I was just curious if anyone of you wondrefully experienced herp lovers can tell my why Bearded Dragons lay ontop of eachother. We have two babies now (Tigger and Eeyore) and Eeyore is usually laying ontop of Tigger. I know he(?) isn't hurting her (?) because she lays there and accepts it. Is it a form of affection I wonder? Also, the arm waving thing. How cute is that! Does anyone know why they do that? I have a scientific mind; I like knowing why and how things work the way they do.

One more thing, Tigger must be a girl cuz she "faints" whenever she has to tolerate something she would rather not. Ex: she is shedding and some of the shed was stuck to her toes. I took her out of the tank and was GENTLY scratching at the shed. What does she do? Drops her head back, mouth open and eyes closed; way too dramatic!!! The first time she did that, I swore I killed her or something.

P.S. As soon as all of my babies arrive I will post more pics.
Angel

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Hard to notice, gleaming from the sky
When you're staring at the cracks
Hard to notice what is passing by
With eyes lowered

"The Leaving Song"- AFI

0.0.1 Mali Uromastyx (Spike)
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons (Hercules, Megora & Eeyore)
1.0.0 Bi-color Flame Point Himalayan (Koda)
1.2.0 Children (Dimitri, Mercedes, and Mariah)

It's basically a form of communicating submission to a dominant male although it's not scientifically explained, it's the common belief among keepers. There's also a head bob thing along with that but there's a lot of info around about the arm waving thing. Search the forum.
As for the rest, it's not affection. There is not affection in reptiles. It has to do with social status and dominance like a lot of other species out there.

As for that fainting, it's more faking. She's faking that she is dead so that you leave her alone. It's a sign of stress at peak levels. You need to strengthen your bounds so that she trusts you more.

Btw, you are not sure of their sex? And you keep them together? You know this is not a good idea right? =)

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Wish list: Blue Tongue Skinks and Uruplatus =)

Laying on top of each other is not really a sign of affection, as Ric said. I don't think there is anything really meant by this,. they just lie where they are comfortable. One of our girls used to ride around on the male's back when they were younger If they are not comfortable they will move.

The arm-waving is a sign of submission. You will often witness young dragons doing this when you approach the tank; they are saying "I am not a threat, please do not hurt me". As adults, females will often arm-wave to males to show that they are submissive or open to their amorous intentions

The "fainting" as you describe it is certainly not a sign of gender.. as Ric said you really need to be sure of sex, as two males living together can fight. See this website - http://www.hognose.co.uk/4.html - for tips on how to sex the Bearded Dragons.

How old are they now? As adults there are many outward signs of gender - males will generally be slimmer, with slightly larger heads, while females are 'rounder' and gather more fat around their abdomens and lower regions. If you look underneath the tails, males have more prominant pores and two lumps, where their hermipenes are. Females will have just one lump or nothing at all. Males also generally head-bob more - a sign of dominance and a mating signal - but females do head-bob too.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

I believe it also clusters the heat when they share body warmth...one large mass will stay warmer than a bunch of smaller masses.....Lyn

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Warmest Regards from Lyn

That's an interesting take on things Lyn.. if one has warmed up nicely the other might be soaking up that heat, however they can't share body warmth like humans can of course, since they are unable to generate their own heat.

I, being a romantic girly, do like to think of them as hugging though

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

My girls arm wave as soon as they see Tolkein and he bobs his head frantically, the girls do slower head bobs almost as if they are bowing down to him, and wave, its all to do with dominace and is a mating ritual, once the male gets ontop of the female he will bite her neck and she will wave frantically submitting...sometimes mating will take place other times its just showing dominance.

Doesnt sound like normal behaviour what Tigger did when you had hold of her, ive never known them to drop their head and mouth open, the only time mine have their mouth open is when they are thermoregulating.

too late lol as usual...so many replies as I was doing mine

lol Donna, thats ok,,, lots of input is a plus

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Donna, if you weren't so lazy, you wouldn't need to hire an unqualified secretary to type your posts for you!
Btw, next time, try someone without ADD issues =)

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Wish list: Blue Tongue Skinks and Uruplatus =)

Thanks for the input guys. They both are about 6 weeks old. I do not know the gender. I have tried to sex them but can not visualize the hemipenis as I have seen described and pictured. I see only one rounded outbulge at the vent opening on both of them (on the side toward the tail not the body...right?) It is flush to the vent opening, not spaced even a little bit. Tigger had done so well, it seemed as though she made a full recovery. I seperated them when she first was ill fearing infecting Eeyore. I put them back together when she appeared healthy again (about a week or so later). Now today she is exhibiting the same behavior. Not wanting to eat. Difficult to arrouse. She appears dehydrated, so I gave her a bath and force fed some pedialyte per vet's instructions .06ml. They both arm wave. I can be laying on my bed 10 feet away and both of them will wave quite often. I don't know what to do with this poor thing. Do you really think that she is way stressed out because she has to share a tank? They were in a 29 gallon tank; these two itty bitty babies. Do you think that I need to put her in her own tank and for how long? As far as strengthening the bond, do I hold her more? If she is already stressed by me is that going to help? Do you think putting her with my little girl (for sure a girl) that is coming this week is a good idea? Please help. I am desperate to do the right thing.
Angel

__________________
Hard to notice, gleaming from the sky
When you're staring at the cracks
Hard to notice what is passing by
With eyes lowered

"The Leaving Song"- AFI

0.0.1 Mali Uromastyx (Spike)
1.2.0 Bearded Dragons (Hercules, Megora & Eeyore)
1.0.0 Bi-color Flame Point Himalayan (Koda)
1.2.0 Children (Dimitri, Mercedes, and Mariah)