Will Bearded Dragons Eat Each Other? {Why Beardies Kill Their Own}

I want more bearded dragons. I love this species of lizard. I’m nervous about on thing however. Will bearded dragons eat each other?

Will bearded dragons fight? Why would one kill another? Can I keep babies with adults? Can I keep 2 males together?

You may already know some of these answers, but I’m sure there is plenty you might not know when you scan through this article.

Will Bearded Dragons Eat Each Other?

Yes. Bearded dragons are not cannibals but when certain circumstances occur, they can resort to attacking or possibly eating another. Some issues could arise from:

  • Housing an adult with a baby bearded dragon
  • Territorial battles
  • Enclosure or vivarium too small for two beardies
  • Fight over food
  • Battle over a potential mate

Keep baby bearded dragons away from adults in separate tanks. Attacks occur more often with two males fighting.

If they bite and remove a limb or tail, you will not see any regeneration or regrowth and your bearded dragon victim may not survive.

Will Bearded Dragons Eat Other Lizards?

Yes. On occasion. An omnivorous bearded dragon could be driven to consume a smaller lizard, including their own species.

Most of the time, they would rather consume:

  • insects
  • vegetables
  • little rodents

When the opportunity arises or aggression results, bearded dragons could resort to eating each other. Bearded dragons cannot eat larger iguanas, but they have been known to consume:

  • Baby bearded dragons
  • Leopard geckos
  • House geckos

A fight within the same enclosure for territory could lead to one eating the other or adversely causing harm with the loss of limbs or tail that will never grow back.

Are Bearded Dragons Cannibals?

No. Bearded dragons are not actively looking to hunt each other and I wouldn’t say that they are cannibals.

They can however, resort to cannibalism when times are tough or anger and aggression calls for it. Here are some reason why bearded dragons cannibalize one another:

  • Lack of food
  • Lack of space
  • Territorial disputes
  • One is larger than the other
  • Fighting for a mate

Keep your bearded dragons well fed and allow them to have plenty of space if housed together including various private hiding spaces for relaxation and personal territory.

Do Bearded Dragons Kill Each Other?

Yes. Bearded dragons can get very defensive or aggressive when it comes to food or territorial battles. The fight could continue until there is only one who remains alive.

Bearded dragons fight with males being the likely culprits. They may fight over:

  • Females
  • Heat source
  • Food
  • Space
  • Stress
  • Overcrowding

Bearded dragons who have been living peacefully together for months could one day decide to rip each other apart with their sharp teeth. They may not stop until one of them is gravely injured.

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Should I Keep 2 Bearded Dragons Together?

I would not keep two bearded dragons together. This is especially the case when it comes to keeping tow male beardies in the same tank.

I’ve seen and heard of many encounters with one maiming, injuring, killing or eating the other. In the wild these animals are solitary and don’t share the same space.

Trying to tame and domesticate a territorial, solitary lizard by making them cohabitate is risky and could result in one hurting, killing and possibly eating the other.

Will Two Female Bearded Dragons Live Together?

It’s safer to keep 2 female bearded dragons instead of 2 males in the same tank. I still wouldn’t do it because of the risks involved with carving out territory and being very protective of it.

Competition may still result for:

  • Food
  • Light
  • Hiding spaces
  • Dmonation (hierarchy)

One may become malnourished and lack the calcium they need to maintain healthy bones and exterior. They could end up with:

  • Metabolic Bone Disease
  • severe stress
  • excessive hiding tendencies 
  • lethargy
  • refusal of food
  • severe injury
  • early death

There will always be examples of healthy and peaceful bearded dragons living together. Maybe they grew up together, were rescued together and never fought.

Do Bearded Dragons Fight?

Yes. Fighting is common when two bearded dragons are:

  • vying for the right to mate
  • jockeying for dominance 
  • staking out the best territory

They may fight in captivity when positioning themselves under the best basking spots. Asking solitary creatures to not fight when placing them together in close quarters invites trouble for the most part.

