How Can I Tell If a Bearded Dragon Is Pregnant?
Bearded Dragon lizards make excellent pets, and it is often tempting for pet owners to undertake the joys of breeding their pets. Just like any child-rearing endeavor, the process of identifying the pregnancy and caring for the mother and young is a tremendous commitment on time and your wallet.
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Instructions
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Pay attention to the mother's food intake; when a reptile is gravid (pregnant), she will become ravenously hungry. You should feed her as much food as she wants during her pregnancy, paying particular attention to her calcium intake. High amounts of calcium will be needed for her body to form the eggs.
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Look for the mother's belly to grow rapidly after the second or third week as the eggs form. Just like any other pregnant animal, you will be able to feel the babies (or in this case, grape-like clusters of eggs) through her skin when you gently feel her belly.
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Purchase a lay bin such as a plastic Rubbermaid bin in which the mother can give birth. Make sure the sides are high enough so the mother cannot climb out of the bin. Vermiculite kept lightly moist will be the substrate of choice for the egg laying process, as well as the incubator (where you will hatch the eggs), so it's a good idea to have extra.
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Set up a heat lamp with a 60-watt incandescent bulb for the lay bin to keep the mother and eggs warm during the egg laying process. Bearded dragons tend to lay their eggs in the late afternoon or early evening; the box and Vermiculite should be warm by the time she is ready to lay her eggs.
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Tips & Warnings
In reptiles, the proper term for pregnancy is "gravid," which means they are carrying young or eggs. (Some reptiles, like skinks, do not lay eggs, but have live births.) Bearded dragons will be gravid for four weeks, and can retain sperm to become gravid again every four to six weeks. Breeders report seeing seven pregnancies from only one mating. The bearded dragon will lay 30 eggs on average per pregnancy. With four pregnancies, this will result in 120 babies in five to six months.
There are options to consider once you have determined that your bearded dragon is pregnant. If you cannot provide proper time and care, it would be most humane to freeze the eggs to kill the babies before discarding the eggs. Do not simply discard eggs without freezing first, because they can survive and hatch in the garbage dump, and die in horrible ways.
References
- Photo Credit bearded dragon image by Joy Fera from Fotolia.com
