Bearded Dragon Breeding & Behaviors
When you introduce your male to your female you will notice right away whether or not the male is interested in breeding. Typically males will begin aggressive head bobbing up and down rather quickly and sometimes stamp their foot. Their beards will turn black and your male will begin to run around. The female will begin a series of slow head bobs and arm waving showing submissive behavior if she is “ready.” The male may run circles around her trying to get into position. He will then run up behind the female and grab onto the back of her neck and bite it. Once mating has occurred, males will typically lose interest in the female and move off. It’s always a good idea to remove the male and repeat the process in a few days to increase your chances of successful mating.Bearded Dragon. Determining Egg Fertility.
Healthy looking eggs immediately after laying should have a nice
white tinge to them and a soft firmness when touched. Dark yellow or
soggy eggs are most likely infertile and will not develop. If the eggs
have a brownish tint to them in spots don’t worry, it is most likely
just dirty from being in the soil. As long as the eggs have that firm
soft feel to them, you should be fine (unless they are obviously
yellow.
Egg Laying Bearded Dragon
Egg Laying Bearded Dragon
A couple of days before the female is ready to lay her eggs she
will begin roaming around her cage restlessly digging up her substrate
and decorations. Our dragons run to the corners of their cages and dig
relentlessly. Once you start noticing this, you should provide an egg
laying box of some type or transferring them to another container to lay
their eggs.
Bearded Dragon. Incubating the Eggs & Tips
Once they eggs have been laid and uncovered, they will need to be
transferred to an egg container and placed inside your incubator. We
recommend purchasing small plastic shoe boxes that you can get at any
Wal*Mart for $1 and filling the inside with about 2″ of vermiculite.
Make sure to add enough water to the vermiculite to make it damp and
moist, but not soggy. You should be able to squeeze together a ball of
vermiculite and have it stick together without dripping a lot of water.
Bearded Dragon. Hatchling Care
Hatchlings will require much more attention and care then
sub-adult or adult dragons. They are much more sensitive to their
environment and their needs must be attended to properly. Hatchlings
will need to be fed 1/4″ crickets 2 to 3 times a day supplemented with a
calcium supplement such as RepCal daily. In addition, they will need to
be misted 3 or more times a day. You can also soak them in warm water
several times a week to help with hydration. Make sure you put only a
small amount of water in the container and you keep a close eye on your
hatchlings. It is very easy for them to drown if they are weak or pushed
down by other dragons standing on top of them.
Bearded Dragon. Egg Hatching
Several days before your eggs begin to hatch you may notice some
of them start to sweat. This is normal near the end of incubation and
not a sign to worry or decrease the humidity this late into development.
Once the dragon begins to break through the egg, you will notice a
considerable dent or “collapse of the egg.” It will then proceed to pop
his head through the egg and take his first breaths outside the egg.
Once his head has emerged, the dragon will slowly begin to remove the
rest of his body from the egg. The time this will take will vary from
dragon to dragon. It is normal for a dragon to do this from as little as
a couple ours or up to 24 hours or more.
Pre-Breeding Conditions Bearded Dragon
Dragons typically will need a cool down period to help induce
breeding. Although this is not always necessary, especially with
yearling dragons, it is a good idea to help regulate their natal
instincts. It will also help increase the fertility of your eggs and
keep your dragons on a normal schedule. Many times dragons under a year
old when paired together will breed right away without any type of cool
down process. For older dragons, it’s a good idea to brumate them.
Bearded Dragon Care
For a complete guide on how to properly care for your dragon we
recommend purchasing “The Bearded Dragon Manual” by Philppe de Vosjoli
published by Advanced Vivarium Systems.
She’s Gravid Now What?
Once your female has mated we strongly recommend separating her
from all other dragons and giving her a cage of her own while she is
gravid. It’s extremely important that she has access to high calcium
foods and given plenty of space to bask and rest. Make sure you
supplement her diet with calcium powder or even cuttlebones. You will
notice a large increase in her appetite within a few days of successful
mating. You will also notice a plumpness beginning to develop in her
body. By the time she is ready to lay eggs she should be much rounder
and plump then normal.