Separate them before it’s too late if two bearded dragons start:

  • gaping
  • puffing their necks out
  • hissing
  • slowly getting close together 

Can A Baby Bearded Dragon Be Kept With Adult?

No. This is one of the more common cases of one larger bearded dragon consuming the smaller one.

Injuries, accidents and painful encounters are likely to occur when trying to keep a sensitive, diminutive and fragile baby dragon with an adult beardie.

You might get lucky, have a huge enclosure and experience no such aggression. You may be unlucky and wake up to find out that only the adult remains with the baby being eaten severely maimed.

Two Baby Bearded Dragons Together

Two baby dragons may grow up together for a short time. The older they get, they will become territorial once they are juveniles. More than two babies might also work before they begin their first shed.

This is a temporary solution until you figure out if you want to get a larger enclosure with many territories to claim, or separate tanks.

You may also decide to adopt one and give the other to a friend or bearded dragon lover who is ready for more reptile loving.

Why Do Bearded Dragons Kill?

Bearded dragons kill because they are survivors for millennia and wish to remain alive. They will fight to the death, kill other species and possibly each other as well.

Some of the likely reasons why they would kill another bearded dragon includes:

  • Territory
  • One larger than the other
  • Fighting over basking spots
  • Food scarcity
  • Dominance
  • Defending a mate
  • Fighting to gain a new mate

Do Bearded Dragons Kill Their Babies?

Sometimes. Bearded dragons wish to be alone. This includes not sharing spaces with their own offspring. They are always on defense when they feel that another bearded dragon may stake their claim on their territory.

Some bearded dragons have more dominant or aggressive personalities. This is why we can’t assume that all bearded dragons parents are a threat to their young.

In rare cases, this hostile and violent act of eating their own offspring can and will occur. Separate them and never keep young beardies with adults if you can avoid it.

Why Does My Bearded Dragon Bite My Other One?

Bearded dragons may bite, fight, kill or eat another if they are kept together in the same territory without relief.

There must be much more space to hide, multiple basking areas and plenty of food. With or without all comfort factors in place, they still may bite or fight. Reasons include:

  • Bullying
  • Hunger
  • Courting
  • Defense

Why Does My Bearded Dragon Bite Me?

Your bearded dragon may also mistake you as a possible threat on their territory and wish to bite you as well.

If they are gaping, hissing and their necks are puffed out, back off and let them realize that you do not wish to enter or invade their personal space.

With repetition, patience and time spent together, this form of aggression towards you will lessen or stop completely.

Do Bearded Dragons Like Each Other?

Not always. Bearded dragons, particularly males, may be very territorial. Never house two male bearded dragons in the same enclosure.

However, a couple or two females may work. A male and a female may also work, but it is vital to be mindful of the possibilities of reproduction.

Owning more than one bearded dragon may appeal to you, either to share with family or simply to keep them company.

Male bearded dragons should not be housed together in general since they are territorial and will fight. If you insist on having more than one, females may possibly coexist amicably.

Conclusion

Shortages of food may create so much hostility that it is so important to make sure these lizards are fed well if housed together.

Introducing new bearded dragons in an established vivarium where only one lives is asking for trouble. They may get along with enough space,, but you can never predict what may happen months from now.

If one dominates too much, they eat more bask in the best spots while the other cannot digest well or may even be malnourished and severely stressed.

When one is weakened or remains smaller than the dominant alpha in the tank, the chances of getting eaten by the aggressor is higher.

These territorial creatures would escape or leave the victorious beardie to enjoy their claim while searching for a new home. In this captive position, the inferior bearded dragon is trapped and may face dire consequences.

 

Thank you for visiting PocketPetCentral.com for the best information to help you enjoy the life of your pocket pet companion in a fun, safe & healthy way.

Anna

My name is Anna and I work full time in my local pet shop where we sell many animals that I write about on this site. I love all animals and love writing about them.