Bearded dragons are among the popular pet reptiles that are interesting, friendly, gentle, and active during the day. They are easy to care for as they are omnivorous; they eat plants such as pepper, sweet potatoes, and kale and animals such as ringworms, mealworms, and live crickets. They can eat once or twice a day, depending on the size and age of the bearded dragon.
Yes, all female bearded dragons lay eggs. When the female bearded dragon reaches sexual maturity, it will lay eggs even without mating. It is usual for many female reptiles to lay eggs even when a male is absent. This shows your bearded dragons are mature and can lay eggs, so you need to look for a male bearded dragon for mating; otherwise, they will continue laying infertile eggs.
When your bearded dragon is almost ready to lay eggs, you will be required to prepare a suitable laying box that will allow her eggs to settle together. Most of the gravid female bearded dragons experience a lack of energy when they prepare to lay their clutch. A gravid bearded dragon will eat more food when it is applied to help nourish its eggs.
So, do female bearded dragons lay eggs without a male? Yes, female bearded dragons lay eggs without a male. When a female bearded dragon lays eggs without a male, the eggs will be infertile and not hatch into a new baby bearded dragon.
How Often Do Female Bearded Dragons Lay Eggs?
Female bearded dragons lay an average of 2-4 clutches per year. A female bearded dragon typically starts laying eggs after around two years, but others can begin as early as 10-18 months.
When a young bearded dragon lays eggs before she reaches maturity, they will not be viable, which may be a risk for your bearded dragon.
The number of eggs in every clutch mostly depends on the bearded dragon’s size, breed, type, and species. In some female bearded dragons, the average number of clutches ranges between 1- 2 in a year, and others might have 2-4 in a year.
Prepare a cage or a lay box when your female bearded dragon is almost to lay eggs. The lay box should be shallow enough, filled with moisture, and make it warm for the bearded dragon to lay her eggs. These will enable them to mimic the warm, damp sand and bury their eggs in the wild, and after some time, the eggs will be hatched.
What Are the Bearded Dragon Breeding Stages?
There are different reproductive stages that male and female bearded dragons go through. There are four steps that female bearded dragons pass through and three for male bearded dragons, as listed below:
(a) Male Stages
1. Brumation
2. Spermatogenesis
3. Spermatic activity interruption
(b)Female Stages
1. Brumation
2. Copulation
3. Gravid
4. Egg laying
How Many Eggs Does a Bearded Dragon Lay?
A bearded dragon can lay between 10-40 in one clutch, with a maximum range of 90-150 eggs in an entire season.
The number of eggs a bearded dragon lays in a season is based on the number of clutches. A bearded dragon has a high probability of hatching its eggs (almost 95% in every clutch).
How to Care for Your Bearded Dragon Eggs
As the bearded dragon lays eggs, you should learn how to care for the eggs. To care for them, consider these three best ways, as indicated below:
1. Use a container that can fit all your eggs, and add a mixture of vermiculite and water. The mix should be fine but add more water later to provide moisture. The container must have holes for fresh air to reach the eggs.
2. Move your eggs to a container half filled with vermiculite and bury them. Take each egg from a nest or lay box into the container, but the eggs should not touch the sides of the container or the lid.
3. Keep looking at them until the female bearded dragon hatches them. As you examine it, when you see there is too much moisture, remove the lid for half a day or a full day to reduce moisture and for proper ventilation. For eggs to successfully hatch, they require the right amount of water, heat, and air.
How Do I Know If My Female Bearded Dragon Has Eggs?
There are many behavioral and physical changes you will be able to see when your bearded dragon has eggs. Below are five general physical and behavioral characteristics of the gravid:
1. Excrement changes
When your bearded dragon has eggs, you will see her bathroom habits change color. The urine will have a pink tint.
2. Increase in Weight
Suddenly, you will be able to see her weight gain with a noticeable bulging abdomen area. The stomach will be larger than before as a sign of pregnancy.
3. Lethargy and Anorexia
She will be less active than before when she is about to lay her eggs. She will start eating less food or sometimes not eating at all.
4. Slow Movement
When your bearded dragon has eggs, she will become large, making moving from one point to another difficult. You will see them spending their time in a laying box or a nest, and when they do get out, they do so for a short time.
5. Stressful
This is another sign that your bearded dragon shows when they have eggs. They are very stressed and look bored and anxious during pregnancy.
What Does a Baby Bearded Dragon Egg Look Like?
The baby bearded dragon eggs look small in their ovular shape and cream/white color, and when they’re about to be hatched, they will increase in size. You can use cradling to discover if eggs are fertile or infertile.
The fertile eggs will have pink embryos inside, while the infertile ones will look orange. The baby bearded dragon eggs will only hatch if they are productive; otherwise, they will not.