How to Tell The Gender of a Bearded Dragon?

The bearded dragon today attracts the attention of many people who are passionate about reptiles.

Like several other species of the animal kingdom, there are males and females of the bearded dragon.

These are not easy to distinguish. You will find here some tips on how to tell them apart.

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How to identify a male bearded dragon from a female one?

The male bearded dragon and the female have almost identical physical traits.

You have to be very observant to distinguish the male from the female of this atypical lizard.

Several data help you determine the differentiate a male from a female bearded dragon.

The reptile’s overall height and width

The first characteristic to observe is the size of the bearded dragon. A larger specimen is generally a sign that it is a male.

Indeed, the male bearded dragon is distinguished by its rather remarkable size.

In adulthood, the latter can reach 50 cm! It is larger than the female bearded dragon which has a slenderer and less massive appearance.

Unlike the female, the male bearded dragon has a fairly large head and tail.

The width of certain parts of the male Bearded dragon’s body is related to the presence of the hemipenis, the male’s reproductive organ.

The reproductive organ to distinguish male and female bearded dragon

The hemipenis is the reproductive organ in several reptiles. Present only in the male bearded dragon, it is characterized by intricate ornamentation covered in keratized spines.

The presence of this organ is an infallible criterion for determining if your bearded dragon is male or female.

The hemipenis is noticeable thanks to the two bulges above the cloaca.

In the female on the other hand, you will only observe a single bulge in the center on the upper edge of the cloaca.

To verify the gender of the animal, you will need to turn it over (gently!) to peer under its tail. However, it is not recommended to lift it by the tail at the risk of breaking its spine.

The reproductive organ can be difficult to identify. This problem arises especially in these very young reptiles.

It is for this reason that it is generally necessary to wait until the bearded dragon is at least 1 year old to determine with certainty its gender. It is indeed from this age that this reptile reaches maturity.

In juvenile bearded dragon, these organs are virtually invisible to the naked eye, making the task of differentiating male from female difficult. There is still the flashlight technique to help you.

At birth, with a powerful flashlight, you can observe the genitals which are still visible, the skin of the bearded dragon being able to prove almost transparent to the light.

This technique is effective and painless for your bearded agama.

Examine the inner side of the thighs of your bearded dragon

In addition to these organs, a bearded dragon’s gender can be identified from observation of its thighs. When you are in the presence of a male bearded dragon, you can see inside this part of his body femoral pores.

These make it possible to secrete a whitish substance which allows it to mark its territory.

Skin color is an interesting clue

You can also establish the gender of this reptile from the color of its skin. Males are distinguished from females by a very bright skin color.

This color vibrancy is most pronounced during the mating season. However, this color can become less vivid when the male bearded dragon stays in the shade for a long time. The regulation of its internal temperature has an effect on the color of its skin.

The presence of a beard to recognize a male bearded dragon

Apart from all these characteristics, the male Bearded dragon has a small beard. This beard, which is absent in the female, is a criterion for recognizing a male bearded dragon.

Bearded dragon male / female: can they cohabit in the same terrarium?

The terrarium is an artificial shelter that mimics the natural living environment of certain animal species. The bearded dragon’s terrarium is specially made to offer it comfort in keeping with its wild state.

It is therefore important that this shelter be spacious with tree stumps, abandoned burrows, piles of stones, darkness and rays of light. As the bearded dragon is a desert lizard, its terrarium must be dry and devoid of vegetation.

Some Rules To follow

As a general rule, cohabitation is not easy between these animals within which there is a strong hierarchy.

However, between bearded dragons of the opposite gender, living together is quite possible by following a few rules.

Indeed, if you have a male and a female living together, the female bearded dragon can quickly go through a torment, the male being naturally overflowing with energy and has a strong reproductive capacity. This means that he will very often want to mate with the female.

This cohabitation generally leads to great stress for the latter.

These cases of fatigue and even exhaustion is linked to the approach tactics of the male. The bearded dragon usually begins with courtship displays accompanied by vertical head nods, beard spreading and tail flapping.

If the female ignores its calls, the male proceeds by biting at the base of the tail or the nape of the neck and scratching on the back.

To overcome these cases, it is possible to associate a male with several females in the terrarium.

It will spend itself on each of them and a balance of life will settle little by little.

As bearded dragons are solitary reptiles, you can also choose to put the two opposite gender together during the breeding season, so bearded dragons can mate for a few days.

Then separate them to allow the female to have a normal life. Early spring is the perfect time to do this.

It is also important that these animals are of the same species. Otherwise, you expose the female to the risk of cannibalism.