The first step in determining the gender of your bearded dragon is to observe its head. Male bearded dragons have wider heads than females, but not by much. Female beardies have narrower heads. If you’re not sure, look at other bearded dragons in its age group and compare the size of the head to that of a male. If it’s male, it’s going to be smaller and narrower than its female counterpart.
Another way to check the gender of your bearded dragon is to examine its tail. To do this, hold your bearded dragon on a firm surface. Gently lift the tail up with your thumb and index finger. You should not lift the tail above 90 degrees, because you’re risking hurting your beardie’s tail. Also, check the base of its tail – a darker shadow indicates a male.
Male bearded dragons have two bulges underneath their tail, whereas females have one. If you’re unsure of which bulge is the male’s, hold your beardie’s tail by the side of the head. The other way to tell the gender of your beardie is by checking its hemipenal bulge. This is not a foolproof method, so it’s important to wait until the beardie is mature and shows its bulge.
A hemipenal bulge on your beardie’s tail can also tell you whether it’s male or female. Male bearded dragons have two red bulges near the anus, while female beardie dragons have a single, smooth bulge in the middle. If you can’t find this, lift its tail slightly and try a different way. Make sure you’re not moving the beardie before you finish this.
There are several ways to determine the gender of your bearded dragon, but the easiest is to look at its tail. It will be obvious if your beardie has two bulges on its tail, while a male will have only one bulge. Female beardies can lay eggs, so be sure to check if she lays eggs. You’ll be able to determine her sex based on these details.
If you’re not able to see a femoral hole, try looking for a vent (also known as the cloacal opening). The cloacal opening is found on the underside of your bearded dragon between its rear legs. This is where feces and urate pass. You’ve probably already noticed this, and you’ll find out that male bearded dragons’ vent openings are wider than their female counterparts.
Although you may be surprised by the behavior of your new pet, bearded dragons rarely change their gender while in your care. In fact, it’s possible for your beardie to become gravid without having sex. However, a female bearded dragon will STILL lay a clutch of eggs if she’s not mated. You can expect to have some special care during mating season, as well as a feisty or aggressive beardie.
