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If you are new to owning a bearded dragon, you should research the many aspects of owning and caring of the species before breeding. Breeding bearded dragons will require knowledge and time especially after the birth. A female can lay up to thirty babies and feeding all of those beardies can be a chore.

The first step on this journey will be sexing your dragons to assure you have a male and female. Before breeding, research the subject and prepare for the egg laying process, care of the eggs and the care of the hatchlings.

SEXING
You will need to sex your bearded dragons to insure you have a male and female. The head of the male will be larger and will also have a bulge in the base of the tail. Underneath the tail there should be two bulges on each side of the tail. Female bearded dragons will not have these bulges.

BREEDING PERIOD
Many breeders believe in a pre-conditioning stage for the female bearded dragon. During this time the female is brought into season. If your dragons do not mate, the female may need pre-conditioned. During the pre-conditioning, the female is put through a period to imitate the winter season by decreasing the heat and the amount of food provided. This process lasts about four weeks.

The male and female can be placed together but need to be monitored. The female will show signs that she is ready to mate by moving her head up and down and she will wave her front legs. When the female becomes fertile she will begin to search out a nesting area. Most breeders recommend separating the male and female after mating.

EGG LAYING
The female needs to be provided a place to lay her eggs. This egg laying box needs to have a substrate (layer on the bottom of the box) and the substrate should be deep enough to lay the multitude eggs she may produce. Breeders recommend the layer should be at least four times the height of a regular egg. The different options of substrates are highly debatable among breeders. Most do agree however that sand should not be used due to the fear of impaction.

THE EGGS
Gestation lasts four to six weeks. After the female has laid her eggs, remove the egg laying box. The eggs should be placed in an incubator and kept at approximately 85 degrees and should never drop below 82 degrees. When moving the eggs it is very important to never rotate the eggs. If the eggs are turned, they will not hatch. A spray bottle will be required for misting the eggs on a regular basis because the eggs need to stay moist.

HATCHING
Between sixty to eighty days, you will have hatchlings. The eggs start to collapse and the babies start to emerge from their shell. The hatchlings will not all emerge at the same time and it can take up to several days for all of the babies to arrive into their new world. Leave the hatchlings in the incubator for at least twenty four hours after hatching to absorb the yolk sacs.

Because of their docile nature, bearded dragons have become one of the most popular pets of the lizard species. They will breed easily in captivity if the entire process is handled properly and with care. If you already own a bearded dragon then you know that they are special pets and require knowledge in their day to day needs. Whether you are a beginner or experienced breeder, the birth of the hatchlings can be a rewarding experience that will require time, special care and knowledge of the process.

Source:
THE BEARDED DRAGON: AN OWNER'S GUIDE TO A HAPPY HEALTHY PET by Steve Grenard, copyright 1999
http://www.beardeddragonca re.net
http://www.gherp.com/bea rded/bearded_dragon.htm
http:// www.beardeddragonguide.com/bre eding-sexing-bearded-dragon-li zards/

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