Determining the gender of your bearded dragon is very exciting. In this post, you will learn how to tell the gender of a bearded dragon, see tips and pictures to differentiate between male and female bearded dragons.
At what age can you tell the gender of a bearded dragon?
You can start telling a bearded dragon’s sex/gender once it turns at least 4-5 months old, or more accurately after it turns 6-8 months old and over. It’s very hard and even impossible to tell the gender of a very young bearded dragon under 4 months old because there are still no sexual characteristics.
What are main gender indicators and differences in bearded dragons?
- Femoral and preanal pores
- Hemipenal bulges
- Head and beard size
- Tail thickness at the base
- Cloacal opening (vent) size
Femoral and preanal pores – surefire way to tell the sex of a bearded dragon
Male bearded dragons have large and pronounced femoral pores that run across the underside of their back legs. These pores become much more visible when a male becomes sexually mature, after reaching around 6-10 months old.
Before that, these pores will look like small dots. Also, in adult males, these preanal pores will secrete a substance with pheromones that they use when breeding and marking their territory.
In sexually mature females, preanal pores are very small dots and not prominent. And in younger females, these dots will be barely visible at all. However, you will be able to see a square shaped uterus just above the cloaca (vent).
Hemipenal bulges – surefire way to tell the sex of a bearded dragon
Male bearded dragons have hemipenes – one on each side of the tail base. Hemipenes are testes that are positioned behind the cloaca, on the base of the tail with a small dip between. In sexually mature males of over 6 months old, you can see two vertical bumps on each side of the tail and a dip between them. These are hemipenes.
Females, however, don’t have any hemipenes, so the base of the tail will be completely flat. Please note that in younger males the tail base will also be flat because hemipenes are not developed yet. But as mentioned previously, you will be able to see a square shaped uterus above the vent at the base of the tail.
To see hemipenal bulges (if any), please place your bearded dragon on a table and gently lift its tail up at an almost 90 degree angle.
Another way to see hemipenes or their absence is to lift the tail up and use a flashlight to shine through the tail base. If your dragon is a male, you will see two vertical bulges on both sides of the tail. However, in females, there will be no bulges and you will only see a flat bulge.
Cloacal opening (vent) size
Vent size is another method for sexing bearded dragons. Cloacal opening size is larger in males because it accommodates two hemipenes at the base of the tail. Vent opening in females is much narrower.
Once again, this will be visible in mature bearded dragons and is an additional way to sex your dragon.
You can look at your dragon’s vent size by placing your dragon on a table and lifting its tail up gently. Also, you can also gently pull the vent flap to open up the cloaca. This will give you a better view.
Thickness of a tail base
Thickness at a tail base will indicate if your bearded dragon has hemipenes and is a male. In male bearded dragons, the tail at the base will be thicker than in males.
In females, tail is not as thick at the base as in males. Use this characteristic to determine the gender of bearded dragons over 6 months old only. This is because a young male’s tail base would not be thick until it starts reaching puberty.
Use tail base thickness, vent size and hemipenal bulge characteristics together when looking at your dragon’s underside at a 90-degree angle.
Head and beard size
In sexually mature male bearded dragons, head is wider and more solid than in females. While in females, their head is narrower and pointed rather than wide and solid.
What is more, beard size can tell something about the gender. Male bearded dragons have larger bodies and beards. However, don’t judge your bearded dragon’s gender by looking at its beard only – some females have large beards than males.
Factors that are not reliable when determining a bearded dragon’s gender
- Body size – sometimes females can be bigger, depending on living conditions, their past and many other factors. Growth rates in bearded dragons differ dramatically.
- Beard color – both males and female can make their beard black
- Digging – while females dig before laying eggs, both males and females tend to dig for various reasons.
Summary:
Please wait for your bearded dragon to turn at least 5 months old to identify its gender more accurately. If you buy a baby bearded dragon under 3 months and the seller tells you its gender, he/she is probably lying. Or, it could be a guess.
The most accurate ways to tell your bearded dragon’s gender are femoral and preanal pores and hemipenal bulges. Lay your bearded dragon on a table and lift its tail up gently to examine. You can also use a flashlight method successfully if your bearded dragon doesn’t get scared.
You can find a lot of useful posts and learn more about bearded dragon care on this resource page.