How to breed bearded dragons
Breeding bearded dragons is not the most difficult task in the world, but it does require some care and attentiveness. Make sure you can properly care for two adult bearded dragons before attempting to breed them. This will give you some time to understand the reptiles and know if you are prepared to breed them.
Your primary concern should always be the health of your dragons. Not only for breeding purposes, but also for the overall well-being of your pets.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Male bearded dragon
- Female bearded dragon
- 2 large tanks
- Heat lamp
- Soil
- Sand
- Incubator
- Vermiculite
- Water
- Lidded container
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Breeding Bearded Dragons
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1
Prepare the tank for occupancy. This includes branches to climb and a flat surface under the heat lamp for the dragons to "sun" themselves. The tank should stay between 77 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit, with the heat lamp generating up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. It will also need a recessed place for the female to lay her eggs that is filled with a mixture of soil and sand. Bearded dragons bury their eggs.
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2
Place the bearded dragons in the tank together. Watch carefully if they are just meeting for the first time. They may need to be eased into cohabiting. Once they are accustomed to each other, leave them be and they will eventually mate.
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3
Watch for the female's belly to begin to expand. It will be obvious when she is pregnant. You will be able to see the outline of eggs through her abdomen. She should lay her eggs four to six weeks after mating.
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4
Collect the eggs immediately. Bearded dragons are not particularly maternal. The female will probably not keep the eggs warm. They need to be removed from the nest carefully. Do not turn them. Keep them in the same position as you found them.
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5
Incubate the eggs. Place the collected eggs in the lidded container. The container should contain vermiculite that has been mixed with water; four parts vermiculite to one part water. The vermiculite should be deep enough to cover the eggs two-thirds of the way. The lid of the box needs to have plenty of air holes. Place the container in the incubator. The incubator should be set to maintain a temperature between 83 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The eggs will hatch in 60 to 70 days. Leave the hatchlings in the incubator for about 24 hours or until they absorb their yolk sacs.
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6
Place the babies in the second tank that has prepared the same way as the first (minus the nest). Captive bearded dragons will probably not recognize their own offspring and could eat them, so they must be kept separate. The babies will begin to feed in about three days.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make sure you know why you are breeding bearded dragons. If you are going to sell them, have a buyer lined up. You do not want to be stuck caring for 35 new baby beardies.
If you are going to keep them, you will have to plan for an extensive amount of space for each of them.
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