# Small communal lizards?



## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

I'm hoping this year to buy some small communal lizards but i've no idea what. I've read some care sheets and they are pretty conflicting about whether some can live communally or not. 
I'm basically looking for something quick, pretty and small enough for a few to live in a 3 foot viv. I don't mind if they're not handlable as they will be more for display. I've been looking so far at curly tailed lizards and asian longtails, they seem to fit the bill but some care sheets say they're best kept alone. 

Does anyone have any suggestions about what i could get please?

ETA i don't mean mixing species, just a small group of the same species


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## Ophexis (Feb 19, 2010)

spirit975 said:


> I'm hoping this year to buy some small communal lizards but i've no idea what. I've read some care sheets and they are pretty conflicting about whether some can live communally or not.
> I'm basically looking for something quick, pretty and small enough for a few to live in a 3 foot viv. I don't mind if they're not handlable as they will be more for display. I've been looking so far at curly tailed lizards, they seem to fit the bill but some care sheets say they're best kept alone.
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions about what i could get please?


Are you talking about one species of lizard living in a group? Or several groups cohabiting? Cuz if it's the former, I think anoles could manage it, as long as you had only 1 male to a group of females.
The latter... well let's not turn this into a battlefield :lol2:


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## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

Lol, no i edited at the same time as you posted your reply : victory:


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## Ophexis (Feb 19, 2010)

spirit975 said:


> Lol, no i edited at the same time as you posted your reply : victory:


In that case my comment still stands, I think anoles get on well in a group, but obviously no communal set-up is totally without risk of domination issues.


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## adivallender (Mar 21, 2010)

cresties
Anoles
Leo's or Fat Tailes
Gargoyles
Skunk gecko
small day gecko like Yellow headed, Giant day or gold dust.

not all in the same tank but as a group they work well ( i have fat tails, crested and Tokays in groups, friends have the others)


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

if you had an aboreal viv then how about these little lasses ~









mourning geckos are 'quick, pretty and small' and will also live as a group : victory:


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## peterspets (Dec 17, 2009)

Pygmy Chameleons?
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/497829-pygmy-chameleon-thread.html


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## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

I'm not really into chameleons to be honest, those mouring geckos look really cute though, will look into those! Thanks


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## VW_Rick (Nov 8, 2009)

I'd get anoles if I were you, you can also mix them with asian longtails (taking sex into account)..


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

The longtails are amazing but are very lazy. House geckos will chirp to you at night and are not as shy as people make out mine used to sunbathe all the time! 

I had hemidactylus frenatus.


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## NBLADE (Apr 11, 2007)

adivallender said:


> cresties
> Anoles
> Leo's or Fat Tailes
> Gargoyles
> ...


 
gargoyles are tricky, some can be kept in groups, but others will just go for tails of tank mates and can cause problems, not the best to keep in groups unless you buy an established group, and same with day geckos, they do better in pairs as females will often fight or try and dominate other girls, so best to keep in pairs 


but other small communal species could be 

steno stenos 
steno petri 
cresteds 
bibrons geckos 
mourning geckos 
house geckos 
brown anoles 
green anoles 
asian long tailed lizards can be kept with anoles but often only have the one in with them, they can be dominant over other asian long taileds and cause issues, 
viper geckos 
helmeted geckos 
leopard geckos 
fat tailed geckos 
pictus geckos 
collared lizards 
rankins dragons 
ackies 
etc


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## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

Brilliant, thanks all!
Just want something a little different, something that the kids can watch and will please my eye too. Maybe something noisy isn't the best way to go though, i'm a light enough sleeper as it is :whistling2::lol2:
Also something active in the daytime would be a bonus.

I have no set up yet. I'll decide what i want and then build the set up to suit. I'm in no hurry.

Thanks again!


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## rhys s (Mar 8, 2010)

green anoles like most other people said would be the best ones to do .


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## cocobates (Jun 7, 2008)

ackies would be my choice mate very entertaining need a slightly bigger viv throu:2thumb:


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## VW_Rick (Nov 8, 2009)

Green anoles are very active, great if you get a little gang of them, you can watch the head bobbing, dewlap extension and tail signals, most genus in the iguanidae family are very cool to watch and the smaller members are very active. You can make an awesome viv for anoles aswell.


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## simooshy (Mar 12, 2010)

Marinam2 said:


> The longtails are amazing but are very lazy. House geckos will chirp to you at night and are not as shy as people make out mine used to sunbathe all the time!
> 
> I had hemidactylus frenatus.


:gasp: my longtails aren't lazy, my brooks gecko is!


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## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

Thanks, anoles sound good. Are the males dominant towards other males or can a group contain more than one male?


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## simooshy (Mar 12, 2010)

spirit975 said:


> Thanks, anoles sound good. Are the males dominant towards other males or can a group contain more than one male?


Only one male, they fight like crazy! Also I wouldn't recommend mixing them with longtails as some people suggest, in my experience the two do NOT get along...


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## Pono (Jan 21, 2008)

adivallender said:


> small day gecko like Yellow headed, Giant day or gold dust.


