Ben Dessen refers to
himself as a
‘conservationist and
wildlife advocate’ but
he is also Reptiles
Department Manager
at Kellyville Pets and is
passionate about
educating newcomers
to the reptile hobby. In
this issue, he deals
with a very common
misconception.
“Does my reptile need a friend?”
The dangers of cohabitation.
One of the most commonly asked questions by first-
time reptile keepers is, ‘Does my reptile need a
friend?’ An understandable question and an
important consideration to make in order to
successfully keep reptiles in captivity long term. The
debate surrounding reptile cohabitation is ongoing
and there are varying opinions surrounding the
subject. The reality is that most Australian native
reptile species are solitary creatures in the wild;
they will happily go about their daily lives alone and
do not require or seek companionship from their
own kind. This article seeks to provide an overview
of the risks involved in cohabiting some of the more
commonly kept species of entry-level native reptiles.
A common theme throughout modern reptile-
keeping practices is the necessity to recreate an
animal’s natural environment. As reptile keepers we
go to great lengths to ensure our animals are
exposed to the correct temperature ranges,
adequate ultraviolet lighting, have a good varied diet
and a naturally-furnished and enriching captive set-
up. When it comes to setting up a reptile’s enclo-
sure, we should try to mimic what they would be
exposed to in the wild, and cohabitation should be
no different.
Many of the most commonly kept species of native
Australian reptiles, including bearded dragons,
pythons and turtles, really only get together during
the breeding season to mate. Most reptile species
do not even demonstrate any maternal instincts and
once they have laid their eggs or given birth to their
offspring, the babies are on their own to fend for
themselves. For example, if a mother bearded
dragon ever came across one of her newly-hatched
Left: best of friends?
Often what may be a sign
of dominance is misinter-
preted as a token of
affection.
Top right: sometimes
freshwater turtles can be
seen basking together in
the wild, but in reality they
are solitary animals that
are best kept alone in
captivity. Photo by
Brisbane City Council.
Source: Creative
Commons. (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/
by/2.0/deed.en).