of those.

 

[Tony C]

If you do choose to house them together make sure you put the new gecko through a proper quarantine before introducing her to your existing gecko.

 

[BadKelpie]

Of course! I'd take a while to get the big tank ready anyway. It's sitting outside at the moment. It needs a good cleaning and I want to tile it an add some foam rock ledges.

 

[roger]

I have found that often times multiple females will encourage feeding. This has been confirmed with other members I have spoken with. I have never had a problem with keeping females together; even juvies and adults. The only issue I can see is if they are eating different sized foods. As long as there is ample smaller foods for the juvie then it shouldn't be a problem. Also make sure there are 3 hides in the 29. I like to do 2 in the heat and one in the cold. You never now when the bigger girls wants a day to herself.

Your telling me that its ok to put a 2.5 yr old gecko in with a 2-3 month old leo???.IMO under NO circumstances should 2 leos with that size difference be put together.there will be bullying happening maybe not immediate but it will happen gradually.Then there will be a post from OP posting about their injured juvenile.there has been numerous threads about bullying happening with leos of the same size let alone different size.

 

[reptileman044]

Always quarantine a new animal. After a quarantine period then you can out the 2 females together. I keep my females in groups with no problems.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Sometimes it works out to keep several females together. Sometimes breeding pairs can live together. There's a lot to consider beforehand though. First, a solid quarantine period. Don't be in a hurry with this, or issues that could have been avoided can occur. Second, their size. They should be of similar size to avoid food and hide aggression. Third, their temperament. For example, I had a couple juvie females together for a short time, but one girl beat up on the other, so it didn't work out. Always be prepared to separate immediately if necessary. Keep another suitable setup ready in case it's needed. Sometimes a stressor, such as breeding or laying eggs can cause two females that have lived together happily for some time to suddenly become incompatible. One may stop eating for a prolonged period and that's just one indication that they should be separated. Consider all these things before introducing another to an established animal.

They don't need a companion to live with and be happy, that's a personal choice for the keeper.

 

[roger]

Always quarantine a new animal. After a quarantine period then you can out the 2 females together. I keep my females in groups with no problems.

Having two animals the same size is totally different then having a 2.5 yr old and a 2-3 month old together !!! Your asking for big trouble when u put animals that are a lot younger in with fully mature leos.

 

[BadKelpie]

Ok, well I'm not getting the new one. I sent the email asking when we could meet and suddenly the light isn't available anymore. So I offered $25, because I don't like getting screwed over on deals. She didn't want to take my offer. She said someone else was willing to buy it for $35, but since I was first, I could still have the gecko for that. I've bought enough used cars, I know that line. So I told her if the other sale falls through, my offer still stands.

Thanks anyway, everyone!