Klemmeri are the only commonish species of phelsuma that may tolerate living in a small group regularly, but they can still have dominance problems. Trios of other species can, but rarely work productively without fighting or dominance issues. Grandis (giants) and laticauda (gold dusts) are both very aggressive species which can even fail to work in pairs in some situations due to agression, so groups of these species is asking for trouble.

Anoles look great! 

Ed


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## simooshy (Mar 12, 2010)

Longtails for the win! My gravid female a while back:
The tail is about 4x the length of the body :gasp:


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## Pono (Jan 21, 2008)

simooshy said:


> Longtails for the win! My gravid female a while back:
> The tail is about 4x the length of the body :gasp:
> image


 
She looks like an absolute stunner! :flrt:

Ed


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## simooshy (Mar 12, 2010)

Pono said:


> She looks like an absolute stunner! :flrt:
> 
> Ed


Thank you, I just wish the babies had survived past a few months


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## Leonine (Dec 19, 2009)

Leos aren't particularly communal. :lol2:

But they're nocturnal anyhow, so on to the rest ... have no idea how they get on together but some lovely-looking lizards in the pics here so far.


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## NBLADE (Apr 11, 2007)

simooshy said:


> Only one male, they fight like crazy! Also I wouldn't recommend mixing them with longtails as some people suggest, in my experience the two do NOT get along...


 
you must have had a bad experiance then, i know many people who keep a long tailed with anoles, and never have any problems, i myself have done on numerous occasions over the years, 
i've also had very little issues keeping male anoles together, if the cage is an ok size 2 males will carve out territories, and then display at each other from the fav perch, fights are rare and when they do occur are just minor squabbles and no stress occurs, and if plenty of girls are in the viv then they are happy, 






Leonine said:


> Leos aren't particularly communal. :lol2:
> 
> But they're nocturnal anyhow, so on to the rest ... have no idea how they get on together but some lovely-looking lizards in the pics here so far.


 
many people keep leos in groups, ok they are not a species that in the wild you would expect to find in great numbers together under a log etc, but in captivity groups of females will normally get on well, unless they are hot females or occassionally blazing blizzard girls,


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## simooshy (Mar 12, 2010)

NBLADE said:


> you must have had a bad experiance then, *i know many people who keep a long tailed with anoles*, and never have any problems, i myself have done on numerous occasions over the years,
> i've also had very little issues keeping male anoles together, if the cage is an ok size 2 males will carve out territories, and then display at each other from the fav perch, fights are rare and when they do occur are just minor squabbles and no stress occurs, and if plenty of girls are in the viv then they are happy,


My dad also keeps a longtail in with anoles, I think I may have just had one in a grump! Thing is though, they will have to be monitored at first for aggression, he nearly bit my longtail, but is fine with others! :roll:


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## VW_Rick (Nov 8, 2009)

NBLADE said:


> you must have had a bad experiance then, i know many people who keep a long tailed with anoles, and never have any problems, i myself have done on numerous occasions over the years,
> i've also had very little issues keeping male anoles together, if the cage is an ok size 2 males will carve out territories, and then display at each other from the fav perch, fights are rare and when they do occur are just minor squabbles and no stress occurs, and if plenty of girls are in the viv then they are happy,
> 
> many people keep leos in groups, ok they are not a species that in the wild you would expect to find in great numbers together under a log etc, but in captivity groups of females will normally get on well, unless they are hot females or occassionally blazing blizzard girls,


Awesome, was gonna ask if you could put two males in the tank together if there was large enough area for two territories and plenty of females. I have a 4ft viv and want some anoles and longtails in it, but want two males to watch the territorial displays :mf_dribble:.


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## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

simooshy said:


> Only one male, they fight like crazy! Also I wouldn't recommend mixing them with longtails as some people suggest, in my experience the two do NOT get along...


Thanks. I wouldn't want to mix any species, i'm just going to find a species i like and stick to it. 

Your longtail is stunning....might have to think more about those!!


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

Asian Longtail are georgious. I have a group of two in my viv and have always kept them. They are lovly lizards and work great in large groups. I also keep mine with a group of green and brown anoles, they have all been together for about 5 years now and are work well together. 

jay


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## Leonine (Dec 19, 2009)

NBLADE said:


> many people keep leos in groups, ok they are not a species that in the wild you would expect to find in great numbers together under a log etc, but in captivity groups of females will normally get on well, unless they are hot females or occassionally blazing blizzard girls,


I've just seen enough "why are my leos skinny/always hiding/wounded" threads from owners who were told their females wouldn't fight, that I personally wouldn't suggest them for someone who is specifically looking for a group of lizards. Many of them get along beautifully if they're the same size, have enough room, etc., but when they don't it's a pain. It's not just "hot females and blazing blizzards" that will bully and bite.


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## NBLADE (Apr 11, 2007)

Leonine said:


> It's not just "hot females and blazing blizzards" that will bully and bite.


 
no but the majority of times you will be fine, problems can occur with any groupings though, you're right, and you should always be prepared to seperate and have spare vivs / tubs just in case if keeping anything together really.


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