In order to determine the sex of a bearded dragon the lizard should be held in the palm of the hand. The tail should be facing the onlooker and the tail must be gently lifted to allow a clear view of the ventral opening. The ventral opening is located just at the base of the tail and while sexing bearded dragons, caregivers must be mindful not to bend the tail too far toward the head of the dragon. This action may result in a break in the vertebra. The male species of the dragons have two bulges at the ventral opening, while the female dragon usually has one bulge, but it is not uncommon for the lady lizard to have no bulge whatsoever.
This ‘tail up’ method of sexing is the most accurate method, as unlike many other species, female and males do not have obvious sexing characteristics. Both sexes are known to do the ‘dragon wave’ however, the female will perform this strange waving motion in an attempt to indicate her readiness to mate. There are experienced breeders who have the ability to spot the slight appearance differences between the dragons. These signs or differences between the sexes, can include a darker beard, a thicker tail base and a larger head size. These are the general characterizes of the male lizard. These are not always accurate signs to look for when sexing dragons and generally the tail lifting method is preferred.
The visible bulge that is present at the base of the male’s tale is due to the two ‘hemi-penises’. Femoral pores, in some cases can also be clearly seen when determining the sex of your pet. Because these pores are very distinctive in the male lizards, and not always seen on the female lizard, this can also aid during bearded dragon sexing. As a rule the female lizards never have femoral pores, which mean that a lizard with the femoral pores is always a male.
If sexing is being done with the hope of breeding a pair of dragons, it is important to remember that a female dragon should be no younger than two years of age. If the lizard is immature, she will experience complications during breeding. There are cases of lizards being too young to breed and this leads to the female being unable to deposit the clutch of eggs. This results in a blockage and may cause the immature female lizard’s death. If uncertain about the lizard’s readiness to breed, a prospective breeder is urged to seek professional advice.
Once the process of sexing the reptiles has been accurately carried out, and the caregiver is satisfied that they have a male and female pair – lizards in captivity require human intervention in order to breed. The breeder will need to simulate the breeding season, which is usually winter or late autumn and this is easily done by simply lowering the temperature (slightly) in the lizard’s lair and reducing the amount of daylight hours.
Those who are new to the world of these incredible reptiles will soon learn how to easily spot the differences between the male and female species. Once ready to breed, this process will prove to be a rewarding and fascinating experience. Many online video clips have been posted on the internet where you are able to follow the step by step instructions on how to safely and accurately carry out breaded dragons sexing.
Reptiles - Amphibians 