Leopard gecko cohab

I had a bit of an argument with someone on cohabbing leopard geckos. I think that 2 females can be cohabbed if you keep a close eye on them to make sure they are both eating and aren't fighting, but the other person thinks no non-communal reptile should be housed together, ever. Of course, I think the cons outweigh the pros by far, but does anyone have any thoughts/experience on cohabbing reptiles?

I think it completely depends on the species. With some (like mourning geckos) it might be necessary, with others (like bearded dragons) it can be beneficial but take much more work and a much, much larger enclosure. I would say leopard geckos are a species that there are very little pros and much more cons. They aren't social in nature and there aren't many (if any) observed benefits by people that have done that. I'm of the opinion that pretty much no reptiles should be cohabitated. I think that some could be cohabitated but you would need to be prepared to put in 5x the money, space, and effort. It also depends what you mean by "can be", does that mean that they can be kept without killing each other, any major negative effects, or it benefits them?

I actually have been co-habing female Leo's for a while.

Yes, you will need to monitor for any aggression or stress. Some females don't mind co-habing and others are absolutely loners. Anything that looks like flakey bits of dry skin is usually an early sign of aggression from warning nips and the sharp teeth. I would separate those immediately before stress or aggression gets worse.

You will need multiple hides for warm and cool side and I wouldn't go any smaller than a 20 gallon. I've always kept my cohabs in at larger sizes habitats. (My current 2 co-habers have been in a 34 gal)

I like to keep a dish of vitamin/calcium powder and a dish of mealworms at all times. That way they can go in their own time and feed. If you're only feeding a small amount at specific times you will need to hand feed and make sure they are all eating enough/not being bullied away from food.

Agree with Erie_herps: better not to take the chance. You might get away with co-habbing herps, depending on enclosure size (lots more space being best) & species, but there's always a risk.

Even when breeding adult herps that don't normally attack each other, it can happen anyway, & since none of us can watch over them 24/7, it's better not to co-hab even those you think will be fine. I know bearded dragons are often raised in large group enclosures, for example, but a number of them end up with missing limbs or tails because another dragon bit them off. And that can result in infections & death also.

Plenty of people get fooled with snakes, because they seem so passive with a "buddy", but in truth, they don't have a way to express their displeasure- they end up less healthy from the stress of competing for the optimal temperatures, food, or hiding places (that are often already taken by the roommate). These same animals may certainly run into each other in nature, but there's no comparison of an enclosure to the wide open spaces in nature.

Linking this here because it does go into detail about cannibalism in leopard gecko's but also was a neat little study on colony life in the wild.

https://www.researchgate.net/publica..._from_Pakistan

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Originally Posted by Armiyana

Linking this here because it does go into detail about cannibalism in leopard gecko's but also was a neat little study on colony life in the wild.

https://www.researchgate.net/publica..._from_Pakistan

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That's quite a good read! :gj: And if nothing else, read the paragraph on FOOD. ​

The section about how the locals believe leos are ultra venomous and can kill you instantly reminds me of a live-action Disney movie called Holes. In the movie set in a Texan desert, there's a fictitious species called the "yellow-spotted lizard" that were aggressive and could kill you in seconds with one bite.

In reality they're just bearded dragons with non-toxic yellow paint spots on their backs.
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/ho...20151105004239

By can be, I mean it's possible to keep two females together without any major negative effects. Really, I can't think of one pro and there are quite a few risks involved, so it's not really a good idea for most people. Of course, I'm not cohabbing mine and won't be anytime soon. Actually, the reason this whole thing started was that someone wasn't sure if a 20L was big enough for a single leopard, and I said that according to some people (personally I don't think it's big enough) it's actually large enough for two geckos, therefore it's definately big enough for one. She took it to mean I was suggesting he get two geckos in there. I wasn't sure so I decided to ask people who had actually done it since at that point it was two people arguing their personal opinions.

Part of it depends on the individual gecko. Some might be fine being together while others might be constantly fighting and could lose tails.

Yeah, definitely depends on the individuals. Especially if you don't know if you have a "hot" female or not. And regardless of how well they get along, you will always need to do check ins regularly to look for any flakey looking spots or nipped toes or tails and separate them immediately.

My cohabs are almost always set up while they are young. And they are about the same size. I've never added older geckos unless it's a male for breeding.
There used to be a few breeders who would set up cohab groups for 2-3 females and add a male for breeding season. I don't know if that practice has gone now or what. I've been out of primarily leopard gecko groups for a while now. That was part of why I got into the habit of keeping Leo's in female pairs a long time ago. Even when I'm not actively attempting breeding it has just been something I maintain.

Amusingly enough, I don't like keeping bearded dragons together because I have seen so much damage from fights and mishandled keeping from other people. I have seen a couple people who refused to separate male geckos after a small fight. Weirdly I saw a few people sounding like they're also against breeding Leos since the males can be a bit aggressive at times...but most arguments I've seen seem to point to someone trying to pair too young of a female and she gets injured. I just personally have never had issues with my girls. They're just fat and friendly little gals.

It's seems to be one of those older keepers vs newer keepers things? Even Ron Tremper still maintains that "A 10 to 20 gallon aquarium houses one or two leopard gecko's from hatchling to adult size" on his website. In the wild, colonies of females have been found habitating together in more sheltered places as well as loners in more open areas. I definitely recommend a new keeper have their geckos kept separately. You definitely need to know how your average Leo acts and behaves before any attempt at pairing them. And again... I always push for the larger 20g + for any kind of co-habing. That way they can both have access to different hides and feed bowls if needed.

Late here, but my two cents. I had 3 females that grew up together and were in a 6X2' tank and previously, a 4X2' tank.

They got along great for years and then, they didn't. One became dominant and pushy and would instigate with the other two. At that point, I had the space, so I put each in a 3X2' (one being the original 6X2' split in half with a divider and separate heating elements).

Remember, separate is fine, but together can work or may not work, and even if it works for some time, that can change.

I was told females can cohabitate (see above), but males never should. I think you know this, but I am clarifying for others who might read this.